People always experience different types of headaches. However, migraine is one of the different kinds of headaches experienced by different people and is quite different from normal headaches. This form of headache is defined by sudden and strong pounding headaches especially on one side of the head. Nevertheless, in some cases, victims may experience pain in both sides. They are typically moderate to severe headaches that come very suddenly (Potrebic, 2000). The pain is made worse by physical activity or movement and last between four hours and three days if they remain untreated. Migraines are associated with nausea and vomiting while some people are sensitive to light and sound during migraine attacks.  Migraines have adverse effect on the daily life of patients. Some people have occasional migraines, while others have them every month and for several days at a time.

Migraine patients are known to experience some specific warning symptoms, also known as aura, before the onset of the headaches. Some of these symptoms include flashing lights or a blind spot in one eye or numbness or weakness in one side of the body. The aura may take some time before it lapses or may even lapse with the end of the headache (“Features of migraine aura as “Holy Grail” for studying pathophysiology of migraine with aura”, 2015). To some patients, the aura may be frightening to an extent that it may be feared to be symptoms of stroke. The headache is usually experienced within an hour of resolution of the aura symptoms and if not treated, the throbbing may persist for 72 hours before ending in a resolution phase that is mainly characterized with deep sleep. After the spontaneous throbbing, patients may undergo a hangover period here they experience malaise, fatigue and slight head pains in similar location for some time. It is prudent to note that the frequency by which migraine attacks varies from one person to another. The neuro-anatomical structure and the genetic differences explain the difference in susceptibility to migraine (Bussone, 2004).

It is essential for paramedics to distinguish migraine from any other form of headaches since not all headaches represent migraines. Also, migraines are not the only condition that is characterized with severe and debilitating headaches. To clearly diagnose a migraine patient, it is essential for the paramedic to get a detailed history of the patient (Cutrer, 2010). The paramedic must confirm that the patient has had at least 5 headache attacks that lasted for four to seventy two hours. Also the paramedic must also confirm that the headache is in unilateral location, pulsating quality and moderate or severe pain intensity that increase with physical exertion. Vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia are other traits that can help in the diagonosis process.

Reference

Bussone, G. (2004). Pathophysiology of migraine. Neurological Sciences, 25(S3), s239-s241. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10072-004-0295-3

Cutrer, F. (2010). Pathophysiology of Migraine. Seminars In Neurology, 30(02), 120-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0030-1249222

Features of migraine aura as “Holy Grail” for studying pathophysiology of migraine with aura. (2015). Itch Pain. http://dx.doi.org/10.14800/ip.974

Potrebic, S. (2000). Migraine and Headache Pathophysiology. Archives Of Neurology, 57(3), 422-422. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archneur.57.3.422

 
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