Difference Between a Migraine & a Tension Headache

Tension headaches and migraines are similar in many ways, but they also differ in many ways as well. Knowing the differences may help you care for your headache more appropriately.

Light Sensitivity

• Migraines can be accompanied by light sensitivity, while tension headaches rarely are. Lights can cause nausea and increased pain during some migraines.

Sound Sensitivity

• While both types of headaches can be made worse with loud or high-pitched sounds, migraines can produce nausea and more intense pain with increased sounds, especially high-pitched noises.

Tightness

• Tension headaches are generally accompanied by a feeling of tightness across different areas of the head.

Physical Symptoms

• Tension headaches don't cause the physical symptoms that migraines sometimes cause, such as vomiting, dizziness, nausea or visual auras.

Warning signs

• Migraines often have warning signs before they occur, while tension headaches don't. Some warning symptoms are: differences in sleep patterns, irritability, food cravings and mood differences.

Smoking

• Smoking can increase your risk or either type of headache because it constricts blood vessels and decreases the oxygen supply to the body.