What Causes Menstrual Migraines?

About 70 percent of migraines sufferers are women. Of the women who have migraines, approximately 60 percent state that their migraines are affected by their menstrual cycles. It is not clear exactly what causes these migraines, but the monthly changes that a woman's body goes through seem to contribute to the condition.

Hormonal Changes

• Menstrual migraines seem to be triggered by changes in the level of estrogen that occurs during the monthly cycle. Estrogen levels drop right before a woman's period begins. Migraines often occur right after estrogen and progesterone levels fall to their lowest levels.

Birth Control

• Hormone replacement therapy and birth control may also trigger migraines. Pills that have a high doses of estrogen can trigger particularly severe menstrual migraines. Taking a pill with a lower level of estrogen may decrease the severity or frequency of the headaches.

Magnesium

• Right before a woman's period begins, her magnesium levels go down. These lowered magnesium levels may also trigger migraine headaches. This is especially true if the woman already has low magnesium levels.

Treatment

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, seem to be the most effect way to treat menstrual migraines. The most common NSAIDs prescribed for migraine treatment include Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn and Relafen.

Pregnancy

• Women who experience menstrual migraines often find that their headaches disappear during pregnancy. This is probably due to the fact that a woman does not go through her monthly cycles while pregnant.