Headache? Blame It On Your Hormones
by David Wilding
As you may have guessed, only women have �hormone headaches�. And yet hormones are responsible for both men and women suffering headaches at all.
It is the hormones that cause the painful response which you recognize as a headache.
Hormones can be a pain
The word �hormone� is derived from Greek and means �to begin, or set into motion�. Hormones begin and then regulate a lot of the functions of your body. They are made by your endocrine glands. The endocrine system works together with your nervous system. Together, they keep your body�s systems running consistently, even though the environment around you is constantly changing.
Your endocrine and nervous systems dictate the many thousands of automatic responses that keep your bodily functions regulated. One of their decisions is whether your body will respond to a headache trigger, with a very real sensation of pain.
There are seven types of hormone headaches, all suffered by women at various stages of their lives � great huh?
- Menstrual migraine
- Pre-menstrual syndrome headaches
- Pregnancy headaches
- Postnatal and postpartum headaches
- Headaches from oral contraceptives
- Menopause
- Hormone replacement headaches
Let�s take them one by one.
Menstrual migraine
Menstrual migraines can occur before, during or after the period of whilst ovulating. The main cause is estrogen. This is the hormone that controls the menstrual cycle. At the times where levels of estrogen and progesterone alter, women will be more likely to get a headache.
Menstrual migraines are often heralded by an aura, or warning sign. The person may see bright lights or be aware of an odor for which there is no logical explanation. This sort of migraine usually begins on one side of the head. They are throbbing headaches, often with a feeling of sickness and sometimes actually vomiting. The person may find bright lights and noise very uncomfortable.
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome Headache
This occurs before a period and has quite different symptoms from the menstrual migraine.
PMS headaches are often accompanied by the following:
- Tiredness
- Outbreaks of acne
- Pain in the joints
- Not urinating so often
- Constipation
- Clumsiness
- Feeling more hungry
- Craving sweet or savory foods
Happily, this sort of headache goes away once menstruation begins.
Oral contraceptives
One of the most common side effects of oral contraception is migraines. Many women stop taking them altogether because of the headaches.
Headaches in pregnancy
The good news is that for many women, pregnancy is a time to enjoy a respite from migraines. Doctors are not sure why migraines may stop during pregnancy but it is thought to be involved with a woman�s receptors for estrogen. These �choose� how a woman�s body will respond to changes in hormones.
Because these receptors are so individual and are different in everyone, there are also many women who continue to suffer migraines. In some, they only occur during the first trimester of pregnancy � in others they continue throughout.
Postnatal headaches
New mothers commonly suffer from a tension headache after giving birth. This is due to the sharp fall in both estrogen and progesterone following delivery of the baby.
Menopause
Menopause happens over many months and even years. As the estrogen levels drop, about 25% of women suffer from menopausal headaches.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Migraine sufferers should be aware that prolonged use of hormones may make their headaches worse as time goes on.
Well, there you are. The list may not be comprehensive, but it is bad enough. If you are experiencing any of the types of headache described here be. sure to consult with your doctor.
For more helpful headache information be sure to visit http://Headache.HealthHows.com a resource rich site with information concerning headaches and their causes.
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