Menstrual headaches or migraines appear to occur when estrogen levels in the blood drop during the menstrual cycle. Estrogen is involved in setting the threshold for pain activity. Falling estrogen levels are associated with a greater sensitivity to pain and increased activity in body systems that cause inflammation. These changes can make women more susceptible to experiencing several different types of pain, such as headache, cramps, and muscle or joint aches, just before or during their menstrual period.
Taking oral contraceptive pills (i.e., birth control pills) can exaggerate the drop in estrogen levels before the start of menstrual bleeding. Consequently, taking the pill can sometimes worsen migraine patterns. Many women will experience an improvement in their health and a decrease of or even no migraines after menopause.
There are a number of natural medicinal and non-medicinal treatments for the prevention of menstrual migraine.
Non-Medicinal Treatments for Menstrual Migraine
Women with migraine are generally more susceptible to dietary, physical, environmental, and other triggers for migraine attacks during the week before and the first few days of their period. Following are some guidelines that can decrease the likelihood of having a migraine from these triggers.
- Eat regularly scheduled, well-balanced meals. Avoid missing meals because low blood sugar and hunger are frequent triggers for migraine attacks. On the other hand, avoid eating sweets or meals the contain a lot of carbohydrates because doing so might lead to a rapid drop in blood sugar levels two to three hours after you have these foods (this is sometimes called a “sugar or carbohydrate crash”).
- Drink plenty of fluid. Avoid dehydration because this too is a frequent migraine trigger.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Follow a regular and consistent schedule of waking and sleeping. Avoid going to bed late, “sleeping in,” becoming sleep deprived, or a haphazard sleep schedule.
- Stay away from well-known migraine triggers such as wine, beer, or other alcohol containing drinks; chocolate and other sweets; aged cheeses such as cheddar or Brie; and salty foods, especially during the week before your period.
- Participate in a regular aerobic exercise program. If you have not been exercising regularly, discuss exercise plans with your doctor and set up a physical conditioning plan that matches your needs. Start your exercise program slowly and gradually build up your level of activity as your physical condition improves.
- Learn and regularly practice biofeedback and other relaxation techniques. These types of treatment have demonstrated excellent benefit in clinical studies; and best of all, there are no potential side effects.
Above content provided by the National Pain Foundation in partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. For advice about your medical care, consult your doctor.
Hi Sile & Migraine Sufferers:
I found this on eHow and I wanted to share it with everyone:
Another trick to get quick menstrual migraine relief is to drink a liquid magnesium supplement. Liquid works faster because it is easier for your body to absorb. Do not take more than the bottle recommends, because too much magnesium at a time will cause diarrhea.
Before reaching for medications that could cause side effects, consider natural methods for menstrual migraine relief. Prevention is often the best treatment.
One way is to watch your weight. A reduction in fat intake will create a reduction in estrogen levels. If you are overweight, begin a weight-loss program, including regular exercise. Exercise releases endorphins that may ease migraine pain.
A balanced diet with adequate fiber and water will help your body eliminate excess estrogen. Avoid processed foods, sugar and alcohol. Keep a migraine diary to track your reactions to the things you eat, so you can cut them out, if necessary.
Supplement with magnesium and vitamin B2. As many as 80 percent of the population is deficient in magnesium. Supplementing with magnesium and taking in magnesium-rich foods such as whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, beans and seeds will dramatically decrease your occurrences of migraine headaches.
Found @: http://www.ehow.com/way_5279615_menstrual-migraine-relief.html