Headaches and Women: What Do Hormones Have to Do With It?

It's no secret that women and headaches go together like peanut butter and jelly. Scientific research has found that headaches are more common than males, with a 50% greater prevalence in females than males. Additionally, women are 3 times more likely to experience menstrual-related migraines than men, and they generally have a higher incidence of migraines than men.

Why Hormones?

The reasons why women experience more headaches than men are not entirely known. Some recently studied genetic factors may play a role in headache prevalence, however, hormones likely play a role in this phenomenon.

It is known that there are hormonal fluctuations with the menstrual cycle, causing changes in estrogen levels in females. Estrogen levels are associated with headaches and may be responsible for headache symptoms at certain points of the cycle (i.e., premenstrual).

However, while hormones may contribute to headaches during some phases of the menstrual cycle, there can be other factors that contribute to headaches over other phases. Hormonal changes due to the menstrual cycle may be responsible for some of the symptoms of migraine attacks.

Menstrual-related Headaches

Migraine headaches are severe, sometimes debilitating headaches usually occurring on one side of the head. They are generally described as throbbing pain accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound. They can be either unilateral (affecting only one side of the head) or bilateral (affecting both sides).

Migraine Headache Symptoms

The main symptoms are throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head that is usually triggered by something that occurs during or right after menstruation, such as coughing, sneezing, exercising, laughing, or talking too much. Approximately 10% of women will experience migraine attacks during menstruation.

Allodynia - when an individual is unable to feel pain normally in a part of their body, the area may become extremely sensitive to touch. This sensitivity is referred to as allodynia. It can be caused by several things, including poor blood flow and hormonal changes, and typically presents itself in areas where there was no allodynia previously.

The way hormones affect the body has been studied by researchers and scientists for some time now. While little scientific evidence has been discovered so far about how hormones can cause headaches and migraines, the idea that hormones play a role in women's headaches is not new.

Lifestyle Treatment Options

Lifestyle changes are often recommended for menstrual-related headaches, including changes in diet, exercise, and sleep habits. A common treatment is the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help relieve pain. The use of over-the-counter medications may not be enough to alleviate symptoms, so prescription medications may be necessary.

Other treatment options can include magnesium supplements, calcium channel blockers, antidepressants, and other medications used by doctors for treating migraines. Regularly taking OTC medications to treat headaches also should be discussed with your doctor before starting or quitting any kind of migraine medication regimen or treatment plan.

Understanding how hormones affect you and how they can cause migraines or headaches is the first step to finding treatment options that work for you.

Frequently Asked Questions on Headaches and Women

What is a migraine?

A migraine is a severe, throbbing headache that is usually accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. It's typically located on one side of the head or in the front of both sides. Migraine attacks (or migraines) last between 4 and 72 hours and some people get them more than once.

How common are migraines?

Migraines affect about 40 million American adults each year or about 14% of the population. About 10% get migraines every month, while 3% get them at least once a week. According to statistics, about 75% of people who get migraines are women and 25% are men.