{"id":105071,"date":"2026-06-16T16:27:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T11:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marham.pk/healthhub\/?p=105071"},"modified":"2026-06-16T16:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T11:27:56","slug":"migraine-vs-headache","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marham.pk/healthhub\/migraine-vs-headache\/","title":{"rendered":"Migraine vs Headache: How to Tell the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Quick Answer<\/p>\n

A headache causes pressure or aching pain, usually on both sides of the head, and typically resolves within a few hours. A migraine is a neurological condition that produces moderate to severe throbbing pain, most often on one side, and is frequently accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances. The two need different treatments, so telling them apart matters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

But when the pain keeps coming back, forces you into a dark room, or stops you from getting through a normal day in Karachi or Lahore, it may be something more than a routine headache. Many Pakistani patients spend years treating what is actually a migraine as a simple tension headache, taking paracetamol repeatedly and wondering why it never fully works.<\/p>\n

According to a nationwide population-based survey published in The Journal of Headache and Pain<\/em>, Pakistan’s one-year prevalence of migraine is 22.5%, which is considerably higher than the global average of roughly 15%. That means more than one in five Pakistani adults may experience migraine in any given year, yet awareness of the condition remains low and self-medication is widespread.<\/p>\n

Understanding whether your pain is a migraine or a different type of headache is the first step toward managing it properly. The sections below cover the distinguishing features, the four phases of a migraine attack, why women are disproportionately affected, and the warning signs that call for a specialist.<\/p>\n

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