Is It Hormones? Highs and Lows: The Migraine Connection
If you’re a woman living with migraine, you’ve probably wondered,
“Is this connected to my hormones?”
The short answer is yes—but it’s more complicated than it seems! Hormonal changes play a significant role in triggering migraine, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle.
Whether you experience migraines around your period, during pregnancy, or at other times in your life, understanding the connection between hormones and migraine can help you take control. Here’s everything you need to know, plus answers to the questions you may not even know you have.
Why are women more prone to migraine?
Migraine is more common in women than men—by a factor of three to one. The reason? Hormonal fluctuations, particularly changes in estrogen levels, play a major role. Here’s a few ways these changes affect your brain:
Before Your Period (Premenstrual Phase):
A sharp drop in estrogen levels before menstruation is one of the most common migraine triggers, leading to “menstrual migraine.”During Pregnancy:
Many women find relief from migraine in the second and third trimesters, when estrogen levels are stable. However, migraines can worsen in the first trimester due to hormonal fluctuations.Perimenopause and Menopause:
Perimenopause often brings irregular hormone swings, intensifying migraine attacks. Post-menopause, when estrogen levels stabilize, some women experience fewer migraines—but not all do.
Debunking Hormonal Migraine Myths
Myth: Hormonal migraines are unavoidable.
Reality: While you can’t stop your hormones from fluctuating, tracking your symptoms and adopting specific treatments or lifestyle changes can reduce the severity and frequency of hormonal migraine.
Myth: Hormonal birth control always worsens migraine.
Reality: Some women find that low-dose or continuous hormonal birth control reduces their migraine frequency. Others may need non-hormonal options. Work with your doctor to find the right approach for you.
Myth: Migraines disappear after menopause.
Reality: Some women experience fewer migraines post-menopause, but others find triggers like sleep disturbances or stress continue to cause attacks.
Should hormones be suppressed to manage migraine?
A controversial treatment approach involves using medications or hormonal therapies to “flatten” hormonal fluctuations entirely. While this can be effective for certain individuals, it’s not a universal solution.
Cons of Hormone Suppression:
Long-term risks, including bone loss, cardiovascular health concerns, and mood changes.
Does not address non-hormonal migraine triggers, such as stress, diet, or weather changes.
Pros of Hormone Suppression:
Reduces hormonal fluctuations that trigger migraine.
Particularly effective for severe menstrual migraine.
Your Hormonal Migraine Toolbox
Taking control of hormone-related migraine involves understanding your patterns and making informed choices. Here’s how to start:
Track Your Symptoms and Triggers:
Use Brain Twin to monitor your menstrual cycle, migraine attacks, and other potential triggers. Over time, you’ll identify patterns that can guide your treatment plan.
Adopt Healthy Habits:
• Stay hydrated.
• Stick to consistent meal and sleep schedules to stabilize hormones.
• Manage stress through activities like yoga, meditation, or journaling.
Work With Your Doctor:
Discuss treatments such as magnesium supplements, low-dose contraceptives, or new migraine-specific medications like CGRP inhibitors.
Explore New Therapies:
Non-hormonal treatments like CGRP inhibitors are showing promise for hormone-related migraine by targeting migraine at its neurological root.
Stay Flexible:
Hormonal migraine is highly individual. What works for someone else may not work for you, and that’s okay. Tracking and experimentation are key.
Take Charge of Your Migraine Journey
Your hormones may be part of your migraine story, but they’re not the whole story. By understanding your unique triggers and patterns, you can take control—and you don’t have to do it alone.
👉 Download Brain Twin today to start tracking your migraines and uncovering the patterns that matter most.
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