Menopause Headaches

“Migraine tends to worsen in the years leading up to the menopause, with attacks occurring more frequently and sometimes also lasting longer”.1

Umbrella

What may the Menopause Headaches Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Hormonal Headaches/Migraines
  • Menopausal/Menopause Headaches/Migraines
  • Perimenopausal/Perimenopause Headaches/Migraines

Migraine

Is there an association between migraine and menopause?

In Migraine: Can Migraine Be Worse During Menopause? the Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov elaborate on:

“If your migraine headaches are closely linked to your menstrual cycle, menopause may make them less severe. As you get older, the nausea and vomiting may decrease as well. About two-thirds of women with migraines report that their symptoms improve with menopause.

But for some women, menopause worsens migraine or triggers them to start. It is not clear why this happens. Menopausal hormone therapy, which is prescribed for some women during menopause, may be linked to migraines during this time. In general, though, the worsening of migraine symptoms goes away once menopause is complete”.2

On page one in Migraine and HRT: What Is Likely To Happen To Migraine? the (British) Women’s Health Concern explain:

“Migraine tends to worsen in the years leading up to the menopause, with attacks occurring more frequently and sometimes also lasting longer. Many women start to notice that the attacks are more likely to start a few days before or during their periods. These perimenstrual migraine attacks often last longer, are more severe, and are less responsive to treatment compared to attacks at other times of the cycle. Periods can become erratic and more frequent, which also means more migraine”.3

Menstrual Migraine

How common is menstrual migraine?

In Menstrual and Perimenopausal Migraine: A Narrative Review – Highlights, dated 09 July 2020, the author notes:

  • “During the reproductive years menstrual migraine affects around 4–8% of all women and around 20–25% of women with migraine”.4

Cause

What may cause migraine?

In Menstrual and Perimenopausal Migraine: A Narrative Review – Abstract the author also elaborates on:

“Migraine is affected by the changing hormone environment, with perimenopause associated with increased migraine, particularly menstrual migraine. Menstrual attacks are recognised to be more disabling and less responsive to treatment compared with non-menstrual attacks. Perimenstrual estrogen ‘withdrawal’ is implicated in the pathophysiology of menstrual migraine, with increased prevalence of migraine in perimenopause associated with unpredictable estrogen fluctuations”.5

Headache Diary

Where may I find a headache diary?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Headache Diary

  1. Headache Diaries & Migraine Diaries [+ Format]
  2. Headache Diary [+ Format]
  3. Keeping A Headache Diary [+ Format]

HRT

Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) help?

On page one in Migraine and HRT: Can HRT Help? the WHC elaborate on:

“Many women notice that migraine is more likely to occur when they have bad hot flushes and night sweats. Since HRT is very effective at controlling these menopause symptoms, it may help reduce the likelihood of migraine but is not in itself an effective migraine treatment. Further, if started too early in the perimenopause when estrogen levels can fluctuate widely, the addition of HRT can worsen migraine.

The type of HRT is important as some forms of HRT can create more hormone fluctuations, triggering migraine. This is more likely to occur with oral HRT than with patches or gel. We generally recommend that women with migraine who need HRT should use estrogen patches, gel or spray, known as transdermal estrogen, as these provide more stable hormone levels than tablets”.6

Health Care Provider

What if I get headaches?

If you get headaches it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. Together you can identify any patterns, discuss your options and if required, agree on who may be the most appropriate health care provider to help you.

In Headaches: See A GP If the (United Kingdom) NHS also note:

“See a GP if:

  • Your headache keeps coming back
  • Painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
  • You have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – it could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
  • You feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
  • You regularly get headaches before or during your period”.7

