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Women who experience migraines around the start of their period may be able to prevent them.
Menstrual migraines are common. Of women with migraines, 15 percent get them only around the start of their menstrual period, and 60 percent report more severe headaches during menstruation. Menstrual migraines may last longer and respond less well to treatment than nonmenstrual migraines.
A woman with migraines is most likely to have one during the two days before the start of her period and during the first three days of it. Many experts believe that the drop in estrogen that occurs before the start of a woman’s period or during the pill-free week if a woman takes combination oral contraceptives serves as a migraine trigger.
Women who have migraines only around the start of their period or during the first few days of their period may get relief from prescription-strength doses of ibuprofen or naproxen, two common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The NSAID is taken regularly a few days to a week before the headache period and then discontinued when the headache period is over. Another way to prevent menstrual migraines is to start a low dose of estrogen a few days before your period starts. The estrogens are taken for only a week each month.
As with any migraine, prevention is the goal. If you suffer from menstrual migraines, keep a headache diary detailing when your headaches occur, how long they last and when your period starts. This information can help you and your doctor determine if your menstrual cycle is triggering your headaches. Understanding your menstrual headaches is the first step toward preventing them.