There is nothing worse than having a headache, some are more serious than others. Thus it is important to understand the symptoms so you don’t make a mistake in self-diagnosis and miss vital treatment. We will review below some of the most common types of headaches and their differences.
Telling the difference between a common headache and a migraine
A headache – a pain that occurs in the forehead, temples or the back of the neck is often harmless and falls under 2 broad categories: common headaches and migraines.
How do you tell them apart?
Headaches vs Migraines
Common Headaches
A typical headache usually lasts between 30 minutes and a few hours.
The most common headache type is a tension headache, which is associated with:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Eye / muscle strain
Migraines
Migraine pain tends to come on gradually and become progressively more severe as compared to tension headaches. Usually a throbbing or pulsing sensation, and it can be accompanied by nausea or vomiting.
Triggers may include:
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
- Skipping meals
Headaches can range from being a mild inconvenience to being quite severe. Don’t suffer in silence and speak with a WhiteCoat GP to help identify and get treatment so you don’t need to endure another painful episode Click here to find out more about WhiteCoat GP service.
