Headaches vs. Migraines: How to Tell the Difference and When to Seek Treatment

Have you ever felt that your head might burst any minute but painkillers won’t work? Or do you feel like cancelling every plan, avoiding any brightness or just pressing your fingers into your temples to get through the day? Well, all these symptoms point to migraines that are not just mild headaches. These headaches can disrupt sleep and ruin the mood and stressful life. While sometimes painkillers ease the pain, the true solution lies in why this pain started hurting like hell suddenly.

Are you also the one who isn’t able to understand the basic difference between a mild headache and a migraine? By examining the pressure points such as head and neck tension, you can easily differentiate between the two. Any treatment needs to address these underlying causes to bring relief permanently, and that’s why physiotherapy steps in. By choosing the right physiotherapy care, you can not only bring relief but also improve the quality of life.

Headaches and migraines – what's the basic difference?

They are the most common problems addressed together and seem exactly the same. But here’s what the basic difference between the two is:

Tension headaches – this is the most common type of pain caused by tight muscles in the neck, jaw and shoulder blades. These headaches are mild and dull, and it constantly pains around the forehead or behind the eyes.
Cervicogenic headaches – the next type comes from the upper neck joints or muscles. This happens mostly because of posture problems or long working hours in the same position.
Migraine – this is one of the most complicated neurological headaches that wreaks havoc. You will save pulsating pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound and big changes in the vision.

Amongst all the types, you can easily notice that pain usually starts around the neck and spine and eventually affects the nervous system.

Why do these conditions keep returning?

There are various triggers that can bring back the pain, such as-

Muscle spasm due to stress
Grinding teeth or clenching jaw
Forward head posture for long hours
Poor spine alignment
Limited neck mobility
Muscle imbalance around the shoulders

If you don’t treat these issues promptly, then headaches will occur more often and migraines will be intense. Hence, seeing a physio and chiropractors will break down this cycle by restoring bodily functions and minimising strain on the body that can cause pain points.

How does physiotherapy help relieve headaches and migraines?

Physiotherapists and chiropractors will help you ease the pain and relax muscles, leading to less stress and headaches. Rather than just masking your issues, they will work together to treat them before they recur. Therapies include-

Finding the root cause and treating trigger points – migraines and headaches happen because of active triggers such as hypersensitivity in the neck, shoulders and jaw that lead to pain in the neck. They will locate these pulse points by releasing them using manual therapies to reduce the intensity and frequent occurrences.
Blood flow and improving circulation – spasms and stiffness in joints can reduce the blood flow that can cause problems in the head and upper neck. Physiotherapists will take care of mobility issues through stretching exercises and gentle soft tissue work to improve blood circulation. Blood flow will ease head pressure and migraine triggers.
Addressing triggers and jaw functions – Jaw tension and dysfunction issues that could lead to migraines and headaches will be taken care of. They will evaluate your jaw alignment, muscle balance and movement patterns to target specific treatment plans that can ease pain and help relax the muscles.

There are many factors that can aggravate the symptoms altogether. By choosing the right physiotherapists, you can get rid of all that heavy medication and focus on improving your well-being from within.

Conclusion

If headaches and migraines are ruining your everyday life and causing problems in accomplishing simple tasks, then it’s time to get some help. Time to look beyond those medications and seek a physiotherapist that can ease the pain and help relax. Physiotherapy care is safe, effective and long-lasting and can bring relief, comfort and control in your life.