Menstrual migraines often lead to chronic migraines. A preventive regimen is key to controlling fluctuating hormones and blood sugar swings, both well-known migraine triggers.
Headaches in women, particularly migraines, have been related to changes in the levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone before, during and after a woman’s menstrual cycle. These hormone levels fluctuate dramatically and are also associated with a large percentage of migraines in women approaching menopause.
Menstrual migraines are real
DO NOT WAIT! Why you should start managing your migraines today:
Menstrual migraines are often more severe, last longer and are more difficult to treat.
Migraines that first occur around your menstrual cycle may become chronic over time.
Migraines beget migraines… Researchers believe the more you have the more you get.
Migraines are connected to increased stroke risk.
Migraines are listed in the top 20 most disabling diseases by the World Health Organization.
Migraines can lead to “Rebound Headaches” or MOH (medication overuse headaches) a vicious cycle of recurring migraines that can be difficult to break.
Why MigreLief+M is the first choice for chronic migraine sufferers:
Menstrual related migraines can be broken down into 3 categories:
- Premenstrual migraines, which occur just prior to the commencement of menstruation
- Menstrual migraines which occur during menstruation
- Late menstrual migraines which occur shortly after menstruation ends
All 3 types of menstrual-related migraine attacks are often more severe, last significantly longer and are more resistant to treatment than the usual non-menstrual migraine attacks. According to a study published in the medical journal, Cephalalgia:
- On average, a menstrual migraine lasted 23.4 hours vs 16.1 hours for non-menstrual migraines.
- Menstrual migraines cause more disability and inability to function in daily tasks than non-menstrual migraines
- Medications to treat the pain of migraines were 50% less effective when used to treat menstrual migraines.
- Even when the pain medication did work, the risk of the menstrual migraine reoccurring was much more likely.
The authors of the study concluded by saying – “Menstrual migraines may require a treatment approach different from that of non-menstrual migraines.”
Consider dietary supplements as part of your menstrual migraine regimen.
Nutritional supplements shown in studies to benefit menstrual migraine sufferers include:
High dose Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2, 400 mg/day)*
Puracol Feverfew (100 mg/day)*
Magnesium (citrate/oxide, 360mg/day)*
Chasteberry extract (175 mg/day)
L-Theanine (100 mg/day)
D-Biotin (15 mg/day)
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B-6, 100 mg/day)
Chromium Picolinate (1,000 mcg/day)
MENOPAUSE & MIGRAINES
Migraine headaches can severely affect women undergoing the changes of menopause. Statistics indicate that migraines in women tend to increase during the approach to menopause and during menopause; however, they tend to decrease or go away after menopause.
Some women who have never had migraines develop them as they enter the period before (pre and peri-menopause) and during menopause. A women’s monthly cycle causes significant fluctuations in estrogen during certain times of the month. These hormonal fluctuations (decreasing levels of estrogen) are known to trigger menstrual migraines in as many as 1/3 to 1/2 of women with migraines.
Migraine during menopause
Therefore, the decreasing levels of estrogen associated with menopause, may also trigger migraines in women. Prevention through diet, exercise and supplementation can help to regulate these fluctuations. If your migraines, whether hormonal or not, are occurring several times a month or more, and you find yourself unable to function while reaching for pain medications more and more, you are a good candidate for migraine prevention, to stop migraines from occurring in the first place.
DO NOT WAIT TO GET YOUR MENSTRUAL MIGRAINES UNDER CONTROL
Migraines that first occur around your menstrual cycle may become chronic over time for many reasons. “Migraines beget migraines – the more of them you have, the more vulnerable you become to having another,” according to Dr. Andrew Charles director of the Headache Research and Treatment Program in the UCLA Department of Neurology. He goes on to explain, “We’ve begun to see from researchers that the frequency of migraine attack is linked to permanent changes in the brain, and I think that changes the playing field for patients and those of us who take care of them.” Migraines (menstrual or otherwise) are a risk factor for depression and can also lead to the vicious cycle of “Rebound Headaches” otherwise known as Medication Overuse Headaches.
Continuously treating the pain and other symptoms of migraine with prescription and over-the-counter drugs can eventually increase the frequency and tendency of your migraines. This is a difficult cycle to break.
Migraine prevention is key.
