Migraines occur far more frequently in women than in men. In fact, in adult women the rate of frequency is roughly fifteen to seventeen percent, whereas in men it is only about five percent.

Studies have concluded that estrogen withdrawal is a key factor in migraines related to menstrual cycles.

Twenty-five to thirty percent of all women in their 30s experience at least an occasional migraine.

Menstrual migraines generally last longer than non-menstrual migraines and often are much more difficult to treat effectively.

Sixty to seventy percent of women who suffer from migraines have menstrual-related migraine.

Ten to fourteen percent of women with migraines have them only during menstruation. These types of headaches are known as ‘true menstrual migraine’.

Premenstrual migraine may in fact be part premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the menstrual related mood disorder. Symptoms of PMS include fatigue, irritability or depression, bloating and, yes, headache.

Two-thirds of women who suffered from pre-menopausal migraines find their condition improve with physiologic menopause. On the other hand, it has been found that surgical menopause worsens migraine conditions in two-thirds of cases.

Migraine attacks usually disappear during pregnancy. At the same time, however, some women report an initial onset of migraines during the first trimester of pregnancy, with the disappearance of their headaches after the third month of pregnancy.

Treatment options for menstrual migraine

When choosing to treat menstrual migraines with medication, the drugs used most often are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). The NSAIDS of choice in treating menstrual migraines are:

ketoprofen (Orudis)

ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin)

fenoprofen calcium (Nalfon)

naproxen (Naprosyn)

nabumetone (Relafen)

For best results when using NSAIDs to treat migraines, usage should be started two to three days before menstrual flow actually begins and the therapy should be continued throughout the period. Gastrointestinal side effects are generally not serious enough to be considered because the therapy takes place over such a short period, no pun intended.

For patients who suffer from more severe menstrual migraines or who desire to continue taking oral contraceptives, doctors also recommend taking a NSAID. This therapy should begin l9th day of your cycle and continue through the second day of the next cycle.

Some women have found antinausea medicine and pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen sufficient enough to dull the pain. Others trust in analgesics or serotonin agonists such as Imitrex, Zomig, Amerge or Maxalt. When using medications, it is extremely important to be aware of the dangers of avoiding a repetitive pattern of medication or overuse of medication as this can cause rebound headaches.

You might also consider using an estrogen skin patch. This treatment is utilized in the days leading up to your period and may either delay or actually prevent the onset of a menstrual migraine.

Some studies have found that daily doses of magnesium may help menstrual migraines in certain women. In addition, vitamin and herbal treatments have been found to be effective. The herb feverfew or vitamin B2 when taken on a daily basis may reduce

Either the severity or the frequency of headaches, though research does not point to

menstrual migraines in particular.

Even though two-thirds of women do report improvement in their migraine condition with the onset of natural menopause, two-thirds of women report a worsening with surgical, therefore neither a hysterectomy nor an ovarian removal are recommended.

As always, you should consult your physician for a proper diagnosis before discontinuing or launching on kind of new treatment, including over-the-counter medication treatments.

Every person has a unique health profile that includes aspects specific to their physiology and family history and that may preclude them from taking certain medications.

Some final tips

There enough different migraine triggers to fill a book and keeping track of them can be a full time job. It is highly recommended that you keep a trigger diary that includes a record of foods you eat, weather conditions, medications you have taken, stressful events, menstrual activity, etc.

Also of benefit is developing a plan around your period. Reduce stress as much as possible by planning work and leisure commitments around your cycle so as to cut back on menstrual-related triggers as much as possible.

While migraines are most common in adults, particularly women, children are also prone to developing them. Migraines are not caused by stress or tension, like tension headaches, but rather result from an intricate biochemical process involving the constriction and expanding of blood vessels in the brain. It is estimated that as much as 5% of children are affected by migraine. Boys and girls equally are affected by migraines when they are very young, but during puberty the shift begins toward females suffering more than males. This shift in teenage girls is due to changes in hormones.

