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Cures for Menstral Migraines

Menstrual migraines can be painful and disruptive. Menstrual migraines tend to more severe than other migraines and may last longer. There is no specific cure for menstrual migraines, but there are things you can do to manage the condition and reduce the frequency and severity of the headaches. You also have options for treating menstrual migraines once they start. You may not be able to stop menstrual migraines completely, but you can lessen the impact they have on your life.

  1. Understanding Menstrual Migraines

    • Menstrual migraines are different from other migraines in that they are specifically associated with your menstrual cycle. There are two types of menstrual migraines: Pure Menstrual Migraine (PMM) and Menstrually Related Migraine (MRM). PMM headaches share symptoms with other types of migraines, but they occur specifically around the time of your period--usually within two days before your period starts until menstruation stops. MRM headaches are migraines that doctors believe are associated with the hormone fluctuations of your menstrual cycle but that occur at any time in the month. Both kinds of migraines mean pain--often intense pain--on one side of the head and neck, sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Approximately 60 percent of women who experience migraines have some kind of MRM headaches and approximately 14 percent of those women experience PMM.

    Medical Treatments

    • Over-the-counter painkillers can help with menstrual migraines. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) have shown promise in helping both menstrual migraines and menstrual cramps. NSAIDs include ibuprofen and naproxen. Over-the-counter migraine pills that include a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine have also shown promise. If your period is regular, you can start taking painkillers a few days before your period and headache usually come to try to prevent the headache. Prescription migraine medications containing triptans, such as Imitrex and Maxalt, can help prevent menstrual migraines and treat the pain and nausea once one occurs. A nasal spray containing dihydroergotamine (DHE) may also be helpful in preventing migraine onset when used a few days before menstruation begins.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • In addition to hormone fluctuations, there may be other triggers for menstrual migraines. Beer, red wine, cured meats, bright lights, chocolate and MSG can all be culprits, but each woman is unique. After you get a migraine, make a note of what you were eating, drinking and doing before the headache came on to determine if there is a pattern. If, for instance, you drank red wine every night before getting a migraine, red wine may be trigger for you and should be avoided.

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