A guide to hormonal headaches & migraines 〰
If you've ever experienced a migraine (or even a bad headache) then you know just how miserable they can be. And chances are, you have experienced one – migraines are three times more common in women than they are in men ⚡️
Why? Hormonal shifts can be a huge migraine trigger.
This is also why headaches and migraines are more likely to occur around ovulation, and in the days leading up to + first few days of menstruation.
Right before our period, our estrogen levels drop. This causes our serotonin levels to drop too, which can trigger a migraine – especially in women already prone to migraines.
Our pain tolerance is also decreased right before our period, which is partially why premenstrual migraines are so terrible.
There can also be a histamine connection (icymi histamine is something your cells release in response to injury or in allergic or inflammatory reactions, and too much can trigger headaches, migraines and allergy symptoms).
If you have high estrogen, it can cause your body to release more histamine and have a stronger reaction to it, thus the migraine. BTW, if this is you, it's not your fault. We live in an increasingly toxic world, and the effects of that have a unique impact on women's bodies (including elevated estrogen).
Okay, so what can we do about it!?
HEADACHE RELIEF TO CONSIDER 〰
✦ Simple lifestyle shifts:
Support your liver. Estrogen is eliminated through the liver, so supporting the liver can make a huge difference. Eating more leafy greens, berries & beets, focusing on good quality fats, regular castor oil packs & incorporating liver supportive herbs (see below) all help.
Reduce overall inflammation. Nourish yourself with lots of greens, berries, good quality fats & enough protein, cut back on sugar & processed foods, incorporate ginger & turmeric & mostly importantly tend to your sleep & stress response!
Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors (toxins that act like estrogen in our bodies)! Eat organic when possible (especially animal products), avoid plastic use (especially water bottles & food packaging), & switch to nontoxic beauty products & cleaning supplies. Artificial fragrances (candles, room sprays, scented body products, perfume, etc) especially can be a major trigger.
✦ In-the-moment herbal support for hormonal headaches:
Ginger. Helps soothe pain and nausea. Especially affective for hormonal headaches. Studies have found that ginger to be just as effective as sumatriptan (the most common prescription drug for migraines) for pain relief.
Turmeric. A powerful anti-inflammatory that has been shown to reduce migraine frequency, pain severity, and duration.
Skullcap. Especially for headaches near the front of the head or at the base of the skull, as well as for headaches made worse by noise, odors, or lights.
Peppermint. Helps to cool and clear the head.
Rosemary & lavender. Both boost brain circulation to help alleviate headaches.
✦ Longer term herbal support for hormonal headaches:
Schisandra. Schisandra helps with inflammation and estrogen dominance, both of which can lead to menstrual migraines. It's best taken daily, as a tincture.
Vitex. Vitex can help calm PMS and prevent menstrual migraines. You can check out my full post on vitex here – it's not right for everyone, but it can be really powerful medicine.
Liver support herbs. Dandelion root, milk thistle, burdock. Estrogen is eliminated through the liver, so supporting the liver can make a huge difference.
✦ Supplements to consider for hormonal headaches:
Magnesium. Specifically, magnesium glycinate. Read the research review below for the full low-down.
Calcium. 500 mg/day of calcium can help prevent hormonal headaches and other PMS symptoms.
Riboflavin (aka vitamin B2). It increases mitochondrial function to help prevent migraines. Aviva Romm recommends a dose of 400 mg/day. I like this one from Integrative Therapeutics.
THE SOCIAL CONNECTION 〰
If you've ever tried to talk to your doctor about your hormonal headache or migraine pain, you might have experienced the oh-so common dismissal that many women face.
One study looked at women seeking care for their headaches from a primary care doctor. Researchers found that while 94% of patients met the diagnostic criteria for migraine, at least 25% didn't get that diagnosis.
And that dismissal has a long history, woven with myths and misconceptions about women's bodies and pain.
Part of this has to do with the subjective nature of migraine symptoms – pain, visual changes, nausea. Because they cannot be objectively measured, doctors are able to map on their own biases and moral judgements.
In the 1800s, migraines in women were said to be a symptom of "hysteria" (a catch-all to describe women who deviated from the norm in any way, and often “treated” by prescribing sex or orgasms).
In the 1940s, doctors developed the idea of a "migraine personality" – basically, women who had migraines were labeled as neurotic, uptight, and likely to be using it as an excuse to withhold sex from their husbands.
Today, these misconceptions linger in the dismissal of women's pain, telling her she just needs to relax or suggesting that it must be all in her head.
And the dismissal even worse for Black women, thanks in part to the pervasive racist myth that Black women have a higher pain tolerance and experience less pain in general than white women (more about this here). This is a myth that routinely leads to Black women receiving incorrect diagnoses and inadequate care and treatment (ie relative to white women, Black women are less likely to be prescribed necessary pain medication, and if they are prescribed any at all, it's likely to be lower doses).
If you want to dive deeper, I check out Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health by Joanna Kempner.
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This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you’re experiencing sudden or irregular menstrual concerns, or have any concerns about your reproductive health, it’s best to consult your doctor or a trusted healthcare professional.
