Q I get severe migraines around my period every month. Is there a connection between menstruation and migraine?
A Yes. When estrogen drops sharply just before and after menstruation begins, it can trigger what is called menstrual migraine. More than half of women with migraine show a connection to their cycle.
Detailed Answer
Menstrual migraine occurs between two days before and three days after the start of menstruation, with a sharp drop in estrogen as the main cause. It tends to occur without aura, lasts longer, and responds poorly to painkillers. For those taking oral contraceptives, it can worsen during the estrogen-free interval.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang we view menstrual migraine as a state where Blood Deficiency (heolheo) and Ascending Liver Yang overlap. When blood is consumed during menstruation, the blood that nourishes the brain and head becomes insufficient, while at the same time the Liver's yang loses control and surges upward, producing throbbing headache. Supplementing blood (boheol) with herbal medicine starting one to two weeks before menstruation, so that blood is sufficiently replenished, can reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks.
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