In everyday language, "migraine" and "headache" have almost become synonymous.
But in reality, these two terms do not mean the same thing and are therefore not interchangeable.
“
Migraine is a special type of headache, but not all headaches are migraines,
” explains Dr Anne Donnet, neurologist, head of the Center for the Assessment and Treatment of Pain Timone hospital in Marseille.
This confusion can keep people who really suffer from migraines in the dark about the correct diagnosis, but also cause them to trivialize their pain.
Read also: Neurological signs sometimes heralding a migraine
In practice, migraine is not just a headache.
"
This is a neurological disease with a very strict definition and a separate therapeutic approach
", underlines Dr Caroline Roos, neurologist, head of the Headache Emergency Center at Lariboisière Hospital in Paris (APHP).
Between 15 and 20% of the adult population is affected, i.e. around 7.5 million
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