Migraine Headache

Menstral migraines are different from non-menstrual attacks of migraine, even if the two happen to the same women, in the regularity of its timing and its severity. Compared with other times in the menstrual cycle, a migraine is more than twice as likely to occur during the first 3 days of menstruation and more than three times as severe. For more information on migraines, read Some More Type Of Migraines.

About 60 % of women with migraine note an increased number of different types of headaches like daily headache, constant headache in association with their menstrual period. In 10 % to 14 % of these women, migraine occurs around the time of the periods and at no other time. Many headache authorities think the term "menstrual migraine" should be restricted to migraines that occur in women that experience 90 % of all their attacks between the two days before and the last day of their menstrual periods.

Prophylactic treatment with a triptan for 6 days, beginning 2 days before the anticipated start of the menstrual migraine reduces the incidence of migraine by at least a half. The triptans act as agonists for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors and include sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig), eletriptan (Relpax), lmotriptan (Axert), and frovatriptan (Frova).

A recent headache research by American headache society sheds new light on the menstral migraine causes. According to the research, fluctuations in estrogen levels may turn the genes that control pain and blood vessels on and off, and thus cause migraines. Menstral migraines are more frequent and intense headaches that occur around the time of menstruation or ovulation. If menstral headache persists, one should consult a good headache specialist and if you keep a headache diary it could be of enormous help to your doctor.