Menstrual migraine refers to migraine attacks that are linked to menstruation, and that occur with your period.
They tend to be more severe and less responsive to treatment. They can also last longer than other types of migraine.
Most women also experience migraine at other times of the month. It’s thought that fewer than one in ten women have ‘pure menstrual migraine’. This is where you only have migraine during menstruation and not at any other times.
There is a link between migraine and falling levels of the hormone oestrogen. The natural drop in oestrogen levels before your period starts is linked to menstrual migraine. Women who have heavy and painful periods have higher levels of prostaglandin (another hormone), which has also been identified as playing a role in a menstrual migraine.
