Many women suffer from migraines every month before or during mensuration.
These migraines can range from just annoying to seriously debilitating.
Unfortunately, few are aware that there is a lot you can do to prevent these migraines and that finding out what is causing them will lead to better overall health.
Causes Of Migraines During Menstruation
While there are hundreds of potential causes of period-related headaches and migraines, the most common are chronic inflammation and hormone dysregulation.
At the core of many of these period-induced migraines is systemic inflammation and hypothalamic inflammation (inflammation at the base of the brain) which are triggered or increased by hormone fluctuations. [1]
The hormone fluctuation triggering this process is usually either a drop in estrogen or a drop in progesterone.
If you tend to have migraines right before or during your cycle then it may be due to low progesterone production in relation to your estrogen levels.
Most often I see low progesterone levels in my patients contributing to their chronic migraines.
Symptoms Of Low Progesterone
menstrual irregularities
severe PMS symptoms
fibrocystic breast disease
hypothyroidism
tendency towards anxiety depression
mood swings
difficulty sleeping
difficulty losing weight
blood sugar problems including hypoglycemia
hot flashes
bloating
Low progesterone levels can also adversely affect your hair, skin, and nail health.
This hormone imbalance can cause an inflammatory scenario internally, some indication that this is happening is increased water retention (feeling bloated) and blood vessel dilation (feeling hot).
The Role Of The Hypothalamus
Inflammation is a major cause of migraine headaches as well as other pain based chronic conditions like arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and fibromyalgia.
Inflammation originating from your hypothalamus can cause the following symptoms as well as many not listed below.
Symptoms Of Hypothalamic Inflammation [2]
pain
anxiety or depression
lack of motivation
brain fog is a key sign that the base of your brain may be inflamed
headaches & migraines
hormone imbalances
fatigue
adrenal fatigue
hypothyroidism
testosterone abnormalities
bone and soft tissue problems (pain, weakness, etc.)
breast symptoms
In many cases, the patient already had too little progesterone and the further drop that happens with their period makes these symptoms worse.
Many women find NSAIDS (like aspirin and ibuprofen) effective for not only menstrual headaches but also PMS symptoms.
This further supports that inflammation plays a large factor in many period-related symptoms, including migraines [3] This is why treating underlying inflammation can not only reduce your headaches and migraines that occur during or before your period but it can also make you feel better overall.
All of the above symptoms will be improved by treating this brain inflammation.
How Adrenal Fatigue Can Cause Headaches
One of the top causes of period-related headaches is adrenal fatigue and adrenal exhaustion.
Hormone imbalances are almost always caused by adrenal fatigue or by chemicals that disrupt hormone levels.
Restoring optimal function of your brain and adrenal glands will improve your hormone levels.
Your adrenal glands are responsible for secreting excitatory hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. When we are stressed, we overtax our adrenal glands causing them to weaken.
Weakened adrenal glands can be the cause of sex hormone imbalances.
Progesterone is made from pregnenolone which is produced in the adrenal glands. If the adrenals cannot adequately manufacture pregnenolone then progesterone will automatically decrease.
Progesterone can be converted to produce aldosterone and cortisone (two very important adrenal hormones).
A preexisting deficiency of progesterone will make adrenal fatigue even worse.
Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue or Collapse
tired all of the time
you feel as though your sleep is not restful
its a struggle to get through the day
hormone imbalance symptoms
you feel better around 10-11pm at night
sleep quality varies significantly or is consistently low
low back pain (can be from the tailbone to below the mid back)
hair texture has changed
hair easily falls out
Read more about Adrenal Fatigue & Adrenal Collapse
Healing your adrenal glands starts with supporting optimal brainstem function as well as adrenal and kidney function.
If there is brain inflammation then your adrenals will also be affected. Optimal adrenal function starts with harmonious communication from your brain to your thyroid and adrenal glands.
Hormone regulation starts in the middle of brain at the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus 'tells' your pituitary gland what to do, including messages about hormone production.
These messages eventually get to your ovaries and uterus so they can begin production of your hormones.
Along the way, signals reach your adrenal glands which help your overall regulation of your internal environment as well as your energy production.
This is why healthy adrenal glands are a vital piece of your overall hormone health.
Usually in the case of adrenal fatigue or collapse your progesterone levels will be low and your estrogen levels will be relatively high.
Testing Inflammation Levels And Adrenal Function
To see if two common causes of period-related migraines are a factor for you, you will need to assess your adrenal function and inflammation levels.
A functional medicine doctor is best suited to order this kind of assessment and can order specific testing to suit your needs.
