I’ve struggled with headaches since elementary school. One minute I would be fine, and the next I was in the nurse’s office asking to go home for the fourth time that month. As I got older and the hormones kicked in, the headaches turned into migraines and I wasn’t able to function until they were gone. My goal in writing this article is to discover and educate both myself and others about the power of hormones and provide some solutions to those who hate migraines as much as I do.
Simply put, any dip or change in estrogen levels can contribute to headaches. Right before a woman’s period, her estrogen levels drop, which is why a lot of women report migraines before or during menstruation. Contraception pills and pregnancy are also factors that can cause fluctuating hormone levels. In my experience with birth control pills, I noticed that in the last week of the cycle of pills I got severe migraines. I would get one every day in the morning for a couple of days straight, and these were different from my typical headaches because they started as soon as I woke up and persisted all day long. This was due to the drop in estrogen that came with the placebo pills: the last 7 in the pack. Not only were my hormone levels dropping naturally right before my period, but they were also dropping even more when I was taking the placebo pills because they didn’t contain estrogen, like the other twenty-one pills in the pack. Not all women experience migraines from contraception pills, but in my experience, they led to tension migraines – a whole different beast – which led me to an alternative contraceptive method…minus the hormones!
Whether you’re on a type of hormonal contraceptive that gives you migraines or just experience them as your period comes, it’s always good to know ways to relieve the pain. These are what techniques work best for me!
- Put an ice pack on the area that is experiencing the most pain/pressure. This will temporarily numb the pain, and for me, if used the ice pack with a nap and some Tylenol, works great to give me a few hours of relief.
- Get yourself a nice neck massager. I recently purchased a handheld massager from Amazon, which you can use to treat specific areas of pain (specifically in your neck and back of your head). You can control the amount of pressure, location, and movement of it in the places that need relief, and it has been really useful so far.
- Look into Triptans. If you’ve been experiencing migraines for a long time that consume too much of your life and make it hard to function, going to your doctor and asking about this medication can be a lifesaver. For years I have sat through my migraines with only Tylenol, and that usually didn’t work. The Triptans work to get rid of headaches in less than 2 hours. Now, I know that when I have a headache coming on, I will still be able to be active after taking this medication.
- Rest in a dark room with no noise. Stay away from screens and anything that involves intense concentration, that includes reading a book!! Let your brain, eyes, and ears relax. Brightness and noise are things that make migraines even worse, so eliminate those aspects and rest your brain if you have the time.
Knowing what changes in your hormone levels can do and understanding their connection to migraines is instrumental in figuring out how to prevent headaches. It’s important to be aware of the changes that occur in our bodies during menstruation and the effects these changes can have. In this situation, knowledge is power, and power can mean less pain, so keep a close eye on how you’re feeling when your period comes and consult a doctor if you’re experiencing anything that seems abnormal.
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