Virtual Neurology  Chambers

Menstrual Migraine

Menstrual Migraine Management: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options

Menstrual Migraine(MM) is a specific type of migraine that is triggered by the hormonal changes occurring during a woman's usual menstrual periods. This is not uncommon, affecting up to 60% of women living with migraines, and 14% of all women experience menstrual migraine exclusively. The severity of menstrual migraine attacks can be greater, and the treatment response may be slower than non-menstrual migraines.

Women with menstrual migraines also have a higher risk of developing chronic migraines. Appropriate management of MM is crucial for maximizing the quality of life and minimizing the negative impacts on daily activities.

Effective management can be achieved through a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, lifestyle changes, and prevention strategies.

Causes and Triggers of MM

The primary cause of menstrual migraine is believed to be hormonal fluctuations during a woman's menstrual cycle. The drop in female hormon -estrogen- levels just before menstruation is the primary trigger for susceptible individuals. Other triggers of menstrual migraine include stress, lack of sleep, certain foods, and environmental factors like weather changes and bright lights. Genetic component plays a crucial role in the causation of menstrual migraines, with a higher prevalence of the condition observed in first-degree female relatives of women with menstrual migraine.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

MM can cause throbbing or pulsing pain, usually on one side of the head, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to bright light and sound, and aura, which is a visual or sensory disturbance that can occur before or during a migraine attack.

Diagnosis of menstrual migraine is clasically based on the pattern of headache occurrence in relation to a woman's menstrual cycle. Women who experience menstrual migraine attacks typically have them around the time of menstruation but may also have them at other times in their periods. Early and accurate diagnosis of menstrual migraine is crucial for effective management and prevention of this condition.

Management: Treatment Options

Multiple treatment modalities available for menstrual migraines, including acute and preventive therapies. Acute therapies targets to minimize the symptoms of a migraine attacks. Preventive therapies targets to minimize the number of migraine attacks.

Say goodbye to Menstrual Migraines (MM) with proper Management

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Migraine variants

  • Migraine with Aura
  • Migraine without Aura
  • Hemiplegic Migraine
  • Retinal Migraine
  • Abdominal Migraine
  • Basilar Migraine

Migraine & Beyond

Commonest disabling Disease Globally, more Than 1 Billion People Suffer from Migraine

Head Ache Type & Variant

  • Primary headAches
  • Secondary Headaches
  • Unclassified

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