---
title: What medications work for migraines around the menstrual period?
description: Multiple medications have evidence of benefit: sumatriptan, mefenamic acid, and rizatriptan for acute treatment, and estrogen patches, frovatriptan, and narat
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/clinical-aspects-of-perimenstrual-headaches-2009/
---

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- What medications work for migraines around the menstrual period?

Review, 2009

# What medications work for migraines around the menstrual period?

Multiple medications have evidence of benefit: sumatriptan, mefenamic acid, and rizatriptan for acute treatment, and estrogen patches, frovatriptan, and naratriptan for prevention. Whether preventive treatment provides significant additional benefit beyond placebo is unclear.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with menstrual migraines

## What they did

This review examined research on menstrual migraine diagnosis and treatment, including medication trials and clinical guidelines.

## What they found

Menstrual migraines can be pure (attacks only around menstruation) or menstrually related (attacks around menstruation plus at other times). Regular migraine treatments work equally well for both types. Grade B evidence supports sumatriptan 50-100 mg, mefenamic acid 500 mg, and rizatriptan 10 mg for acute treatment. Grade B evidence supports estrogen patches 1.5 mg, frovatriptan 2.5 mg twice daily, and naratriptan 1 mg twice daily for prevention. Extended-cycle oral contraceptives may help. Preventive mini-prophylaxis outcomes are positive but the benefit compared to placebo is unclear.

## What it means for you

Several proven medications exist for menstrual migraines, but it is unclear whether prevention provides significant additional benefit. The main limitation is lack of clear guidance on when and for how long to use preventive medications.

50-100 mg

sumatriptan dose for acute treatment

1.5 mg

estrogen patch dose for prevention

## About the study

Original title Clinical aspects of perimenstrual headaches Authors Taylor FR Journal Current pain and headache reports Year 2009 Study design Review Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s11916-009-0015-z](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-009-0015-z)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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