---
title: What causes menstrual migraine and how is it treated? | Niyora
description: Estrogen withdrawal around menstruation triggers migraines in susceptible women. Treatment includes NSAIDs, triptans, and other medications, with hormonal the
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-migraine-1999/
---

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- What causes menstrual migraine and how is it treated?

Survey study, 1999

# What causes menstrual migraine and how is it treated?

Estrogen withdrawal around menstruation triggers migraines in susceptible women. Treatment includes NSAIDs, triptans, and other medications, with hormonal therapy if needed for severe cases.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with migraine (clinical review, not a specific patient group)

## What they did

Review of clinical experience and research on migraine in women, describing how hormonal changes throughout life affect migraine frequency and what treatments work.

## What they found

Menstrual migraine occurs at the time of greatest estrogen level fluctuation. Frequency reported as high as 60-70%. Effective treatments include NSAIDs, dihydroergotamine, triptans, and aspirin-acetaminophen-caffeine combination.

## What it means for you

Migraines linked to menstruation are common and treatable, but this is based on clinical experience, not a controlled research study.

60-70%

frequency of menstrual migraine reported

## About the study

Original title Menstrual migraine Authors Silberstein SD Journal Journal of women's health & gender-based medicine Year 1999 Study design Survey study What was tested Various medications for migraine treatment Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1.1999.8.919](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1.1999.8.919)

## 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/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[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.

## Related studies

Review, 2007

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Systematic review, 2023

What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?

Review, 2009

What medications work for migraines around the menstrual period?

Cohort study, 2006

How should severe period pain in teenagers be treated?

Randomised trial, 2014

Does the combination of sumatriptan and naproxen sodium reduce menstrual symptoms and migraine?

Systematic review, 2007

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

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