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Migraine attacks are 3 to 5 times more common in women than in men, which mainly results from hormonal changes that the female organism 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.
The main causes of migraine in women include:
1. Menstruation
During the menstrual cycle, women experience falls and rises 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 experience improvement in symptoms when using contraceptives, although the use of these pills can also worsen crises in some cases.
2. Use of hormones
The elevation of estrogen in the body can cause migraine, so some women develop migraine symptoms during hormonal treatments, such as using contraceptive pills, 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 crises of pain. In 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, the woman improves her migraine, which is because estrogen levels are low and more constant. However, women taking 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 activities of professional life 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 migraine
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:
- Amitriptyline;
- Lexapro;
- Venlafaxine;
- Atenolol
- Topiramate;
- Magnesium supplement and coenzyme Q10.
When insomnia is a frequent issue the use of melatonin can be effective for better nights of sleep, which will also help in combating migraine.
Watch the following video and see what to do to prevent migraine: