Everyone experiences different symptoms during their “time of the month.” If you already deal with period symptoms like cramps, gas, bloating and acne and have to manage the high cost of menstrual products, migraines are the last things you want to add to the list.
Get Menstrual Migraine Relief with CEFALY
If you experience menstrual migraines, you’re not alone. For almost two of every three women with migraines, menstruation is a trigger. At CEFALY, we believe your body’s natural processes shouldn’t make you suffer. Follow along to learn why women experience menstrual migraines and how you can treat them!
What Is a Menstrual Migraine?
According to the International Headache Society, a pure menstrual migraine is a migraine that occurs only:
- Within the two days before your period (days -2 and -1).
- Throughout the third day of your period (days 1, 2 and 3).
- In at least two out of three menstrual cycles monthly.
- At no other point in your cycle.
- Without aura.
If you’ve noticed similar migraines that don’t fit the above criteria, you may experience menstrually related migraines. Menstrually related migraines can affect women at any point outside of the -2/+3 window within their cycles.
Menstrual Migraine Causes
As experts develop research on menstrual migraines, we’ve learned that they are a symptom of hormonal changes within the menstruation cycle.
Right before women experience their period, their estrogen levels drop due to a lack of fertilization. Though this is a natural aspect of menstruation, researchers have found a link between the rapid decrease in estrogenc and menstrual migraine symptoms.
During menstruation, women also release more prostaglandin, a hormone that helps control ovulation. Prostaglandin levels are higher for women with painful periods and have also been linked to menstrual migraine.
How Do You Know If You Have a Menstrual Migraine?
Though there is no diagnostic test for menstrual migraine, understanding the frequency of your migraines alongside your period cycle can help determine your diagnosis. The best way to measure your migraines is by keeping a diary for at least three months that records your menstrual cycle and migraine attacks.
If your migraines occur exclusively within the -2/+3 window in at least two of every three cycles, you likely have menstrual migraine.
For many people with migraine, journaling may become a forgotten habit. With the CeCe migraine management app, you can log your migraines through a simple and streamlined interface. Track your triggers and symptoms around your time of the month for personalized prevention methods.
How to Treat a Menstrual Migraine?
Since menstrual migraine depends on your menstruation cycle, treatment methods will differ. Many women already regulate their menstrual symptoms with contraception or over-the-counter medication. Some common strategies for treating menstrual migraine include:
- Ice on your head or neck.
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like naproxen or ibuprofen.
- Estrogen supplements.
- Prescription medication like triptans or gepants.
- A CEFALY device that can reduce pain intensity in just one hour.
How to Prevent Menstrual Migraines
For many women with menstrual migraine, it’s just as important to prevent symptoms as it is to treat them. Depending on your medical needs, experts may recommend the following treatments to prevent menstrual migraines:
Mini-Preventative Treatments
Some mini-preventative treatments you might try include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken before menstrual period.
- Estrogen supplements during menstruation week.
- Triptans throughout menstruation window.
Continuous Preventative Treatments
These types of treatments include:
- Hormonal birth control pills with fewer or no placebo days.
- An estrogen patch before period begins.
- The 20-minute PREVENT feature on CEFALY device.
Enjoy Menstrual Migraine Relief With CEFALY
You deserve to live life without migraines. With a CEFALY device, it’s easy to prevent and relieve migraine symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle. CEFALY is an FDA-cleared device that reduces migraine pain through tiny electrical impulses.
Say goodbye to menstrual migraines with quick, reliable relief on your best and worst migraine days. Discover how CEFALY treatment can alleviate menstrual migraine symptoms by ordering today!