Migraines may be diagnosed in children as young as 4 years of age, though the process of diagnosis of migraines in children is a process of trial and error. Migraines are diagnosed as the cause of headaches only after ruling out more serious causes. In addition, a comprehensive family medical history should be provided, and both a general physical and neurological examination can be expected before diagnosis can be determined as migraines.

Most children who suffer with migraines will have inherited the sickness. Should migraines run in your family, you would be wise to keep an eye on whether your child is experiences any kind of motion sickness. Motion sickness if often seen as an early indicator of the possibility of developing migraines later on. It’s very possible, in fact it’s quite probable, that there will be a family history of migraines. In addition, kids who develop migraines experienced colic, nightmares or disturbances in sleeping patterns. The throbbing pain experienced by a children’s migraine is often intense enough to interfere with school and other daily activities. You should also be aware that physical activity can exacerbate the situation so make sure your child’s school PE teacher is aware of your child’s condition.

As with adult migraines, auras may or may not accompany a child’s headache. Auras are visual experiences such a flashing points of lights, zigzagging lights, etc. Unlike migraines in adults, however, the duration of migraines usually don’t longer than three or four hours. Some extreme migraines may be accompanied by temporary neurological problems such as an inability to speak, a loss of sensation or even, in rare cases, a loss of consciousness.

Specific to children and migraines is the so-called "Alice in Wonderland" Syndrome. This syndrome involves hallucinations that distort images and shapes, or sometimes causes objects to appear larger or smaller. In fact, one theory has it that Lewis Carroll himself, the author of Alice in Wonderland, suffered from migraines and that the bizarre occurrences in his children’s classic is a rendering of his experiences.

Treatment for children’s migraines often includes the use of medications. Most children benefit from acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands), or anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen. If these over the counter medications don't alleviate your child's pain within several hours, you may need to look into the possibility of prescription medication. Some drugs are used to prevent or lessen the frequency of migraines, while others are used for immediate pain relief. Children can be involved in treatment by keeping a headache diary which may help them to identify factors that "trigger" a headache. They can plan for rest (headaches may be relieved by sleep) and learn to manage stress. Studies have shown that the frequency of migraines may be lessened by the use of biofeedback, relaxation techniques and acupuncture.

In addition, you may want to look into the many non-drug therapies that are available such as stress biofeedback, meditation and stress management. These approaches needn’t take the place of medication, they can work in conjunction with medical treatment. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of good nutrition, sticking to a solid sleep routine and making sure the child gets enough exercise.

If you suspect that your child may be experiencing migraines, consider making an appointment with your pediatrician after first keeping a migraine journal in which you recorded the following information:

How many headaches your child had each week.

Where on the head was the pain located.

How painful was the headache?

How long the headache lasted.

Did any foods, drinks or activities seem to set them off?

Does your child's headaches affect his/her normal activity?

The problem with migraine prevention is that there isn’t just one cause for the headaches. There are very many triggers for migraines, in fact, and trying to avoid them all would be an exercise in hermitry. Who wants to spend the rest of their life living in a cave just to avoid headaches? That being said, there are a few things you can do to avoid migraines and here are the top ten.

1) Cut the caffeine. Among the multitude of products linked to migraines is caffeine. Taking in too much can lead to a headache of monstrous proportions. Unfortunately, it’s not only too much caffeine that lead to a headache, it’s caffeine withdrawal if you’re used to taking in a lot. Best to cut back slowly.

2) While we’re talking about caffeine, let’s also talk about NutraSweet. Aspartame has been the culprit for many people who have complained of migraines. Go in search of why aspartame causes migraines and you will run into what seems like the biggest cover-up since Roswell. Most of what you’ll read hasn’t been proven, but then again neither have the makers of NutraSweet proven that their product doesn’t contribute to migraines. Avoid it and you may well avoid a horrendous headache.

3) There are more reasons to give up smoking than you can count, but avoiding migraines is another reason to put on the list. Of course, that’s easier than said than done if you are the smoker, but remember, secondhand smoke is just as likely to cause a migraine headache as actual smoking. So if you can, remove yourself from the environment in which people are smoking. Better yet: Get them to remove themselves. You do have the right to not have to be around their smoke, especially if their smoke is causing your headaches.

