There are really, really bad headaches and then there are migraines. As
a lifelong migraine sufferer, I
know a migraine is in my future because my body gives me advance warning
in the form of a dull headache the day before and bouts of blurred vision,
which are known as "aura."
According to Dr. Vernon Williams, a neurologist and director of the Kerlan-Jobe Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, "Headaches and migraines are caused when the blood vessels, muscles, and nerves in the head are overstimulated. When these pain-sensitive structures become overactive, or when chemical activity in the brain is altered, we feel the uncomfortable sensations of a headache."
So, what differentiates a common headache from a migraine? There are some very specific things that make migraines … migraines. Additionally, if you think you may suffer from migraines, you can take this migraine quiz and then seek the opinion and advice of a professional.
Dr. Williams acknowledged that basic headaches are noxious, telling me, "A headache is an unpleasant sensation in any region of the head or upper neck. It may appear as a dull ache, a throbbing feeling or a sharp pain, and intensities of the pain vary with whatever is causing it," he said. "Though most people associate a headache with pain in the brain, the actual pain felt is stemming from the tissues that surround the brain. A headache can be brief – lasting less than an hour – or linger for several days."
But here's the essential takeaway — regular headache pain is localized. There aren't additional symptoms in other parts of the body, as is the case with migraines.
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