--- title: Is PMS severity linked to how bad your migraines are? | Niyora description: Yes, PMS and migraine severity are moderately connected. Women with migraines have worse PMS symptoms when their migraines are worse, throughout the menstrual url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/symptoms-of-premenstrual-syndrome-and-their-association-with-migraine-headache-2006/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is PMS severity linked to how bad your migraines are? Randomised trial, 2006 # Is PMS severity linked to how bad your migraines are? Yes, PMS and migraine severity are moderately connected. Women with migraines have worse PMS symptoms when their migraines are worse, throughout the menstrual cycle and even when hormones are surgically suppressed. Early or limited evidence 21 women with migraines (9 in detailed analysis after hormone suppression) ## What they did 21 women with migraines tracked the severity of PMS symptoms and migraine headaches daily for 6.5 months during both natural menstrual cycles and after being given medicine to suppress hormones surgically. Half received estradiol and half received placebo during the hormone suppression period. ## What they found PMS and migraine severity were moderately correlated (0.47) during natural cycles and ranged from 0.39 to 0.65 when looking at different 3-day intervals of the cycle. After surgical hormone suppression, correlations were 0.58 with estradiol treatment and 0.47 with placebo treatment. All correlations were statistically significant. ## What it means for you The link between PMS and migraines may involve neurotransmitters rather than hormones alone, since it persists even after hormones are suppressed. However, the study was small and focused only on women with migraines, so findings may not apply to all women. 21 Women with migraines studied 0.47 Correlation between PMS and migraine in natural cycles 0.39-0.65 Range across different menstrual cycle phases ## About the study Original title Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and their association with migraine headache Authors Martin VT, Wernke S, Mandell K et al. Journal Headache Year 2006 Study design Randomised trial Participants 9 What was tested Observation of natural menstrual cycles and comparison to medical hormone suppression with estradiol or placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00306.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00306.x) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[Surgical menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-surgery/)[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 Survey study, 2015 Does migraine increase during menopause, and can hormone therapy help? Systematic review, 2023 What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy? Survey study, 2003 Does migraine risk change during menopause in women with PMS? Randomised trial, 2012 Do hysterectomy or hormonal IUDs reduce premenstrual symptoms in women with heavy periods? Systematic review, 2007 What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome? Review, 2004 How should doctors diagnose and treat PMS and PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