---
title: Are migraines around the menstrual cycle different from other migraines?
description: Yes. Menstrual migraines last longer, cause more disability, respond less well to treatment, and come back more often within 24 hours compared to other migrai
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-and-nonmenstrual-migraines-differ-in-women-with-menstrually-related-2010/
---

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- Are migraines around the menstrual cycle different from other migraines?

Study, 2010

# Are migraines around the menstrual cycle different from other migraines?

Yes. Menstrual migraines last longer, cause more disability, respond less well to treatment, and come back more often within 24 hours compared to other migraines.

 Moderate study design

107 women with frequent, disabling migraines

## What they did

Researchers followed 107 women who had frequent migraines and asked them to record each migraine in a daily diary. They compared features of migraines that happened around menstruation with migraines at other times of the cycle.

## What they found

Menstrual migraines lasted 23.4 hours compared to 16.1 hours for other migraines. Menstrual migraines caused disability 85.6% of the time compared to 75.6% for other migraines. Menstrual migraines responded to treatment within 2 hours only 6.7% of the time compared to 13.4% for other migraines. Menstrual migraines came back within 24 hours 36.0% of the time compared to 19.6% for other migraines.

## What it means for you

If you have migraines around your period, they tend to be harder to treat and more disabling than your other migraines. You may need different treatment approaches. This finding was in a single group of women being followed, so results should be confirmed in other groups.

23.4 hours

menstrual migraine duration

85.6%

menstrual migraines causing disability

6.7%

menstrual migraine treatment response

## About the study

Original title Menstrual and nonmenstrual migraines differ in women with menstrually-related migraine Authors Pinkerman B, Holroyd K Journal Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache Year 2010 Study design Study Participants 107 What was tested Acute migraine therapy when migraines occurred Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/0333102409359315](https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102409359315)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/)

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## Related studies

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