Menopause & Migraines

According to the book "Menstrual Migraine" by Susan Hutchinson, women suffer from migraines three times as much as men. This may be due to the changes in hormones a woman's body goes through during menstruation and menopause. But one of the usual symptoms of menopause is headache, so diagnosis of a menopausal migraine can be difficult.

Cause

• It is unknown exactly why some women can get menopausal migraines and not others. According to the book "Migraines For Dummies," some women may be genetically predisposed to having brains that can easily cause the suspected chemical activity that can initiate migraine pain. The drop in estrogen is thought to be the trigger in women with the genetic makeup for migraines. Insomnia and night sweats may also play a role in triggering migraines.

Symptoms

• Migraines tend to place severe pain on one side of the head while headaches tend to be felt on both sides of the head. However, not all women who suffer from migraines during menopause will feel pain on just one side of the head. Other symptoms often accompany the head pain, including nausea, dizziness and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

Treatment

• Prophylactic or preventive medications hope to stop any migraine attacks from developing. Common medications include estrogen hormone replacement therapy, high blood pressure medication and antidepressants. However, these are off-label uses of these medications, because there is no medication available specifically for the prevention of migraines during menopause.

Good News

• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about two-thirds of women who suffer from migraines before they begin menopause find their migraine pain lessens when menopause begins. Some women also stop having migraines when menopause ends.

Warning

• "Migraines For Dummies" warns that anyone over the age of 65 (man or woman) who gets their very first migraine should go immediately to the hospital, because this could be a sign of a stroke, glaucoma, brain aneurysm or other serious condition. Any woman who gets a migraine that feels far more severe than usual should call an ambulance.