Migraine is a type of severe headache that might also cause other symptoms, such as nausea and light sensitivity. It may improve or worsen during menopause.
A potential connection between migraine and menopause is that headaches may improve after menopause. However, they may also get worse.
In this article, learn more about this link and why it might exist. This article also provides more information about menopause and how to alleviate migraine symptoms.
One article in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders cites a
During the menstrual cycle, estrogen levels drop right before a period starts. This estrogen withdrawal may trigger migraine without an aura. An aura is a group of symptoms such as flashing lights that sometimes appear before a migraine.
High levels of estrogen, which are common leading up to ovulation, may also trigger migraine with aura.
Most population-level studies, which are studies that look at an entire population, show that migraine headaches tend to improve after menopause. This may be because a person no longer experiences the hormone shifts that once triggered their migraine pain.
Headaches may temporarily get worse during perimenopause, which is the period leading up to menopause during which a person is likely to experience other symptoms, such as hot flashes.
However, studies that look specifically at people seeking treatment at headache centers — a subset of people who may have especially severe migraine — suggest that migraine may actually get worse during menopause.
There is no way to predict how menopause will affect someone’s migraine pattern. A change in migraine pattern leading up to menopause may occur because of shifting hormone levels.
Menopause marks the end of a person’s ability to get pregnant. Doctors define it as a
The median age of menopause is 51 years, but it may begin as early as age 40 years or as late as during a person’s 60s. In some people, premature menopause in their 20s or 30s causes infertility.
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. During this time, a person’s periods may become more irregular. They may also experience a wide range of symptoms, including:
- hot flashes
- night sweats
- heart palpitations
- painful sex
- vaginal dryness
- mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, and depression
- weight gain
- increased blood pressure
Many classic menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, go away after perimenopause. However, some — such as vaginal dryness — may linger because of lower estrogen levels.
Menopause may ease migraine headaches, cause them to get worse, or trigger no changes at all. For people whose menstrual cycles trigger migraine, migraine may improve once those end.
They found that:
- among premenopausal participants, 8% had a high headache rate
- among perimenopausal participants, 12.2% had a high headache rate
- among postmenopausal participants, 12% had a high headache rate
This suggests that the transition to menopause is often a trigger for more frequent headaches in people with a history of migraine.
Hormone replacement therapy may actually make menopausal migraine
Not all research supports this claim, however. Some earlier studies did find that hormone replacement therapy could ease migraine symptoms. So, a person may need to be willing to try various treatments and monitor their effects.
Some people may choose hormone therapy to manage other menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Low-dose treatments are less likely to trigger migraine.
A 2017 research article recommends continuous hormone therapy to reduce the risk of hormonal shifts that may trigger migraine.
A wide range of treatments can help with migraine, but no single treatment works for everyone. For this reason, a person may need to experiment with various remedies and keep a headache log to monitor any improvements.
This includes medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which a person can buy over the counter, and prescription pain medications. These medications may offer immediate migraine relief.
These are drugs that stop or lessen the severity of acute migraine episodes. They include medications such as triptans.
Migraine prevention drugs
A wide range of drugs may help prevent or reduce the frequency of migraine episodes. Topiramate is a drug approved to treat migraine, but it has some notable side effects. Other drugs — including antidepressants, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and anti-seizure drugs — may also help.
A new class of migraine drugs called anti-CGRPs are formulated specifically for the prevention of migraine.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
This type of brain stimulation may help reduce the frequency of headaches or ease the symptoms when migraine occurs.
The herb butterbur, complementary interventions such as acupuncture, biofeedback, relaxation exercises, and deep breathing help some people.
Getting more frequent exercise, managing stress, and monitoring and avoiding migraine triggers can offer relief. However, it can be difficult for people with migraine to undertake some of these activities when experiencing painful episodes.
Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy can help ease menopause symptoms. Research into its role in headaches has produced mixed results, though more recent studies suggest that it may make them worse. A person should talk with a doctor about the risks and benefits of this option.
Menopause is not a medical condition, and a person does not need to see a doctor solely because they are going through it.
Instead, a person should see a doctor if:
- Their migraine condition has stopped or improved, and they would like to stop taking migraine medications.
- Their migraine headaches change or get worse during menopause or perimenopause.
- They do not get relief from migraine medications.
- They would like to try hormone replacement therapy.
- They began menopause very early, before the age of 40 years, or their periods suddenly stopped without explanation.
Migraine is an unpredictable neurological condition, and it may get better or worse as a person transitions through menopause.
