Horrible Hormone Headaches
IN WOMEN'S HEALTHWith hormones changing in a woman’s body every month—if not every day—it’s not surprising women suffer from hormone headaches, a female-specific category of headaches according to the National Headache Foundation (www.headaches.org). Horrible horomones? Although hormones can sometimes be terrible, they actually serve useful purposes. In fact, the NHF states that hormones—made and secreted by your endocrine glands—“initiate and regulate many of your body’s functions.” Hormone headaches occur when your endocrine and nervous systems signal a pain response to a headache trigger. Hormone headaches appear in the following four categories. Menstrual. Caused primarily by estrogen, menstrual migraines occur before, during, or immediately after a woman’s period. Changes in estrogen levels increase the likelihood of menstrual migraines. Symptoms include a one-sided, throbbing headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to bright light or sound. Premenstrual. Occurring before a woman’s period, a PMS headache is often accompanied by fatigue, acne, joint pain, decreased urination, constipation, and a lack of coordination. Many symptoms disappear when menstruation begins. Pregnancy. Pregnancy usually protects a woman from migraines because her hormones are fairly stable, but the NHF states approximately 19 percent of all women of childbearing age suffer from migraines. Only a doctor can evaluate what course of treatment a pregnant woman should take for migraines. Oral Contraceptives. Many women on oral contraceptives complain of headaches because of fluctuating hormone levels caused by the pill. While taking the pill for a longer duration of time has been shown to decrease headache frequency, talk to your doctor about the side effects oral contraceptives may have on you. Menopause. Again, because of fluctuating hormone levels the likelihood for headaches is common among women in menopause. A variety of treatments are available for women suffering headaches due to hormonal changes. Talk with your doctor about the best options for you.
| Rebound Headaches You probably know caffeine is used in conjunction with medications to alleviate headache symptoms, but did you know that overusing medications and caffeine could actually cause headaches? While rebound headaches result from overusing headache medications, the National Headache Foundation (www.headaches.org) states headaches only affect about two percent of the general population. Rebound headaches are more prominent in those who use caffeinated medications in conjunction with beverages containing caffeine. Overuse can also cause the following:
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