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Causes of Headaches
Any woman who has found herself incapacitated with headache pain every time her period rolls around has probably already discovered the connection between headaches and hormones, which wax and wane during menstruation. Similarly, hormonal levels fluctuate wildly as a woman approaches menopause and can spark painful headaches. However, other lifestyle and psychological factors can play a part in triggering headaches. For a better understanding of the hormonal causes of headaches, read below. |
Birth Control
Due to the excess of hormones associated with birth control pills, some women may report more frequent or severe headaches when taking them. |
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Hormonal Causes of Headaches
Women experience five times more headaches than men. Up to 30% of premenopausal women report headache affliction, and 70% of these women report that most of their severe headaches occur just prior to menstruation.
This data makes it difficult to deny the connection between female hormones and headaches; in particular, the fluctuating levels of estrogen during menstruation within the five-to-ten years period prior to menopause, known as perimenopause. As menopause approaches, women´s estrogen and progesterone levels surge and dip prior to the levels receding to a low level once she passes through menopause and is no longer menstrual. This estrogen imbalance is known to affect the brain in various ways, including the onset of headaches. |
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Types of Headaches Sufferers
There are two types of women who suffer from hormone related headaches: women whose headaches are caused by declining estrogen hormones, and women whose headaches are caused by elevated estrogen levels. Dramatically fluctuating estrogen levels just before menopause can cause both types of headaches. Many doctors believe that a long duration of significantly increased levels of estrogen, followed by a sudden drop in hormones, such as the time just before menopause, will cause more severe headaches than even menstrual headaches. |
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Birth Control
Some women report more frequent or more severe headaches when taking birth control pills. This is thought to occur because of the excess hormones introduced into the woman´s body.
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Research attempting to discover exactly why hormonal fluctuations cause headaches during menopause is still inconclusive. However, most doctors agree that the reason has to do with the effects that hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, have on the brain and its blood vessels. Estrogen causes blood vessels to dilate, while progesterone causes them to constrict. As the hormones fluctuate, the blood vessels are forced to expand and contract, resulting in intense pain in the head. Read below for additional causes of headaches during menopause. |
Other Causes and Triggers of Headaches
Although hormonal imbalance is the primary cause of headaches for women going through menopause, there are other factors that can either trigger or exacerbate headaches. Below are triggers that can set cause headaches.
Headache triggers
- Bright lights, loud noises, or strong odors.
- Stress and anxiety, or relaxation after stress.
- Weather changes.
- Alcohol, caffeine (too much or withdrawal).
- Lack of or too much sleep.
- Skipped meals or fasting.
- Food that contain nitrates (hot dogs and lunch meats), monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG (fast food, Chinese food, seasonings), and tyramine (aged cheese, soy products, fava beans, hard sausages, smoked fish, Chianti wine).
- Aspartame, common is sugar-free sweeteners.
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Continue reading to find out when to consult a doctor for particularly acute headaches.
When to See a Doctor
Headaches, particularly migraines, are never pleasant, but there are times when a headache requires a visit to the doctor to have it checked out. If any of the following occur, visit a health care provider.
• Occurrence of a new, "worst-ever" headache.
• Progressively worsening headaches.
• More severe headache pain than usual.
• Headaches that causes awakening from sleep.
• Headaches and stiff neck along with a high fever.
• Confusion, dizziness, or weakness with headaches. |
Headaches are the most common type of head pain that causes sufferers to see a doctor. |
Fortunately, a woman can take many simple steps toward managing headaches on her own. Click on the following link learn more about the different treatments for Headaches.
Return to home page and learn more about the 34 Menopause Symptoms.
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