4) Establish a regular pattern of sleeping and waking. In fact, get as anal-retentive as you can about this. A regular pattern of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, on weekends as well as weekdays, can do wonders. Many people who have instituted a rigid routine of sleeping and waking have discovered that their migraines disappear completely and forever. Or at least as long as they continue the pattern.

5) Give up the pill and try another form of contraception. Birth control pills and their effects on hormones can be a major hazard when it comes to migraine pain. You don’t necessarily have to go off the pill entirely. Some people have found that merely changing brands puts an end to their migraine misery. If that doesn’t help, however, you may look into other forms of female contraception or, if you and your partner don’t mind, switching over to condoms.

6) Change your lighting. Very bright lights can often trigger very severe migraines. You might consider using the softer, filmy kind of light bulbs. Or use lamps instead of overhead lights. Or stop using fluorescent lighting, if that’s possible. If you spend a lot of time at the computer monitor, take frequent breaks and get as far away from the pulsating waves of the monitor as possible.

7) Cheese, chocolate and wine may sound like the ideal ingredients for a romantic picnic, but if you are prone to migraines the last thing you may be feeling is romantic following that afternoon getaway. Aged cheeses especially are dangerous because they contain the amino acid tyramine. Chocolate contains phenylethamine. Both chemicals contribute to migraines and alcohol is a trigger as well. Stay away from all three and find other ways to get in a romantic mood.

8) Use body wash to smell good instead of perfume or cologne. Odors and aromas are major causes of migraines and those that make you smell good are among the worst. Keep yourself clean instead of daubing with the smelly-goods.

9) Being an aerobic exercise program. Exercising regularly helps to increase your cardiovascular capacity and improper blood flow is linked to recurrent migraines.

10) Driver or take a train when you can instead of flying. The lowering of cabin pressure on airplanes is a sure-fire migraine trigger and one easily avoided when the trip can be made by alternative means of transportation.

There are so many good reasons to begin an exercise program that you really don’t even need one more. Nevertheless, you are about to read one more: Exercise can help in the treatment of migraines.

Studies have found overwhelming evidence to support the idea that just moderate aerobic exercise helps to reduce not only the intensity, but also the frequency and even the duration of migraine headaches in those who experience migraines without aura.

Migraine headaches come in two varieties. Most sufferers experience severe headaches along with nausea and a heightened sensitivity to both light and sound. When the headache is accompanied by bizarre visual disturbances or unusual head sensations this is known as migraine headache with aura. Aura usually occurs before any actual head pain in a migraine episode. Most migraine suffers, however, do not experience these extreme sensations and instead experience what is known as migraine without aura. Rapid changes in the flow of blood to the head is believed to be the cause of the migraine. The aura is theorized to be associated with constriction of blood vessels in the head, and when the vessels then widen again the result is head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Studies have found that aerobic exercise can be helpful in migraine management, although exercising during the migraine episode itself can actually worsen the problem. One study involving patients with a history of migraines who participated in an aerobic exercise program revealed that they had experienced fewer migraines that were also of lessened intensity and shorter duration than did those with a history of migraines who did not exercise. Increased levels of endorphins and other chemicals in the body are thought to be behind the reduction of the episodes and the mitigation of the symptoms. Endorphins are chemicals released inside the body that are associated with reducing pain.

Another study looked at people who had experienced migraines with aura chronically and were enrolled in an exercise program. These people were studied after they had ceased their intake of all anti-migraine medications that they had been using previous to the study and began the exercise program after six weeks. The session involved a ten-minute warm-up followed by twenty minutes of aerobic exercise performed at a moderate rate, followed by a ten minute long cooling off session. Participants in this study exercised three times a week for six weeks, however they did not exercise during migraine headaches. Their levels of endorphin were measured both before and after the first exercise session and then again at the end of the study. In the last four weeks of the study, those who had participated in this study reported significantly reduced frequency of their migraines, along with reductions both intensity and duration. Endorphin levels had increased after exercise in all of the participants, but interestingly it was those participants who began with the lower endorphin levels who experienced greater increases in endorphins after exercise.

