There are many different causes as well as symptoms associated with headaches and migraines.  Symptoms can start mildly or suddenly become strong and severe, which can affect your quality of life.  How can you know when your pain is a regular headache or a migraine? And what are your options for getting rid of the pain?

HEADACHES

Everyone seems to experience a headache at some time in their lives. There are actually 10 different types of headaches, including migraines. Stress, emotional upsets, allergies to foods or environmental triggers, and seasonal sinus congestion and pressure are among the more common causes of headaches. Regular headaches can usually be dealt with by eliminating the trigger and taking over-the-counter pain relief medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.

MIGRAINES

Migraines can also be triggered by many of the same culprits as headaches, but migraines are more difficult to relieve with over-the-counter medications and have some unique symptoms that do not occur with headaches. Also, migraine symptoms are more severe and last longer than a headache. For some migraine sufferers, the pain can become debilitating, leading to loss of work for multiple days in a month.

MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS:

  • Moderate to severe headache lasting 4-72 hours
  • Pulsating pain on one or both sides of the head
  • Pain is worsened by sound and light (phonophobia and photophobia)
  • Nausea and/or vomiting

 

Headaches and migraines can be difficult to differentiate.  Headaches and migraines can be chronic or episodic (recurring). Tension headaches and migraines can last for days. However, headaches do not usually come with nausea or vomiting, or sensitivity to light or sound.

MIGRAINE SURGERY

Dr. Bahman Guyuron has developed a breakthrough migraine surgery technique that decompresses specific nerves in the head (known as trigger sites) to relieve migraine pain. The nerves in these areas become irritated and inflamed, which leads to migraine symptoms. Dr. Guyuron’s migraine surgery technique for chronic migraine sufferers is highly successful, with 90% of patients experiencing greatly reduced or no symptoms.  Not every candidate is suitable for this surgery, so please contact Dr. Guyuron for a consultation. For more information about Dr. Guyuron’s migraine surgery technique and how he developed the procedure, visit https://drbahmanguyuron.com/procedures/migraine-relief.