How to Get Rid of Monthly Headaches

Headaches that come back once a month or at regular times every few weeks are most likely linked to specific hormonal changes, especially in women. They can also be due to outside events and should be addressed as a whole, rather than as separate incidents.

Instructions

• 1

  Try to establish whether the headaches are connected to your menstrual cycle and in what part of it they happen. Monthly headaches linked to the cycle usually happen right before the beginning of the period or on the first two days of the bleeding. These are known as menstrually related migraines (MRMs) and are usually treated with antiinflammatory drugs like Relafen (nabumetone) or triptan-class medicine such as Relpax (eletriptan).

• 2

  Look for behaviors or repetitive actions that take place during specific times of the month and have an impact on monthly headaches. Stress is a major trigger for headaches, so if you notice headaches happening, for example, in the middle of the month when a specific office report is due or you have to take exams, try looking for ways to deal with the stress. This can be something as simple as exercising to release tension, taking a few hours off to go to the movies or read a book, or learning to meditate.

• 3

  Pay attention to the amount of caffeine you're consuming and whether this varies throughout the month. Students tend to drink more coffee around exam times, as do those who have alternate shifts at work or who are under particular pressure during certain periods. Lows and highs in caffeine consumption can cause recurrent headaches and may account for monthly episodes. Reducing the amount of caffeine to no more than two cups per day can help correct this problem.

• 4

  Talk to your doctor if you're taking birth control. Oral contraceptives have been known to cause headaches because of the high and lows they cause in hormones. If the headaches are serious enough to cause a disruption in your daily life, consider waiting until the third week of active pills is finished, then skipping the rest of the month's pills and immediately starting a new pack (to avoid lows and highs in hormones), or switching to other hormonal methods of birth control to fix the problem. Depo Provera, a hormonal injection given every three months, ensures a steady hormonal level and may reduce the severity of monthly headaches.