Headaches and Hormones

Think women are the only ones who suffer from headaches triggered by hormones? You might be surprised to learn that all headaches, those suffered by both women and men, are actually caused by hormones. The headache is our body’s response to these fluctuating hormones. However, if you were to say women were more prone to headaches because of the fluctuating hormones resulting from their menstrual cycles, you would be correct.

Hormones and Pain

In order to understand headaches, you must understand the role of the hormone in the human body. These hormones are responsible for starting and then regulating many of our bodily functions, including regulating metabolism and starting or inhibiting growth as well as regulating sexual function. In fact, the word hormone came from a Greek word that means "to begin, or set into motion." Hormones are produced by the body’s endocrine glands. It is the endocrine system, along with the nervous system that work together to keep the body’s running as they should.

In is the job of both the endocrine and nervous systems to dictate the large number of automatic responses that regulate your bodily functions. This includes whether or not your body will respond to a headache trigger as well as how severe the sensation of pain will be.

Because women have numerous hormones related to their menstrual cycles and sexual functions, they can suffer with up to seven types of hormone headaches at various stages in their lives. These seven headache types include the following:

• Menstrual migraine
• Pre-menstrual syndrome headaches
• Headaches from oral contraceptives
• Pregnancy headaches
• Postnatal and postpartum headaches
• Menopause
• Hormone replacement headaches

We will examine each type of headache separately.

Menstrual Migraine

The menstrual migraine is a headache that occurs before, during or after the menstrual cycle. Estrogen, which is the hormone that controls the menstrual cycle, is responsible for causing menstrual migraines. These migraines are called menstrual migraines because women tend to suffer them during their menstrual cycles when estrogen and progesterone levels are fluctuating.

Those who suffer menstrual migraines describe the pain as a throbbing headache that usually begins on one side of the head. This type of headache is generally accompanied by feelings of sickness, nausea and vomiting. Women who suffer menstrual migraines say they can tell one is coming on if they see bright lights or smell a particular odor.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome Headache

Pre-menstrual syndrome headaches usually occur before the start of the menstrual cycle. They are characterized by a set of symptoms different from a menstrual migraine. These headaches are generally relieved once menstruation begins. Symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome headaches include:

• Fatigue
• Outbreaks of acne
• Joint pain
• Infrequent urination
• Constipation
• Clumsiness
• Increased hunger
• Food cravings

Headaches from Oral Contraceptives

Because they contain hormones and thus affect the body’s natural hormone balance, oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, are often responsible for causing migraines. As a result of this painful side effect, many women stop taking these medicines altogether and search for less painful means of birth control.

Pregnancy Headaches

Pregnancy is a time when women can either enjoy a break from migraines, or continue to suffer migraines depending on their body’s chemical makeup.

Researchers and doctors don’t know for sure why some women stop having migraines while they are pregnant. However, they believe it has to do with a woman’s estrogen receptors. These receptors choose how a woman’s body will respond to hormonal changes. For some their bodies “decide” not to have any more migraines.

Since each woman’s body chemistry is different, some women still suffer from migraines even during pregnancy. Sometimes these headaches are limited to the first trimester of pregnancy, while others continue to suffer with headaches throughout their pregnancy.

Postnatal and Postpartum Headaches

Postnatal and postpartum headaches are other forms of hormone induced headaches women often suffer from. After a baby is born, the woman’s estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply. It is this drop in hormone levels that causes new mothers to experience tension headaches.

Menopause

As their reproductive life comes to an end, women are often still plagued by migraines. Studies show about 25% of women suffer from menopausal headaches. This is because during menopause, a woman's estrogen levels drop. While this decrease can be gradual, often lasting several years, this drop is still registered by the body and can cause headaches and migraines.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Like birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy can also bring on or worsen migraines. This is a side effect women who suffer from migraines should be take into consideration when trying to decide whether or not to begin this type of therapy.

Headaches and Hormones