Key Tests For Adrenal Function
cortisol
cortisone
DHEA
evaluation of your nutrient deficiencies (in your blood and white blood cells - measuring not only what’s floating in your blood but also see if you’re deficient inside your cells)
progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and their many metabolites to evaluate the true nature of a possible hormone imbalance
evaluation of mitochondrial function
Key Tests For Inflammation
evaluation of your nutrient deficiencies (in your blood and white blood cells - measuring not only what’s floating in your blood but also see if you’re deficient inside your cells)
hs-CRP
fibrinogen (key for migraine suffers)
LpPLA2
ox-LDL
family history of autoimmunity - ANA screen
Read more about Testing For Inflammation
Potential Problems Of Self-Diagnoses
Self diagnosing or ordering single tests as new symptoms come up can put you at risk for missing the big picture.
I have found that piecemeal testing often does not yield long-term beneficial results.
For many of my patients, utilizing functional medicine testing to find and treat the actual underlying cause has saved them years of time, effort and money.
Adrenal Fatigue and inflammation-based causes are common, but your case can be different, or can be the result of a combination of factors.
Other Potential Causes Of Period-Related Migraines We May Assess
high toxic burden of pesticide & herbicides
digestive problems (malabsorption of nutrients & underlying infections in the gut)
underlying nutrient deficiencies
food sensitivities & allergies
environmental allergies
poor sleep quality
too much sugar in diet
too much fat in diet
too little carbohydrates in diet
Natural Treatments For Menstrual Migraines
Natural herbs and supplements should always be added with the guidance of your functional medicine doctor. I make sure that the supplements we use are the best quality and and are free of contaminants.
A poor quality supplement or a supplement taken at the wrong dosage can be dangerous and is certainly worse than taking nothing at all.
The following supplements are for general knowledge or options you can bring up with your doctor.
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus, chaste tree, or chasteberry)
Vitex works by enhancing dopamine regulation and decreasing prolactin which helps to balance sex hormones, especially progesterone. [4]
A small, open label clinical studied the effects of Vitex on migraines and "reported 42 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in frequency of monthly attacks, and 57 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in monthly days with headache" [5]
Vitex has also been used for centuries by Chinese medicine in the treatment of headaches and rheumatism. [6]
Work with your functional medicine doctor to determine if this supplement is right for you and to see what dose and duration would be beneficial for you.
Curcumin
Well known to decrease both systemic and hypothalamic inflammation.
Professional Grade Omega 3’s
Omega 3's can be extremely beneficial but the quality must be of the highest standard otherwise you could be poisoning yourself with heavy metals.
Omega 3's have been shown to decrease inflammation throughout the body.
SPMs
'Specialized pro-resolving mediators' (or SPMs) are specific compounds derived from omega 3's that send signals to shut off chronic inflammation.
Remember that Inflammation is a good thing for healing in the short term but when it is chronic it can cause symptoms, tissue damage and chronic illness. SPM can help quell chronic inflammation.
Vitamin C (liposomal or ester C)
Decreases histamine which can be a component involved in headaches and migraines.
Vitamin C can also decrease inflammation throughout the body and support your immune system. Vitamin C also helps heal the adrenal system.
Lifestyle Treatments For Period-Related Migraines
Yoga, Qi-Gong, Tai Chi
Yoga has been studied for the last few years and researchers have found that regular practice has decreased the duration, pain and frequency of headaches and migraines [7].
Tai Chi also has similarly measurable benefits. [8] Qi-Gong, which is similar to Tai Chi, has also been beneficial on many levels for my patients.
Additional Lifestyle Changes
get at least 8 hours of sleep per night
cut out refined sugar from your diet
consider removing chocolate and bananas from your diet as they can be migraine triggers
consider removing or reducing caffeine from your diet
cook with organic herbs and spices (basil, turmeric, garlic, etc)
use raw honey instead of processed sugar
remove gluten and dairy if you’re intolerant of these
Long Term Solutions For Menstrual Migraines
Functional medicine is best suited to complex problems. Your monthly migraines and headaches could originate from multiple sources.
I offer online and in-person functional medicine appointments. During your hour-long new patient appointment we go over your entire medical history, family history, medical history, previous testing and current symptoms and goals.
Based on what we find, I can order the specific testing to confirm your diagnosis and evaluate your physiology from a holistic perspective.
Some common causes of frequent migraines and headaches are low grade infections, heavy metal toxicity, hormone imbalances and food sensitivities.
Most of the underlying problems I find can be treated naturally and patients start to see symptom relief within weeks.
Don't Know Where To Begin?
Managing your own health can be exhausting and confusing with the amount of information available.
This is why I offer Telehealth services including online functional medicine consultations and in-person functional medicine and soft tissue appointments.
I can personalize treatment and even work with your primary care physician or order testing if you are out of state or outside of the country.
If you would like to speak with me directly you can schedule a Free 15 Minute Consultation here or call my office directly at 913-728-5291.
Read more about Online Consultations
If you think that you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information. Nor should you ever delay seeking medical advice or treatment due to the information contained on this Website.