PERI MENOPAUSE MIGRAINES & HEADACHES

🪷 PERI MENOPAUSE MIGRAINES & HEADACHES

The causes, the symptoms and top tips to reduce and relieve.

Migraines and headaches during peri menopause are very common and these are caused by the changes in Oestrogen levels before your period.

These are generally more severe at this time of your cycle (approximately 70% of women suffer prior to their periods) than any other time of the month and can reoccur over several days leading up to and at the start of your period

Reducing Oestrogen is linked to a declining serotonin which acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. This upsets the trigeminal cranial nerve, in turn, causing migraines and head aches.

A recent study of 3,664 women discovered that the risk of developing a higher level of migraines during peri menopause (10 or more per month) was significantly greater than women that were pre or post menopausal.

By the time women hit their 40’s, nearly 50% of them will have suffered with some form of migraines or severe headaches

Headaches are generally in the whole head, where as migraines are localised to one specific area (behind an eye, or back of the neck)

In some cases, Migraines can be due to intolerances such as an allergy to iron, dairy or gluten, but please do not self diagnose.

Alcohol and high fat/high sugar foods will also aggravate your symptoms

I always suggest to my patients that they keep a diary and see if they can pinpoint any specific triggers and try eliminating them for a period of time

(while continuing to keep a diary) to see if these alleviate or aggravate the condition.

In many cases, studies have shown that HRT can actually worsens Menopausal migraines, but speak to your Menopause Practitioner or nurse and ask for their guidance and advice.

The main cause in Peri Menopause is due to the hormonal changes above, but other causes could be stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, too much caffeine or alcohol and lack of exercise.

🪷 SYMPTOMS

Auras: Some women experience the Auras prior to the migraines (visual disturbances and ‘disco lights’ in their line of vision) This can also cause nausea and often grows in size, disappearing I’ve the pain in the head begins.

Nausea: Many women feel sick (similar to sea or travel sickness) this can alleviated by ginger and or mint tea

Tingling & Numbness: You may experience a type of pins and needles on one side or numbness in a localised area

Dizziness or trouble concentrating: Some women feel uneasy on their feet and dizzy or struggle to focus on tasks. They may also struggle to read or watch screens/TVs

HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS TO ALLEVIATING AND REDUCING MIGRAINE ATTACKS

🪷 THE ‘C’s:

Try to avoid the 5 C’s: citrus, caffeine, chocolate, claret (red wine) and cheese

Try to avoid the 5 ‘C’s above at least 7-10 days prior to your period, some women may benefit from eliminating these completely from their diet.

🪷HYDRATE:

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause migraine and headaches to occur more frequently.

🪷 SUPPLEMENTS:

Take a good magnesium and zinc supplement, as many women that suffer with hormonal migraines show a deficiency in these, so supplements may help.

🪷 MANAGE THE CONDITION:

If you do suffer with a migraine (and this is a technique I have tried and tested on myself)

Sit on a sofa or bed. Place your feet in a bowl of warm water lean your head forward over your knees and place an ice cold compress on the back of your neck (or sit up right and place it across your forehead depending where the pain is localised)

The heat of the water will draw the blood away from the head towards your feet reducing the ‘pulsing/thumping’ of the blood flow against the pain site and the ice will do the same (force the blood away as your body likes to maintain its basal temperature)

🪷 HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND:

Lay in a dark room with a cold compress across your eyes

🪷 TURN OFF THE SCREENS:

Avoid looking/watching screens and devices. These will aggravate the condition considerably

🪷 PAIN RELIEF:

Ibuprofen and/or paracetamol can help reduce the pain, but if it becomes too severe, please do contact your GP and seek medical advice.

🪷 SLEEP IS YOUR FRIEND:

Getting enough sleep is key to reducing migraines, but if you have an attack, try to sleep. This will allow your body to deal with the pain and you will hopefully wake feeling better.

Most migraines will leave you feeling ‘bruised’ and weak, so hydrate, eat little and often and be kind to yourself.

🪷 KEEP A DIARY:

By keeping a diary of your food, activity and migraine attacks, you will be able to monitor the potential causes, triggers and any specific cycle there may be

As with all conditions, if they become progressively worse, seek medical advice and speak to your GP

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