woman ages, she is inevitably faced with the woes that come from
menstrual troubles. Her monthly periods are frequently accompanied
by some discomfort which hinders the woman's daily activities. And
it's not just the menstrual cramps we're talking about. For
many women, this time of life also brings menstrual migraines which
can be a nuisance on one end of the spectrum or a complete temporary
disability on the other end.
headaches of any sort are more common in women than in men. A
migraine is simply a severe headache which is often accompanied
by visual phenomena called "auras." In some cases,
the aura can also take the form of unusual smells and sounds. Auras
occur just before the migraine pain itself and are usually the inevitable
sign that a full-blown attack is imminent.
women who report migraines typically connect the experience with
going through their menstrual period. They usually feel the
headaches prior to, during or following menstruation. If the
pain is felt at the same time of each month, two days prior to menstruation
up to the final day of bleeding, it can be confirmed to be a menstrual
migraine. But what causes it? Doctors have noted that
the attack appears to be triggered by a falling estrogen level at
the end of the woman's menstrual cycle. This would indicate
that treatment may include a low dose of estrogen prior to the anticipated
date of the menses arrival.
is some feeling that taking birth control pills could be the likely
cause. If this is true, the woman could take a low dose of
estrogen as a treatment, during a week of rest following 21 days
of taking the pill. Some research has discovered that menstrual
migraines occur more often in women right after the onset of puberty,
and reaching a peak at menarche or at the beginning of menstruation.
the problem of menstrual migraines is the fact that symptoms which
frequently accompany PMS (premenstrual syndrome) often come with
these headaches. These possible symptoms include fatigue,
depression, irritability, ability, bloating, appetite changes, and
tenderness of the breast. One of the most important symptoms,
though, is dysmenorrhea a cramping pain of the abdomen. Some
times this pain gets so bad, it keeps the woman from engaging in
her normal daily activities.
Migraine attacks normally comes in three phases. In the first
phase, the woman feels euphoric, fatigued, depressed, hungry, and
has a sensitivity to light and sound. This usually takes place
12 to 24 hours before the onset of the headache. Phase two
is experienced five to 20 minutes before the headache and
is called the aural phase. This is when she experiences visual
disturbances such as scintillating light. Sometimes tingling,
numbness of limbs or weak muscles accompany these symptoms.
final phase is the worst the attack itself. This is experienced
as a throbbing pain, sometimes accompanied by nausea or vomiting
along with continued sensitivity to light and sound. The symptoms
get worse as the woman moves, making bed rest the best treatment
at this point.
One way of preventing many attacks is to stabilize the woman's estrogen
level. She does this by taking a low dose of estrogen or by
using NSAIDS. It also helps if she remains physically active, as
this improves her circulation, lessening the impact of the headaches.