---
title: Are migraines around the period worse than migraines at other times?
description: Yes. Migraines during the menstrual window last much longer, come back more often, and are more intense than migraines at other times of the cycle.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/comparing-perimenstrual-and-nonperimenstrual-migraine-attacks-using-an-e-diary-2021/
---

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- Are migraines around the period worse than migraines at other times?

Survey study, 2021

# Are migraines around the period worse than migraines at other times?

Yes. Migraines during the menstrual window last much longer, come back more often, and are more intense than migraines at other times of the cycle.

 Moderate study design

500 women with migraine; 396 completed diary for at least 3 consecutive menstrual cycles

## What they did

500 women with migraine kept an electronic diary of their headaches for at least 1 month. Researchers compared migraines that happened around the period (998 attacks) to migraines at other times (4,097 attacks).

## What they found

Migraines around the period lasted 20 vs 16.1 hours. They had higher recurrence risk (odds ratio 2.4), more intense pain (odds ratio 1.4), required more triptan medication (odds ratio 1.2), and had more light sensitivity (odds ratio 1.3) and sound sensitivity (odds ratio 1.2). Of 396 women who completed the diary for 3 or more menstrual cycles, 56% (221 women) met criteria for menstrually related migraine.

## What it means for you

Migraines during the period are significantly worse in multiple ways, which could increase the risk of medication overuse. This study focused on women with migraines, so the findings apply mainly to that population.

20 vs 16 hours

duration of period vs other migraines

2.4

odds ratio for recurrence in period migraine

56%

met criteria for menstrually related migraine

## About the study

Original title Comparing Perimenstrual and Nonperimenstrual Migraine Attacks Using an e-Diary Authors van Casteren DS, Verhagen IE, van der Arend BWH et al. Journal Neurology Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 4,097 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000012723](https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000012723)

## 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/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/)

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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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