The results of these studies indicate what most people probably already knew: that exercise is good for you even if you have migraines. When it comes to aerobic exercises, especially when done moderately, you have a tremendous number of choices. Simply going for a walk can also help in relaxing you if you live in an area where going for a walk takes you away from traffic and dogs and mean little kids. Or you could try biking in order to better escape the dogs and kids, but you still have to deal with the traffic.

On the other hand, you may wish to go the treadmill route. They aren’t nearly as expensive as they used to be and the cost would be well worth it if the result is avoiding headaches for the rest of your life.

Probably the best bet is to either shell out the dough for a health club membership or, better yet, buy one of those recumbent bikes. These are great because you can sit back and sort of relax, watch your favorite TV show or even play a video while getting your exercise, knocking off some pounds and may even beating your migraines.

There are so many good reasons to begin an exercise program that you really don’t even need one more. Nevertheless, you are about to read one more: Exercise can help in the treatment of migraines.

Studies have found overwhelming evidence to support the idea that just moderate aerobic exercise helps to reduce not only the intensity, but also the frequency and even the duration of migraine headaches in those who experience migraines without aura.

Migraine headaches come in two varieties. Most sufferers experience severe headaches along with nausea and a heightened sensitivity to both light and sound. When the headache is accompanied by bizarre visual disturbances or unusual head sensations this is known as migraine headache with aura. Aura usually occurs before any actual head pain in a migraine episode. Most migraine suffers, however, do not experience these extreme sensations and instead experience what is known as migraine without aura. Rapid changes in the flow of blood to the head is believed to be the cause of the migraine. The aura is theorized to be associated with constriction of blood vessels in the head, and when the vessels then widen again the result is head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Studies have found that aerobic exercise can be helpful in migraine management, although exercising during the migraine episode itself can actually worsen the problem. One study involving patients with a history of migraines who participated in an aerobic exercise program revealed that they had experienced fewer migraines that were also of lessened intensity and shorter duration than did those with a history of migraines who did not exercise. Increased levels of endorphins and other chemicals in the body are thought to be behind the reduction of the episodes and the mitigation of the symptoms. Endorphins are chemicals released inside the body that are associated with reducing pain.

Another study looked at people who had experienced migraines with aura chronically and were enrolled in an exercise program. These people were studied after they had ceased their intake of all anti-migraine medications that they had been using previous to the study and began the exercise program after six weeks. The session involved a ten-minute warm-up followed by twenty minutes of aerobic exercise performed at a moderate rate, followed by a ten minute long cooling off session. Participants in this study exercised three times a week for six weeks, however they did not exercise during migraine headaches. Their levels of endorphin were measured both before and after the first exercise session and then again at the end of the study. In the last four weeks of the study, those who had participated in this study reported significantly reduced frequency of their migraines, along with reductions both intensity and duration. Endorphin levels had increased after exercise in all of the participants, but interestingly it was those participants who began with the lower endorphin levels who experienced greater increases in endorphins after exercise.

The results of these studies indicate what most people probably already knew: that exercise is good for you even if you have migraines. When it comes to aerobic exercises, especially when done moderately, you have a tremendous number of choices. Simply going for a walk can also help in relaxing you if you live in an area where going for a walk takes you away from traffic and dogs and mean little kids. Or you could try biking in order to better escape the dogs and kids, but you still have to deal with the traffic.

On the other hand, you may wish to go the treadmill route. They aren’t nearly as expensive as they used to be and the cost would be well worth it if the result is avoiding headaches for the rest of your life.

Probably the best bet is to either shell out the dough for a health club membership or, better yet, buy one of those recumbent bikes. These are great because you can sit back and sort of relax, watch your favorite TV show or even play a video while getting your exercise, knocking off some pounds and may even beating your migraines.