Who is a GP?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Menopause Headaches?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Menopause Headaches?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. A Guide To Finding Immediate Relief During A Migraine Attack
  2. BMS TV: Headaches, Migraines and the Menopause
  3. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  4. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  5. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2025 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Nutrition At Menopause and Why It Is Important
  6. Does Caffeine Help Migraines?
  7. Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
  8. Factsheets and Resources
  9. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  10. Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  11. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  12. First Symptoms of Menopause
  13. HRT Questions Answered
  14. Headache Diaries & Migraine Diaries
  15. Menopause Headaches Headache Diary [+ Format]
  16. Headache Topic Sheet
  17. Headache Types [A-Z]
  18. Headache – Multiply Languages
  19. Headaches and Hormones: What’s the Connection? During Perimenopause and Menopause
  20. Headaches.org [National Headache Foundation, United States]: Resources
  21. Headaches
  22. Headaches: Reduce Stress To Prevent the Pain
  23. Headaches: Overview – What Are the Types of Headache? Primary Headaches
  24. Heads Up: What Your Headache Location Means
  25. Here’s Why You’re Always Waking Up With Headaches
  26. How Can Mindfulness Practices Help With Migraine?
  27. How To Get Rid of A Sinus Headache
  28. How To Quit Caffeine Without A Headache
  29. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
    Menopause Headaches
  30. Keeping A Headache Diary
  31. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP] [Other Languages and Formats]
  32. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Supporting Someone Through the Menopause [+ Video: Men Don’t Need To Know About Menopause] [Other Languages and Formats]
  33. Living Mentally Well With Chronic Pain Conditions
  34. Managing Migraine During Menopause and Perimenopause – Migraine Master Class: Webinar 15
  35. Managing Migraines At Home
  36. Managing Tension Headaches At Home
  37. Mayo Clinic Minute: Better-Tolerated Treatments for Migraine Pain [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  38. Mayo Clinic Q&A: Managing Migraine: What’s Right for Me?
  39. Menopause
  40. Menopause
    Menopause Headaches
  41. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Menopause Headaches
  42. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
    Menopause Headaches
  43. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  44. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Mindfulness & Wellbeing During the Menopause Transition
  45. Menopause and Migraine
  46. Menopause and Migraines: New Findings Point To Power of Prevention
  47. Menopause and Sleep
  48. Menopause, Perimenopause and Migraine
  49. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  50. Menstrual Migraine
  51. Menstrual Migraines (Hormone Headaches)
  52. Migraine
  53. Migraine
  54. Migraine
  55. Migraine Headaches
  56. Migraine In Women
  57. Migraine Patient Toolkit: A Guide To Your Care
  58. Migraine Patient Toolkit: Living Well With Migraine
  59. Migraine Triggers
  60. Migraine and Food
  61. Migraine and HRT
  62. Migraine and Headache Diary
  63. Migraine and Hormones
  64. Migraine and Menopause
  65. Migraine and Menopause Webinar Recap [+ Video]
  66. Migraine and Menopause – A Narrative Review [+ Video Summary]
  67. Migraine and Perimenopause
  68. Migraines and Hormones | Dr Louise Newson
  69. Migraines and Menopause
  70. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Headaches – What You Need To Know
  71. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Headache Information Page
  72. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Migraine Information Page
  73. Nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk
  74. Perimenopause
  75. Perimenopause
  76. Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
  77. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
  78. Perimenopause and Migraine
  79. Reducing Migraines Through Lifestyle Modifications
  80. Science Saturday: Opioids Provide Low Evidence of Pain Relief for Migraine
  81. Struggling With Migraine Hangovers? Read This
  82. Surprising Menopause Symptoms Revisited | Dr Louise Newson
  83. Tension Headache
  84. Tension-Type Headaches: Self-Care Measures for Relief
  85. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  86. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  87. Top 30 Things I Wish I Knew…. [+ Videos]
  88. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  89. Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  90. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  91. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Migraine Headaches
  92. Webinars: Previous – Brain Teasers: Challenges In the Cranium
  93. Webinars: Previous – Menopausal Migraines
  94. Webinars: Previous – The Perimenopause Journey: An Adaptive Reproductive Phase – Webinar [18 February 2025]
  95. When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning
  96. When Headaches Won’t Go Away
  97. When Migraine Turns Chronic
  98. Why Am I Waking Up With A Migraine?
  99. Women and Migraines: What You Need To Know
  100. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  101. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Migraine and HRT: What Is Likely To Happen To Migraine? Reviewed: November 2023:1. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/migraine-and-hrt/ Accessed: 01 April 2025
  2. Migraine: Can Migraine Be Worse During Menopause? Page Last Updated: 22 February 2021. Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/migraine Accessed: 01 April 2025
  3. Migraine and HRT: What Is Likely To Happen To Migraine? Reviewed: November 2023:1. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/migraine-and-hrt/ Accessed: 01 April 2025
  4. MacGregor, E. A. Menstrual and Perimenopausal Migraine A Narrative Review – Highlights. 09 July 2020 https://www.maturitas.org/article/S0378-5122(20)30329-7/pdf Accessed: 01 April 2025
  5. MacGregor, E. A. Menstrual and Perimenopausal Migraine A Narrative Review – Abstract. 09 July 2020 https://www.maturitas.org/article/S0378-5122(20)30329-7/pdf Accessed: 01 April 2025
  6. Migraine and HRT: Can HRT Help? Reviewed: November 2023:1. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/migraine-and-hrt/ Accessed: 01 April 2025
  7. Headaches: See A GP If. Page Last Reviewed: 17 April 2024. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/headaches/#when-to-get-medical-help Accessed: 01 April 2025
Topic Last Updated: 01 April 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 01 April 2025

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