Menstrual migraines are one type of Migraine I have not talked about as much as other types – maybe because I never suffered with those types of migraines. However, menstrual migraines affect over 50% of women.  Some of these women will also experience migraines at other times of the month as well. However, migraines during the menstrual cycle do tend to be a little more severe and often harder to treat – despite medications. 

Still you do not have to resign yourself to menstrual migraines, despite the fact that you may feel there is very little you can do for this type of Migraine. 

Don’t despair – there are a number of options to treat and prevent menstrual migraines. 

It is worthwhile understanding what’s going on during the month so that you can better prevent these types of migraines.

The effect of the menstrual cycle on migraines

Women who are prone to menstrual migraines are usually sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. Usually, they experience migraines just prior to the onset of menstruation, when there is a natural drop in progesterone levels.

Progesterone is a natural steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy. It is a naturally occurring hormone in the female body that helps a woman perform her feminine functions.

Estrogens are a group of compounds which are important in the menstrual and reproductive cycles. They are also naturally occurring steroid hormones in women that promote the development and maintenance of female characteristics of the body.

Note: Estrogens are used as part of some oral contraceptives and in estrogen replacement therapy for some post-menopausal women.

As I’m sure you are aware, throughout the natural menstrual cycle the levels of these hormones fluctuate. During the cycle, the levels of progesterone and estrogen also change in relation to each other. If this balance is slightly off for what your body requires, then you may have uncomfortable physical symptoms such as PMS, breast tenderness, headaches and, for some, migraines.

Timing is important for treatment

To help you understand the importance of timing, keep reading:

If it occurs just prior to the onset of menstruation then it may be due to the natural drop in progesterone levels.

Headaches can also occur at ovulation, when estrogen and other hormones peak.

Headaches can also occur during menstruation itself when estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest.

Knowing when your menstrual migraine occurs will help determine the best prevention strategy. I would suggest keeping a diary/journal for at least 3 cycles so that you can track exactly when your migraines occur. Be sure to note the precise days of your cycle. Once you have a clear understanding of which days in your menstrual cycle the migraine is occurring, this will help you to begin treating it. 

Treatments

While there are many different approaches that can help manage menstrual migraine – some of which do involve medications – I am going to focus on the natural approach. Of course, you can try a combination of both for further relief.

Common treatments for those with menstrual migraine include:

• Dietary changes
• Lifestyle factors
• Hormonal balancing
• Preventative migraine treatments
• Natural and homeopathic therapies

If there is an imbalance of estrogen in relation to progesterone then a healthy diet is the first step (as it should be for anyone suffering with migraines). What you eat, plays a huge role in your overall health and well-being. 

To complicate things further, many foods can act as trigger foods. Finding out which foods trigger your migraines can be difficult but it is important for migraine prevention, whether from hormonal issues or otherwise.

Why is diet important for menstrual migraines?

Estrogen levels require stricter regulation compared to other hormones in your body. Small variances above or below the normal regulated levels can have significant impacts on your health.
Also, a healthy liver will rapidly metabolize estrogen but if it is overloaded with medications, artificial substances, chemicals or harmful substances from food or drink, it can affect the metabolizing of estrogen.

Certain food ingredients act like toxins which can disrupt your hormonal balance, so try to reduce or eliminate these altogether. Examples of toxins you may commonly come across include:

• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
• Aspartame

If possible, eliminate or avoid these:

• Simple carbohydrates
• Refined sugars
• Processed foods
• Avoid well-known migraine trigger foods

Note: If you are not sure what your food triggers are, considering some of the following: 

Keep a food diary – include not just what you eat, but also record other factors. Uncovering what exactly caused the attack takes time and patience but you won’t regret doing this as you will have much more control over your “migraine life.”

Food allergy tests – Of course, there are not specific to migraine triggers, but they can be effective at showing what foods your body is reacting abnormally too. Eliminating foods which cause stress or other reactions in the body may improve your migraine frequency or severity.

Detoxifcation – This may very well help cleanse your system of the substances which are affecting you. It is simply a way to push the restart button for you. (If you are interested in trying a detoxification protocol, please schedule time with me so that we can discuss your best option.)

Hydration – Another simple dietary preventative includes getting enough hydration, especially during menses.

Lifestyle factors like sleep and exercise play a huge role in migraine management and prevention.

The right levels of sleep and exercise are VITAL. Sleep is a restorative function for brain and body. Remember, it’s not just about getting enough sleep each night, but it’s also about how regular your sleep/wake cycle is. Are you going to bed and waking up at the same time each night – even on weekends?  The quality of sleep is important and the hours of sleep before midnight count more. 

Exercise promotes a healthy metabolism, hormonal balance, reduces stress, assists in sleep, stabilizes your mood and gives you an overall sense of well-being.  Exercise is great for migraine prevention.

For a few people exercise can trigger migraines. If that’s the case, start slowly and build gradually – and of course, don’t exercise on days when you’re feeling vulnerable to a migraine attack.

Hormone Balancing:  Hormones can have a significant influence on bodily functions. However, addressing hormones without addressing underlying diet and lifestyle factors will not deliver sustainable results. To assess hormone levels, blood, saliva and urine testing may be performed to establish a baseline and to identify any hormonal imbalances which may be contributing to migraines.

Natural therapies

Do your research before jumping into these additional options and what may work best for you.

Research suggests that magnesium supplementation for those with menstrual migraines can be beneficial. 400mg of magnesium everyday can be used as a migraine preventative. So prior to your menstrual cycle, you may try taking some additional magnesium. 

If you don’t have a well-balanced diet then you may not be getting your required vitamins and minerals. Supplements in this scenario may be useful. Some that have been reported to help migraine sufferers are; Riboflavin, Feverfew, Butterbur, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Ginger, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) amongst others. 

Ordering the cheapest option from Amazon or in a general department store is not your best option. Vitamins are still considered medication but they have far less regulation and quality controls in place. So it is worthwhile paying extra to ensure quality and safety.

Summary:

If your migraines are occurring at the same time each month:

•    Keep a diary 
•    Address your diet first
•    Stay adequately hydrated, especially during your cycle
•    Get enough quality sleep, consistently
•    Exercise regularly
•    Try magnesium supplements (good quality)
•    Balance your hormones
•    Consider natural and homeopathic remedies and other supplements known to help those with migraine

Often, it is the things we consume or do unknowingly that make migraines worse, which is why through identifying and modifying these specific things, and improving your lifestyle and diet, you will probably experience dramatic and sustainable results.

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