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Hormone Treatment for Migraines

Migraines typically affect three times more women than men--largely due to hormonal imbalances. Sixty percent of women report that their migraines coincide with their menstrual cycle. These are called menstrual migraines. Different hormone treatments may be recommended for treating menstrual migraines.

  1. Symptoms

    • Menstrual migraines have similar symptoms to headaches along with nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light. The distinguishing factor is that these types of migraines usually occur during a woman's menstrual cycle.

    Hormone Fluctuations

    • Hormone levels fluctuate in women during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Estrogen therapy may be recommended for a woman experiencing severe symptoms. These hormone imbalances can also happen when a women is on birth control or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). When on birth control or HRT, the body is given artificial hormones, which can cause migraines and other hormonal issues because they are not hormones produced by the body. Hormone therapy can be dangerous by increasing risk of heart attack or stroke.

    Birth Control Pills

    • A woman with migraines and taking birth control pills should try using an estrogen patch during the week of pills that contain no hormones. This can help to keep hormones in better balance during this week, keeping the amount in your body constant.

    Other Treatments

    • Other preventative medications to try with permission from your doctor are beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and antidepressants.

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