Migraine vs headache: what is the difference?

The difference between headache and migraine is that a headache is a symptom, while migraine is a specific brain condition. A headache can range from mild to intense and can have many causes, from harmless to serious. Migraine causes recurring attacks of moderate to severe headache, usually with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound, and it has proven treatments.

What is a headache?

Headache is one of the most common complaints there is. It is a general symptom and can mean many things: a tension-type headache after a long day, a headache with a cold, or, rarely, a sign of something more serious. Because a headache on its own says little about its cause, it does not lead to one specific treatment.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a specific, often inherited brain condition. With migraine, we know a great deal about what happens in the body during an attack and what can be done about it. About 10 million people in the UK live with migraine. That is why it is important to distinguish between headache and migraine.

How do you know if it is a migraine or a headache?

It is often fairly simple. If your headache keeps coming back, gets in the way of your daily activities, comes with nausea and gets worse when you move, you probably have migraine. Typical features of a migraine attack are:

• it lasts between 4 and 72 hours if untreated
• the pain is often on one side and throbbing or pulsating
• it is moderate to severe and makes normal activities difficult
• it gets worse with physical activity, such as climbing stairs
• it comes with nausea or vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound
• in about a third of people, an aura of visual or other symptoms comes first

A tension-type headache, the most common kind of headache, usually feels like a pressing or tight band on both sides of the head. It is mild to moderate, does not get worse with activity and rarely causes nausea.

Can you mistake migraine for an ordinary headache?

Yes, and it happens both ways. Many people think they have migraine when it is in fact another type of headache. Just as often, people have migraine without knowing it, and treat their attacks as ordinary headaches for years. Some people also have both migraine and tension-type headaches.

Why does the difference matter?

Because headache is such a general symptom, it does not prompt a specific response from healthcare professionals. A diagnosis of migraine, on the other hand, leads to a treatment plan with medicines that have been shown to work, such as triptans for attacks and, if you have frequent attacks, preventive treatment. So it is worth working out for yourself whether your headaches could be migraine, and taking action if you think they are.

When to get urgent help

Most headaches are not dangerous, but some symptoms need urgent attention. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:

• a sudden, very severe headache that reaches its worst within seconds or minutes
• weakness or numbness on one side of the body or face
• slurred speech or difficulty understanding speech
• loss of vision that does not return
• a first ever aura after the age of 50
• a headache with a fever and a stiff neck

If you are worried but it does not feel like an emergency, call NHS 111.

Think you might have migraine?

Take our migraine test to see whether your headaches fit migraine, read more about what migraine is, or see how to start with one of our migraine specialists by video.