Experts explain difference between headaches and migraines, ways to relieve pain

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (New-Press NOW) -- Migraines can strike without warning and can ruin an entire day.  

According to the Mayo Clinic, migraine headaches produce throbbing pain and are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. They can last for hours or even days, and can affect all age groups, including children and teens.  

Hamilton, Missouri, physician, Dr. Greg Dean, said there are definite distinctions between what would be classified as a migraine headache and a “normal” tension headache.  

“If you have a headache and you become very light sensitive... and it’s accompanied by nausea, that’s more likely to be a migraine,” Dean said. “But if you have muscle tension in the back of the head that seems to come forward and can be relieved by Tylenol or Ibuprofen, it is more likely to be a tension headache.”  

Dead added that if you experience one migraine, they are likely to return. However, if you experience migraines as a child or teen, it is not uncommon to outgrow them as an adult. Migraines can be triggered by physical, environmental and psychological factors.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is common to combine medicines with other remedies that include therapy and even lifestyle changes to best manage them.  

Once a migraine occurs, regardless of how long it lasts, it is common to feel drained and even a bit despondent for a period of time afterward. Warning signs for a migraine may occur days before.

Signs often include water retention, constipation, neck stiffness and mood swings. Once a migraine occurs, taking medications for symptoms or prescribed medications for migraines should be accompanied by avoidance of bright lights and noise until the migraine has passed. Also, because of after effects, doctors recommend gradually building back up to your normal daily functions.  

For more information about symptoms and other details, visit mayoclinic.org, and consult a physician to determine the best approach for long-term treatment.