Migraines and the Menopause
If you don’t usually suffer from headaches, but have suddenly started to get bad ones that are stopping you from going about your daily life, you may be wondering what’s causing them. Sometimes the hormone changes leading up to menopause are to blame.
So why does the Menopause cause headaches?
There are so many changes happening to your body during the menopause. As the hormones fluctuate, this can lead to lower oestrogen levels in the body and an ‘oestrogen withdrawal’, which can cause a headache. Women who have experienced migraines around the time of their period may find that they also have more headaches during perimenopause . Note that migraines may also be triggered by certain food and drinks, a lack of sleep, appetite, stress or bright lights.
What does a migraine feel like?
Everyone is different, but a migraine is typically characterised as an extreme headache, causing a throbbing pain on one side of the head and it may make you more sensitive to sounds and lights.
How can I prevent a migraine?
If you’re starting to get headaches on a regular basis, one of the best things to do is try to prevent it from happening. You may not be able to stop them completely, but these simple steps may cut down the frequency of them:
- Stay hydrated, drinking lots of good quality water can alleviate the onset of a migraine
- Try to reduce your stress levels by slowing down, using mindfulness
- Consume wholesome foods and be aware of what chemicals are in certain processed foods and drink i.e. aspartame, MSG etc. trigger migraines
- If you feel a migraine coming on, make time to lie down in a room that’s quiet and dark. Even better if you can put a cold compress on your forehead.
- Try acupuncture. It stems from Chinese medicine and it uses thin needles to stimulate your body’s energy channels. It’s been proven to help with many types of pain including headaches
- Try to get enough sleep
- Take some exercise to circulate more oxygen to your brain
- Keep a journal to recognise patterns
- Avoid painkillers as much as you can, as this just temporary relief and masks the root cause
- Some nutritional supplements have been shown to limit migraines. Vitamin B2, magnesium, Vitamin D and Coenzyme Q10 have all been shown to work in some cases but it’s a questions of seeing what works best for you.
Do check with your doctor, test for nutritional deficiencies before starting any course of supplement. Your doctor will be able to talk you through the various treatment options and if your headaches are frequent and debilitating, they can offer other techniques to deal with stress or other triggers.
Disclaimer:
Become™️ has a wonderful team of experts who all helped in the writing of this content. The opinions expressed within this page are the opinions of many people we asked, and from information we researched online. Become™️ is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this page. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
