Migraines are very common and affect around 15 in every 100 people in the UK. They can happen for the first time at any age, although they’re less common in children, and women are three times more likely to get them than men.
Migraines can range from a dull thudding headache to extreme pain and nausea. They may sometimes even mean a day in bed, with the patient unable to get up for school or work. Some people are luckier than others and will only experience migraines very occasionally, whilst others have them much more regularly. The good news however is that attacks are likely to become less severe as people get older.
Unfortunately migraines can only be managed, not cured. But there are plenty of options available in terms of treating the symptoms, to help with the pain and reduce the chances of symptoms returning.
What types of migraine are there?
There are a number of different types of migraine and the same person may suffer different types over the course of their life. The three main types are:
- Migraine with aura
- Migraine without aura
- Migraine aura without headache
Aura is a group of symptoms that can happen up to an hour prior to a migraine starting. It’s also possible that sometimes auras will occur and sometimes they won’t. Menstrual migraines for example may or may not have auras. They are a common problem for women, with attacks happening each month around the time of their periods. Once menopause is reached, these migraines should tail off and hopefully disappear altogether.
Migraines that occur fewer than 15 days a month are referred to as episodic migraines. Chronic migraines are ones that occur at least 15 days a month across three months or more.
Any number of factors could cause a migraine attack which can make it difficult to pinpoint just one. Hormones, stress, anxiety, dehydration, hunger and illnesses such as colds and flu can all make the occurrence of a migraine more likely.
Migraines are usually harmless but can be debilitating. Are you confident in offering the support sufferers need?
If you’re a nurse, paramedic or other allied health professional who regularly sees patients presenting with migraines then you may find our Minor Ailments Essentials CPD course helpful. It’s designed for practitioners confident in taking a history and physical examination but who wish to focus on the common and not so common patient complaints seen in primary health care. Additionally, there’s our popular Minor Illness Triage course too. It’s an interesting and highly interactive course that will provide the tools for competent basic triage. It also focuses on history taking and essential observations for safe patient management in triage. It’s specifically designed for practitioners who see patients with undifferentiated illnesses, and spaces fill up quickly. This means that for both courses it’s well worth booking up early.
Each course offers between 7 and 21 hours’ worth of CPD depending on the one you choose, and dates range between April and September 2020. All sessions are held at Hamilton House in London, and all course material and refreshments will be provided.