Headache is the general term for pain in the head, with many possible causes. Migraine is a specific neurological condition in which headache is one symptom among several — often nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and sometimes visual disturbance beforehand. A migraine involves a headache; most headaches are not migraines.
The core difference
A symptom and a condition, which is why they are not interchangeable.
- headache — pain in the head. A symptom with many causes.
- migraine — a neurological condition, typically with pain plus other symptoms.
The word
Migraine comes through French from Latin hemicrania — Greek hemi, half, plus kranion, skull. The name records the observation that the pain is often one-sided, which remains a recognised feature.
Why the distinction is not pedantry
Using migraine loosely for any bad headache blurs a real clinical category, and it works in both directions: it can make a serious recurring condition sound like an ordinary complaint, and it can make ordinary headaches sound alarming.
This page explains the words. It is not medical guidance — anyone concerned about headaches should speak to a doctor.