Although it can be difficult to treat, a person does not have to live with migraine forever. The right combination of medications and lifestyle changes can ease the symptoms, so people should try to contact a doctor who takes their symptoms seriously and specializes in migraine.
Migraine ni aina ya maumivu makali ya kichwa ambayo yanaweza kusababisha dalili nyingine, kama vile kichefuchefu na unyeti wa nuru. Inaweza kuboreshwa au kuzorota wakati wa menopause. Uhusiano unaowezekana kati ya kipandauso na kukoma kwa hedhi ni kwamba maumivu ya kichwa yaweza kupungua baada ya kukoma kwa hedhi. Hata hivyo, huenda pia zikawa mbaya zaidi. Katika makala hii, kujifunza zaidi kuhusu kiungo hiki na kwa nini inaweza kuwepo. Makala hii pia hutoa habari zaidi kuhusu kukoma kwa hedhi na jinsi ya kupunguza dalili za kipandauso. Katika jarida la Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, utafiti unaonyesha kwamba wakati wa mzunguko wa hedhi, kiwango cha estrogen hupungua kabla tu ya kuanza kwa hedhi. Kuondolewa kwa estrojeni kunaweza kusababisha kipandauso bila aura. Aura ni kikundi cha dalili kama vile taa za kung'aa ambazo wakati mwingine huonekana kabla ya kipandauso. Viwango vya juu vya estrojeni, ambavyo ni vya kawaida vinavyoongoza kwenye ovulation, pia vinaweza kusababisha kipandauso chenye aura. Utafiti wa idadi ya watu, ambao ni utafiti unaochunguza idadi nzima ya watu, unaonyesha kwamba maumivu ya kichwa ya kipandauso huwa na kuboresha baada ya menopause. Huenda hilo likawa kwa sababu mtu huyo hawezi tena kuhisi mabadiliko ya homoni ambayo wakati mmoja yalisababisha maumivu ya kichwa. Ugonjwa wa kichwa unaweza kuwa mbaya zaidi wakati wa perimenopause, ambayo ni kipindi kinachoongoza kwenye menopause ambapo mtu anaweza kupata dalili nyingine, kama vile joto. Hata hivyo, uchunguzi uliofanywa hasa kwa watu wanaotafuta matibabu katika vituo vya kutibu maumivu ya kichwa - kikundi kidogo cha watu ambao huenda wakawa na kipandauso kali sana - unaonyesha kwamba kipandauso chaweza kuwa kibaya zaidi wakati wa kukoma kwa hedhi. Hakuna njia ya kutabiri jinsi menopause itakavyoathiri tabia ya kipandauso cha mtu. Mabadiliko katika tabia ya kipandauso yanayoongoza kwenye kukoma kwa hedhi yaweza kutokea kwa sababu ya mabadiliko ya viwango vya homoni. Kipindi cha kukoma kwa hedhi huashiria mwisho wa uwezo wa mtu wa kupata mimba. "Wanafunzi wa matibabu wanasema kwamba umri wa wastani wa kukata msimu wa hedhi ni miaka 51, lakini inaweza kuanza mapema kama miaka 40 au baadaye kama miaka ya 60 ya mtu.""" Kwa baadhi ya watu, kukoma kwa hedhi kabla ya wakati katika miaka yao ya 20 au 30 husababisha utasa. Perimenopause ni kipindi cha muda kinachoongoza kwenye kukoma kwa hedhi. Wakati huo, huenda vipindi vya mtu vikawa visivyo vya kawaida. Pia wanaweza kupata dalili mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - hot flashes - usiku sweats - moyo palpitations - maumivu ya ngono - ukame wa mkojo - mabadiliko ya hisia, kama vile irritability, wasiwasi, na unyogovu - uzito gain - kuongezeka kwa shinikizo la damu Wengi classic menopause dalili, kama vile hot flashes na usiku sweats, kwenda mbali baada ya perimenopause. Hata hivyo, baadhi ya matatizo - kama vile ukame wa mkojo - yanaweza kudumu kwa sababu ya viwango vya chini vya estrojeni. Kuanza kwa kipindi cha kukoma kwa hedhi kwaweza kupunguza maumivu ya kichwa ya kipandauso, kuyazidisha, au kutosababisha mabadiliko yoyote. Kwa watu ambao mzunguko wa hedhi huchochea kipandauso, kipandauso chaweza kupungua mara tu vipandauso hivyo vitakapomalizika. Katika utafiti huo, asilimia 8 ya washiriki walioingia kabla ya kipindi cha menopause walikuwa na maumivu ya kichwa ya juu, asilimia 12 ya washiriki walioingia