The difference between a migraine headache and a tension headache is that while a tension headache involves the muscles and fascia of the scalp and neck tightening and causing pain, a migraine involves a large chemical change that affects the entire body. Blood vessels in the brain become wider, serotonin is lowered, and nerves misfire – causing severe pain – along with a host of other symptoms like those mentioned above that usually do not occur in non-migraine headaches.
| Headache | Migraine | |
| Duration | Hours to days | 4 to 72 hours |
| Location | Over the entire head | Often one-sided but not always |
| Intensity of Pain | Mild to moderate | Often Severe |
| Nature | Dull, pressing | Pounding, throbbing, increases with activity |
| Other Symptoms | Minimal to none | Nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, odors |
