Will My Migraines Go Away After Menopause?

Migraines are more than “just headaches.”  For many women, it’s a recurrent and uncomfortable condition that follows their menstrual cycle, ebbing and flowing along with their periods. 

In fact, migraines and periods are so closely linked, they’ve gained a nickname — menstrual migraines — leaving lots of women wondering if their headaches will subside once they reach menopause (an end to periods).

Our team at Feminine Urgicare helps women manage migraine symptoms with focused, patient-centered therapies designed to relieve pain and even reduce headache recurrence. 

In recognition of Migraine Awareness Month, we’re dedicating this post to a better understanding of the link between estrogen and migraines, and whether you can expect your migraines to subside once you’re in menopause.

Estrogen and migraines

Hormonal fluctuations are pretty much a “built-in” part of being female. Puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause all cause significant hormone shifts, and most women experience additional fluctuations.

Often labeled the “female hormone,” it’s easy to think of estrogen in terms of its effects on our sexual health and wellness. But the fact is, estrogen does a lot more than that, influencing your health in more ways than you might imagine. 

When it comes to migraines, estrogen may act in several ways. For instance, estrogen plays an important role in regulating blood flow and is one of the potential factors involved in migraine headaches. 

Estrogen also acts on neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that influence how we feel pain. It also tends to increase nerve sensitivity and excitability, making headaches (and other types of pain) feel more intense.

This link between estrogen levels and headache pain is why many women experience menstrual migraines — intense headaches around the time they have their period. It’s also why women tend to experience worsening headaches during the years leading up to menopause, when estrogen levels can fluctuate dramatically.

When menopause arrives

While estrogen levels fluctuate during perimenopause, once menopause begins, estrogen levels pretty much “flatten out” and stabilize, albeit at a much lower level than you had when you were still having periods. 

While lower estrogen can cause some unpleasant side effects, like vaginal dryness, for women with menstrual migraines, lower hormone levels can bring some relief.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case for everyone. If your migraines aren’t caused by hormonal fluctuations, then the arrival of menopause might not mean an end to painful migraines, or even a reduction in their frequency or intensity. 

Instead, you’ll need to look for other ways to relieve your migraines. Fortunately, our team can help.

Managing migraines at every stage of life

Like any type of headache, migraines affect different people in different ways. That means they need a personalized treatment approach, too. While menopause may bring relief to some women, others benefit from a more medical or hands-on approach.

Pain medications, stress management techniques, lifestyle changes in diet or sleep, and even Botox® injections can help relieve symptoms and even reduce the frequency of your headaches. Our team can develop a custom treatment plan that works for you.

The sooner you seek help for your migraine symptoms, the faster you’ll feel better. To learn how we can help, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Feminine UrgiCare in Paramus and Clifton, New Jersey, or via telehealth today.