Menstrual Headaches
A regular menstrual cycle means that hormone levels are normal in the body. Hormone-change headaches usually indicate that the body is responding abnormally to normal menstrual-cycle hormone fluctuations.
The best way to deal with this is to determine why your body’s reaction to normal hormone fluctuations is abnormal. The change in hormone levels is the migraine trigger, but not the cause of the pain.
A "multidisciplinary approach" is needed to determine why your body is reacting in this way. The head and neck comprise a variety of different structures, all of which may be involved in the headache. Consequently, no individual specialist is adequately informed about all these medical disciplines to make a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis. The assessment must include examinations of the neck and head muscles, the terminal branches of the external carotid artery and the scalp nerves.
With the combined expertise of different specialists incorporated into a single team with an extensive body of knowledge, the professional staff at The Headache Clinic will be able to develop a co-ordinated treatment plan for you which will address all contributing factors.
Migraines and Contraception
Female migraine sufferers who use oral contraceptives (The Pill) are at greater risk from a stroke, especially those who also experience aura before the onset of the pain. This risk is further exacerbated if the sufferer smokes. Other forms of contraception are available and a doctor or gynaecologist can inform you about these options. It is also incredibly important to quit smoking.
Migraines and Pregnancy
A serious danger in using medication to treat pregnant or lactating migraine sufferers is that medication can be harmful to the foetus or induce pregnancy-related problems. This is why non-drug methods are especially useful when treating pregnant women. There is an overlap between a woman’s reproductive years and peak migraine prevalence. This indicates that often women with migraines are pregnant or trying to conceive. Ideally, migraines should be treated before a woman falls pregnant, as migraines increase the risk of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-related strokes.
Migraine attacks can be severe and debilitating. However, about 75% of women who suffer from migraines without aura witness an improvement in their headaches during pregnancy.
There are exceptions, though. If the headaches do not improve by the end of the first trimester, improvement is unlikely to occur during the rest of the pregnancy. Additionally, women who experience migraines with aura are unlikely to witness the level of improvement seen by women who have migraines without aura. It is relatively common for aura to develop during the pregnancy.
"Natural" or herbal remedies may also have adverse side effects on pregnant women. There is less known about the safety and effects of most herbal treatments on pregnant women than prescription drugs.
The best and safest way to handle tension headaches and migraines during pregnancy is a multidisciplinary assessment to determine the cause of the pain. Once a COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS™ has ascertained the structure from which the pain emanates, then an appropriate non-drug treatment can be pursued.
