Dr Jayanti Gurumukhani, a neurologist, took to Instagram on May 8 to highlight how understanding the differences between various headache types can help with proper diagnosis and treatment. According to him, while migraines are a type of headache, not all headaches are migraines.

What is a migraine?

Migraines can be debilitating. Migraine is a chronic neurological disease characterised by intense, often throbbing or pulsating pain, typically on one side of the head, and commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. It's distinct from a regular headache, as it can cause severe, debilitating pain that significantly disrupts daily activities and may be preceded by warning signs like visual disturbances or other sensory changes, known as an aura.

In an April 2025 interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Shivananda Pai, consultant, neurology, KMC Hospital, Ambedkar Circle, Mangalore said that the hallmarks of migraines include symptoms such as blurred vision, eye pain and much more: “A migraine is a common headache often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. It typically causes throbbing pain on one side of the head. Some people experience an aura — vision disturbances or other warning signs — before the headache begins.”

Common myth about migraine

In his Instagram post, Dr Gurumukhani said, “Most people think every headache is a migraine — but that’s not true.” Reacting to this myth, he said, “Here’s the truth: not all headaches are migraines. Headaches can have many different causes — and each needs a different treatment.”

According to Dr Gurumukhani, some common types of headaches, and their causes, are:

1. Tension-type headache – often due to stress or neck issues

2. Cluster headache – intense, one-sided, eye-related pain

3. Sinus headache – comes with cold, congestion, and facial pain

4. BP-related headache – linked with high blood pressure

5. Brain tumor headache – persistent and progressive

He added, “Still calling every headache a migraine? Time to stop. Right diagnosis = right treatment. Let a specialist help you.”

Want to know the quickest way to treat a migraine? It is to take these doctor-approved steps at the first sign of migraine symptoms. 

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