Survey study, 2000
How do female hormones affect headaches and migraines?
Female hormones strongly influence headaches. Estrogen withdrawal (the drop in estrogen before the period) appears to trigger migraines more than sustained high or low estrogen levels. Hormones affect pain-processing brain systems.
What they did
Reviewed scientific knowledge about how hormones change during menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and with contraceptive use, and how these changes affect headaches.
What they found
Estrogen and progestin affect serotonergic and opioid neurons in the brain. The primary trigger of menstrual migraine appears to be the withdrawal of estrogen rather than sustained high or low levels. Changes in sustained estrogen with pregnancy and menopause also affect headaches.
What it means for you
This is a review summarizing existing knowledge, not new research. It suggests the drop in estrogen before the period may trigger migraines more than the hormone level itself. Headaches related to PMS may come from how the brain's pain systems respond to hormonal changes.
About the study
- Original title
- Physiology of the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Silberstein SD, Merriam GR
- Journal
- Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
- Year
- 2000
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- Not applicable - review article.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2000.00034.x
Topics
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