Are there different kinds of migraine?
Yes, there are many forms of migraine headache. But, the two forms seen most often are classic and common migraine.- Classic migraine. With a classic migraine, a person has these visual symptoms (also called an “aura”) 10 to 30 minutes before an attack:
- sees flashing lights or zigzag lines
- has blind spots or loses vision for a short time. The aura can include seeing or hearing strange things. It can even disturb the senses of smell, taste, or touch. Women have this form of migraine less often than men.
- Common migraine. With a common migraine, a person does not have an aura, but does have the other migraine symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
How does a migraine headache differ from a tension headache?
While migraine headaches affect millions of people, they are still less common than tension headaches. Tension headaches cause a more steady pain over the entire head rather than throbbing pain in one spot. Most of the time, migraine attacks happen once in awhile, but tension headaches can occur as often as every day. While fatigue and stress can bring on both tension and migraine headaches, migraines can be triggered by certain foods, changes in the body’s hormone levels, and even changes in the weather. There are also differences in how these two types of headaches respond to treatment with medicines. While some over-the-counter drugs used to treat tension headaches sometimes help migraine headaches, the drugs used to treat migraine attacks do not work for tension headaches.When should I seek help for my headaches?
Nearly half of the people in the United States who have migraine do not get diagnosed and treated. The National Headache Foundation suggests you talk to your doctor about your headaches if:- you have several headaches per month and each lasts for several hours or days
- your headaches disrupt your home, work, or school life
- you have nausea, vomiting, vision, or other sensory problems
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.womenshealth.gov/)
