Women can experience a full range of uncomfortable symptoms in connection with their menstrual cycles, from cramps and swelling to moodiness and cravings.  For approximately 9 million women in the United States, however, monthly menstrual periods can mean severe, throbbing headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and nausea.  Estimates show that 70% of migraine sufferers are female, with 60-70% reporting a menstrual relationship to their migraines. 

So what exactly is the correlation between hormonal changes and migraine headaches?

“Menstrual migraines are caused primarily by changes in the levels of estrogen, the female sex hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle fluctuations,” explains Ben Darby, MD, ob/gyn with OBG-1.   He says premenstrual migraines are regularly found to occur when levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease to their lowest levels in the menstrual cycle, immediately before, during or immediately after the start of the menstrual flow.

“For women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy during menopause, migraines can increase, due to the artificially maintained estrogen levels, depending on the medication,” explains Dr. Darby.

Typically, migraine attacks disappear during pregnancy, with one study showing 64% of women describing a menstrual link to their headaches noting that their headaches disappeared during pregnancy.  However, some women report the initial onset of migraines in their first trimester of pregnancy, with migraines disappearing in the third trimester.

What are the symptoms of menstrual migraine?

Dr. Darby says they are similar to what headache researchers classify as “migraine without aura.”  Beginning as a one-sided, throbbing headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to bright lights and sounds, the migraine may also include an “aura.” Auras can be experienced as anything from seeing spots, wavy lines, or flashing lights to having tunnel vision, blind spots, or disruptions in the senses of smell, taste or touch.

What pain relief options are available for menstrual migraine sufferers?

While many doctors rely on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), including, Orudis, Advil, Motrin, Nalfon, Naprosyn and Relafen, other treatment options are available.  For pregnant women, however, most medical treatments are not recommended, to avoid any ill effects on the baby.  Mild pain relievers, such as Tylenol, can be taken with the supervision of a physician.

New treatment options are on the horizon.  Several large, national studies are now showing that a class of drugs called triptans can help almost half of women who take the medications avoid menstrual migraines.  The bottom line is still good news: When dealing with a painful problem like menstrual migraines, women’s choices are increasing.

For more information on relieving headaches associated with hormones, please call Dr. Darby at OBG-1’s Lake Charles office, 312-1000 or Moss Bluff, 217-1800, or visit www.obg-1.com.