Migraine in women: know why it is more common

Migraine attacks are 3 to 5 times more common in women than men, and this is mainly the result of hormonal changes that the female body undergoes throughout life.

Thus, the rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone levels that happen due to situations like menstruation, use of hormonal pills and pregnancy can worsen migraine attacks, which is called hormonal migraine. Although the cause of this situation is not exactly known, this is probably because these hormones can have stimulating effects on the brain.

Migraine is a type of headache that produces throbbing pain, intense and associated with nausea, dizziness and changes in vision. It is usually recurrent and chronic, and it is known to have genetic influences, so in many cases, it is necessary to carry out treatment with the neurologist, using drugs that relieve pain and changes in diet. Learn more about this type of headache at What is migraine and what causes it.

The main causes of migraine in women include:

1. Menstruation

During the menstrual cycle, women experience falls and increases in estrogen levels, which can cause migraine attacks. This change is most significant during PMS, which is why it is during this period that many women may experience pain.

For this reason, some women may show improvement in symptoms when using contraceptives, although the use of these pills can also worsen the crises in some cases.

2. Use of hormones

The elevation of estrogen in the body can cause migraine, so some women develop migraine during hormonal treatments, such as using contraceptives in pill form, injectables, vaginal rings or hormone implants in the skin.

Find out what are the main side effects of contraceptive use.

3. Pregnancy

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the woman goes through a period of intense hormonal changes, so it is common for this period to present more pain crises. During the second and third trimesters, there is a constant drop in estrogen levels compared to progesterone levels, which can be responsible for the improvement of migraine in many cases.

However, shortly after the end of the pregnancy, the woman undergoes another sudden change in these hormones, which can also trigger new crises.

4. Menopause

After menopause, women experience migraine improvement, which is because estrogen levels are low and more constant. However, women undergoing hormone replacement therapy may notice the appearance of seizures, as this treatment significantly increases hormone levels again.

5. Stress and anxiety

It is common for the routine of many women to be overloaded, as many need to reconcile professional life activities with the excess of tasks to take care of the home and children.

These responsibilities and lesser chances of rest are important causes of migraine in women.

How to treat

Treatment for migraine mainly involves changes in lifestyle, diet and use of medicines.

Migraine Feed

Following a migraine diet can help to decrease its frequency. Some guidelines are:

Increase consumption of: foods rich in omega 3 such as fish oil and chia seeds; Avoid: stimulating foods such as coffee, black tea and cola, alcoholic drinks and processed foods; Take natural tranquilizers: such as chamomile, linden and lemon balm.

In addition, it is important to follow the doctor's instructions regarding the treatment of migraine.

Migraine Remedies

The use of migraine remedies should be done under medical guidance. Sometimes the use of remedies like Neosaldina and Maracujina may be sufficient, but if the migraine is persistent or limits the woman's life, the neurologist may recommend the use of migraine remedies such as: