Menstrual Migraines, What Helps These Headaches?

It's often thought that these migraines are brought on by too much fluid in the body, or the bloating associated with PMS.

These migraines are actually triggered by the sudden drop of estrogen in the body, the increase in prostaglandins when the endometrial lining is shed, and the drop of magnesium.

That increases pain signals, and inflammation in the body.The sudden drop of magnesium which occurs before, and during your period, could also give you a migraine. If you are low in magnesium, you can find yourself with headaches.

Premenstrual migraines also regularly occur during, or after the time when the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, decrease to their lowest levels.

Here's the first, and second line of treatment for menstrual migraines.

Take antiflammatory medicine, such as Aleve, Ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin, or Ponstel, on a regular basis for a few days, to a week out of each month as needed (works well for cramps to).

You may have already tried that.

If it helped, but you still need something more, you can ask your Doctor for preventives.

You can take these on a regular basis, or a few days before your period.

There are many medicines to take, but if for some reason you have side effects you cannot tolorate, tell your Doctor.

But remember, hormonal driven migraine menstrual attacks, are the worst, and most stubborn of all migraines. More info on your migraines

Third line of treatment is ergot preparations

Imitrex works wonders for migraines.

They work by going directly to the blood vessels in the head. They now have one that has been developed just for your menstrual migraines.

It's called Favotriptan.

This may be what you need if the Aleve, and the preventives still are leaving you in discomfort.

Preventives for your migraines, or hormonal headaches.

Some preventives your Doctor may give you would be, small doses of ergotamine, beta blocker drugs such as propranolol "Inderal", anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers.

These drugs should also be started two to three days before, and continued throughout the menstrual flow.

We hope you found something useful, and you have a pain free day. All the best

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