Ladies! If You Suffer From Migraines, You MUST Read This!

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Ladies, today’s article is just for you. Do you suffer from migraines? If you give the positive answer, you should know that a new study finds that regular migraines increase in both intensity and frequency with time as you approach menopause.

The changes in the female body, mostly the highs and lows of hormones might trigger increased migraine headaches, – this is according to one of the study’s authors Dr. Richard Lipton, who is the director of the Montefiore Headache Center. This newly released study involved more than 3,600 women who had suffered from migraines before and during menopause.

The chance of experiencing more frequent migraine headaches (which is classified as 10 or more each month) increased by 60 percent during the transition time, called perimenopause, when women begin to experience irregular monthly cycles.

Women have been telling their doctors that their migraines have been getting worse or more frequent as they approach menopause, and now they have proof that they were right all along.

There is help for you if you are one of those who are about to enter menopause and experience migraines. There are hormonal therapies which can level out these extreme changes that occur during perimenopause. If you are in the early stages, you can take birth control pills, which will help to level out your hormones. If you are in late perimenopause, and your periods are infrequent, there are estrogen patches that can help to make you feel better and reduce your migraine episodes.

Keep in mind that hormones are not always the bad guy. Although women experience an increase in their migraines by about 76 percent during menopause, some headaches appear to be the result of the overuse of over the counter medications. As women age, they tend to develop aches and pains, back aches, joint pain, etc. This leads many women to rely on the quick relief from over the counter pain medications. Studies have shown that using these pain relievers often bring on “rebound” headaches.

Also, women who experience depression also tend to have migraine headaches more often than those who are not depressed. If you are experiencing depression but have not spoken to your doctor about this, you might want to consider doing so as soon as possible. Some of the same medications and herbs that help with feelings of depression and anxiety can help to ease migraine headaches.

READ ALSO: Avoiding Migraines Infographic

One last thought. Many women have severe deficiencies of magnesium. This mineral is vital for the nerves and muscles of the body. Many women have discovered that once they improved their magnesium levels, most migraines go by the way side. Since magnesium is difficult for the body to absorb through the digestive tract, try using magnesium infused oils or creams on your feet each night before bed. You can also try soaking in a tub infused with Epsom salts three or more times each week so your body can absorb the magnesium from the Epsom salt through your skin.

Migraines are absolutely no fun but with little effort, you can find some much needed relief.

References:

www.sciencedaily.com