How are cluster headaches and migraines different?

Both are migraines: The difference is the symptoms and frequency of headaches. Migraine is typically a throbbing pain that involves the whole head. A cluster headache is a one sided stabbing headache that comes in spurts, maybe for days or weeks at a time then disappears for a while. The pain is very severe, and is accompanied by nasal congestion, tearing, and eye pain. Both can be treated using triptan therapy.

Apples to Oranges: items are compared that cannot be practically compared. The IHS defines migraine as an idiopathic recurring headache disorder with attacks lasting 4 to 72 hours laying in the dark room. Cluster headache is the most painful of all the primary headache disorders. Because of the intense pain, cluster patients often pace the floor or bang their heads. It is trigeminal autonomic cephalgia.