Migraine Vs Headache: Know How To Tell Difference And What To Do To Manage The Pain

Migraine is a neurological condition that causes a strong headache accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include sensitivity to light and sound, numbness. It can last for hours or days. Migraine affects more women than men and having a family history of migraines is a common risk factor. If you struggle with migraines you will know that the symptoms of migraines are not common and they are different from a normal headache.

Migraine Vs normal, stress headache

Pain-

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In normal headache there is distracted mild to moderate pain. Whereas, migraine is a debilitating condition.

Location-

In normal headache, there is an equal distribution of ache i.e. on both sides of the head whereas in migraine the pain is either on the sides or on the front.

Symptoms-

In migraine one feels nausea and vomiting while in normal headache there are no such specific symptoms.

Warning signs-

There are no warning signs in headache but there are warning signs in migraine known as AURA (these are warning signs usually experienced fifteen minutes to one hour before the actual attack.)

Also read: Get Rid Of Migraine Pain With These Home Remedies

Migraine triggers

1. Hormonal changes

2. Stress

3. Certain food items

4. Skipping meals

5. Caffeine

6. Change in weather

7. Changes to your sleep

8. Tobacco

9. Loud noises, vivid lighting, and strong smell

Too much consumption of caffeine can trigger migraine in some
Photo Credit: iStock

Migraine prevention

We all are familiar with the quote -"Prevention is better than cure". Taking precautions is the best way to cope up with the problem, taking medications is not the only solution and our diet plays a major role in preventing migraine attacks.

Try making these small adjustments to your diet:

Do's

• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Processed foods can be extremely triggering, ensuring proper intake of fresh fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, berries, bell peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes and green vegetables.
• Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet- salmon, flax seeds, olive oil, and walnuts. It has been observed that consumption of foods containing omega-3 is particularly useful in reducing migraines.
• Stay hydrated. Intake of water is the key to a healthy life. Dehydration is a common migraine cause. Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day.
• Observe your food routine. In some cases, there are frequent migraine attacks. Mostly it is after intake of certain food items varying from person to person. In such cases, one should maintain a food diary jotting down the food items that might have caused a migraine diary. Thus we should avoid those items in the future.
• Maintaining a healthy weight. Obesity has been seen as a risk factor for causing migraines. Maintaining a healthy weight can be helpful in reducing migraines.

Also read: Migraine Found To Be Thrice As Common In Women: Study

Dont's

• Avoid foods high in nitrite content like processed meats, foods containing tyramine- blue cheese, and red wine.
• Citrus fruits, beans, peanuts can trigger migraine
• Avoid foods containing MSG such as soy sauce and packaged food
• Avoid overconsumption of caffeine (found in tea, coffee). Intake of caffeine to a limited extent is normal but heavy intake can be troubling.
• Don't skip meals. Skipping meals can provoke headaches.

Also read: Migraine, Bloating, Inflammation And Other Benefits Of Kong- A Lesser-Known Millet

Migraine can be debilitating, and painful. Many solutions are available in treating it but knowing how to prevent it with the right diet and remedies can be helpful.

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