baada ya kipindi cha menopause walikuwa na maumivu ya kichwa ya juu, na asilimia 12 walikuwa na maumivu ya kichwa ya juu. Hata hivyo, utafiti wote haupingi madai hayo. Uchunguzi fulani wa mapema uligundua kwamba tiba ya kubadilisha homoni ingeweza kupunguza dalili za kipandauso. Kwa hiyo, huenda mtu akahitaji kuwa tayari kujaribu matibabu mbalimbali na kuchunguza matokeo yake. Watu wengine wanaweza kuchagua matibabu ya homoni ili kudhibiti dalili nyingine za menopause, kama vile joto na ukame wa mkojo. Matibabu ya kipimo cha chini hayasababishi migraine. Utafiti wa mwaka 2017 unaonyesha kuwa matibabu ya homoni ya kudumu yanaweza kupunguza hatari ya mabadiliko ya homoni ambayo yanaweza kusababisha kipandauso. Kuna njia nyingi za kutibu kipandauso, lakini hakuna njia moja inayofaa kila mtu. Kwa sababu hiyo, huenda mtu akahitaji kujaribu tiba mbalimbali na kuweka rekodi ya maumivu ya kichwa ili kuchunguza ikiwa kuna maendeleo yoyote. Dawa za kulevya ni pamoja na dawa za anti-inflammatory zisizo za steroid, ambazo mtu anaweza kununua kwenye kaunta, na dawa za maumivu za dawa. Dawa hizo zaweza kupunguza kichefuchefu mara moja. Hizi ni dawa zinazosimamisha au kupunguza uzito wa maumivu makali ya kichwa. Dawa za kulevya kama vile triptans Dawa za kuzuia kipandauso Aina mbalimbali za dawa zaweza kusaidia kuzuia au kupunguza mzunguko wa vipindi vya kipandauso. Topiramate ni dawa iliyokubaliwa kutibu kipandauso, lakini ina athari fulani za upande zinazoonekana. Dawa nyingine - kutia ndani dawa za kukandamiza mshuko wa moyo, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, na dawa za kupambana na mshtuko wa akili - zaweza pia kusaidia. Dawa mpya za kipandauso, zinazoitwa anti-CGRP, zimetengenezwa hasa ili kuzuia kipandauso. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) - ni aina ya stimulation ya ubongo ambayo inaweza kusaidia kupunguza mzunguko wa maumivu ya kichwa au kupunguza dalili wakati migraine hutokea. Mimea ya butterbur, hatua za ziada kama vile acupuncture, biofeedback, mazoezi ya kupumzika, na kupumua kwa kina husaidia watu fulani. Kufanya mazoezi mara nyingi, kudhibiti mfadhaiko, na kuchunguza na kuepuka visababishi vya kipandauso kunaweza kukusaidia. Hata hivyo, inaweza kuwa vigumu kwa watu wenye kipandauso kufanya baadhi ya shughuli hizo wanapokuwa na maumivu makali. Matibabu ya badala ya homoni Matibabu ya badala ya homoni yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza dalili za menopause. Utafiti kuhusu athari za dawa hiyo kwa maumivu ya kichwa umetoa matokeo tofauti, ingawa uchunguzi wa hivi karibuni unaonyesha kwamba inaweza kuzidisha maumivu hayo. Mtu anapaswa kuzungumza na daktari kuhusu hatari na faida za chaguo hili. Ukombozi wa hedhi si hali ya kitiba, na mtu hahitaji kumwona daktari kwa sababu tu anaugua. Kwa hivyo, ni muhimu kumwona daktari ikiwa ugonjwa wa kipandauso umepungua au umepungua na unataka kuacha kutumia dawa za kipandauso. - Migraine yao hubadilika au kuzidi kuwa mbaya wakati wa menopause au perimenopause. - Hawanapata kitulizo kutokana na dawa za kipandauso. - Wangependa kujaribu tiba ya kubadilisha homoni. - Walianza menopause mapema sana, kabla ya umri wa miaka 40, au vipindi vyao vya hedhi viliacha ghafla bila ufafanuzi. Migraine ni ugonjwa wa neva ambao hauwezi kutabiriwa, na unaweza kuwa mbaya au kuwa bora kadiri mtu anavyoendelea kupitia kipindi cha kukoma kwa hedhi. Ingawa huenda ikawa vigumu kutibu, mtu hahitaji kuishi na kichefuchefu milele. Mchanganuo sahihi wa dawa na mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha yanaweza kupunguza dalili, kwa hivyo watu wanapaswa kujaribu kuwasiliana na daktari ambaye anachukua dalili zao kwa uzito na maalumu katika kipandauso.