Only those who have experienced a migraine know just how excruciating that throbbing pain in the head can be.

Due to a lack of awareness on the symptoms, characteristics and complications of a migraine, many people can’t tell the difference between a headache and a migraine.

The difference between a headache and a migraine

Headache is the term widely used to describe a pain felt in the head, face or neck. Headaches are usually caused by environmental and secondary factors which include:

● Frequent jaw tightening
● Feeling hungry for long periods of time
● Depression or nervousness
● Lack of sleep
● Non-ergonomic body posture
● Infection
● Stress
● Ingesting specific types of medicine

The main type of headaches are:

• Tension: The most common form of headache. The pain is characterised through the  high intensity of pressure felt.

Pain usually persists around the area of the head which is covered by a bandana or hat, or the areas where a rubber band is used to tie your hair in a bun or ponytail.

• Cluster: This headache involves pain on one side of the head only, followed by other symptoms on the same side, such as watery or red eyes.

It usually starts around the eye area and spreads to other parts of the head or neck. It is called cluster as the attack happens in the form of clusters, with a cycle ranging anywhere between one to eight times a day.

• Sinus: Caused by a sinus tract infection. You can also experience other types of sinus inflammation like a fever, blocked nose, cough or pressure in the face.

Symptoms of a migraine

The primary symptom of a migraine is a throbbing pain experienced on the side of your head. The pain ranges anywhere from medium to extremely painful.

Physical activity or demanding movement can actually worsen the pain. Other primary symptoms are nausea and vomiting when exposed to stimulating light or sound and stiffness in the shoulders and neck.

There are two types of primary migraine – with and without aura

Migraines without aura are experienced more frequently. They represent 75% of the total number of migraine attacks that occur.

Each migraine attack can differ and you may experience both migraine types throughout your entire life.

Aura refers to a discomposure of the sensors which occurs shortly before a migraine attack. It usually involves disruptions to your vision, such as:

● Appearance of blind spots
● Appearance of coloured spots
● Blinks of light
● Glowing flashes of light
● Tunnel vision
● Zig zag lines
● Blurred vision
● Temporary blindness

Other aura symptoms that do not involve your vision include:

● Pain and numbness
● Speech impairment
● Tingling sensation in your arms and legs
● Weakness on one side of the body
● Dizziness
● Vertigo

Effects and complications of migraine

Migraines can cause several worrying health effects and complications and can involve a degree of medium to dangerous severity. Some migraine complications that can possibly occur are:

1. Hemiplegic migraine

Migraine sufferers tend to develop temporary paralysis on one side of their body. This type of paralysis is usually accompanied by speech impairment and confusion.

It is extremely terrifying as the symptoms mirror that of a stroke. This paralysis can last from anywhere between an hour to days at a time. However the shorter attacks usually dissipate after 24 hours.

2. Status migrainosus

This complication rarely occurs, but it is extremely agonising when experienced. Migraines with this aura can last for up to 72 hours and sufferers may have to be hospitalised due to its extremely painful nature.

3. Migrainous infarction

This migraine relates to a stroke, and is accompanied by aura and can last up to an hour. The aura is capable of lasting even after the migraine has dissipated, and if experienced for a long period of time, can point to internal bleeding in the brain.

4. Lasting migraine without infarction

Similar to a migrainous infarction complication, but it is not accompanied by internal bleeding of the brain. The aura of this migraine can last for weeks.

5. Migralepsy

This is characterised from epilepsy, a repeated form of seizure which is triggered by a migraine. It usually occurs within an hour after the migraine. Thankfully, this migraine very rarely happens.

6. Migrainous stroke

A stroke occurs when blood flow to your brain is clogged or cut off. This could be due to leaking blood vessels or blockages such as cholesterol plaque in your blood vessels.

Although the migraine relation to stroke is not completely understood, it does relate to an aura-accompanied migraine. This migraine complication also very rarely happens.

Conclusion

A migraine is not just a throbbing pain in your head, it is capable of affecting your capabilities as a whole. It can cause various painful and life-threatening complications.

Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the condition is vital for those suffering from migraine.

The right diagnosis, combined with prevention methods can help in avoiding complications. Do seek a doctor’s advice if you experience a migraine or aura that lasts for a longer period.

This article first appeared in Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.