Myth: Migraines are just a bad headache
Migraines and headaches are totally different in terms of their causes, symptoms, and treatment, so believing this myth could prevent you from getting the help you need. (Find out 12 reasons you might have a migraine.) "Migraine is a very complicated neurologic disorder that activates multiple parts of the nervous system," says Wade Cooper, DO, Director of Michigan Medicine's Headache and Neuropathic Pain Program. "Migraine is far bigger than headache, meaning it includes nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and functional impairment." It can also lead to sleep dysfunction and mood disorders like anxiety and depression, but according to the Migraine Relief Center, it's the migraine that leads to depression, and not the other way around—so antidepressants won't work to treat them.
