Is your head pounding right now? If so, there's a good chance that you have what is called a tension headache.
Tension headaches are easily the
most common types of headaches in this country. Almost 80%
of people will get one at some point.
But even with that being said, you
might also have what is called a migraine. About 15%
of people will be diagnosed with this type of headache.
It's good to know the differences
between a tension headache and a migraine. It'll make it easier for
you to diagnose a tension headache vs. a migraine.
We're going to break down the differences
between tension headaches and migraines below. Our tension headache and
migraine guide will allow you to figure out which type of headache you're
dealing with at any given time.
What
Is a Tension Headache?
If you ever feel like you have a
rubber band stretched out around the outside of your head and causing you some
pain, you probably have a tension headache. When you compare
a tension headache vs. a migraine, a tension headache is typically
the one that results in less pain.
That isn't to say that a tension
headache isn't going to slow you down and make you wish that you could make
your headache go away. You're still going to feel some pain, often on both
sides of your head.
But more often than
not, tension headaches will only stick around for a few hours at most.
There are some tension headaches that will even go away within just a few
minutes.
What Causes
a Tension Headache?
There are a handful of things that
can cause a tension headache to rear its ugly head. Some of the things
that can lead to a tension headache include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Tiredness
When you're experiencing any of
these things, the muscles in everything from your scalp to your jaw to your
neck will tend to tighten up. And when this happens, it'll leave you with
a tension headache that will linger until your muscles relax.
How Can
You Get Rid of a Tension Headache?
When you get a tension
headache, there are a number of things that you can do to try to make it go
away. You can, for instance, take over-the-counter drugs that contain ingredients
like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. They should help you to get rid of
a tension headache.
You can also try getting some
caffeine into your system. Many OTC drugs actually have caffeine in them
because it's been shown to help with tension headaches.
Additionally, you can try to
manipulate different pressure points for headaches. This might just do the trick and make a tension
headache disappear.
What
Is a Migraine?
While tension headaches aren't
usually that bad in the grand scheme of things, migraines can be
downright debilitating for a lot of people. It's easy to tell when you have a
migraine coming on, and once it arrives, it's not going to go away for at least
a few hours. Some people even get migraines for up to 72 hours at a time!
A migraine is going to force you to
live with more severe symptoms than a tension headache. Some symptoms of a
migraine are:
- Throbbing pain that may feel more intense on one side
of your head than the other
- Pain that feels worse if you try to push through it and
do anything at all
- Sensitivity to lights, sounds, and sometimes even
smells
- Nausea that just won't seem to go away
Those who get migraines regularly
often dread them. They know that they won't be able to do much once a migraine
sets in, so they don't look forward to getting them in the slightest.
What Causes
a Migraine?
It's pretty easy to figure out where
a tension headache might have come from. But unfortunately, the cause
of migraines is still unclear.
The thought is that a person's genes
and their environment may both play key roles in migraines. There is also a
belief that certain chemicals in the brain might get out of whack and cause
migraines.
But one of the hardest parts about
migraines is that people don't know when they're going to strike or where
they'll be when they get them. It can result in them living in almost constant
fear of getting a migraine headache.
How Can
You Get Rid of a Migraine?
Getting rid of a tension headache
is a whole lot easier than getting rid of a migraine. Oftentimes, people won't
even have to do anything to get a tension headache to go away over time.
But those who get migraines will
usually have to try different things to see what will help them to get rid of
these types of headaches. They can test out everything from OTC drugs to
special devices like transcranial magnetic stimulators that have been
designed to help those with migraines.
They can also try to manipulate
certain pressure points in their bodies to make migraines go away just like
those with tension headaches. This doesn't work for everyone who gets
migraines. But it would be worth a try if you've found that other migraine
treatments don't work for you.
Be Sure to
Know the Differences Between a Tension Headache vs. a Migraine
The next time your head hurts, you
should attempt to figure out whether you have a tension headache vs. a
migraine. You should be able to find out which type of headache you have by assessing
your symptoms.
From there, you can then seek the
right treatment options to (hopefully!) make your headache go away. You can
also take the right steps to reduce your chances of getting more headaches in
the future.
Get more tips that will help you
take better care of your body by browsing through some of the other
health-related articles that we've posted on our blog.
