Headaches and Hormones: Could there be a connection?

A painful headache can ruin your day. I should know because I frequently suffer from them. They can be brought on by allergies sometimes, other times, there is a different culprit responsible – hormones.

There are advantages and disadvantages to being a woman. Hormonal headaches is one of the downsides. Good news is, we don’t have to experience this lying down – with ice packs on our heads.

Once hormones are identified as the trigger for your migraines and headaches, you can devise a good strategy for reducing or eliminating the number if hormonal headaches you may experience in a month.

Stay with me as I outline the following details which can help tame your hormones:

Hormonal headache versus a classic migraine

Whenever you have a headache, you probably do not really care whether it is from raging hormones or tension. You just want it gone. However, knowing the kind of headache you are experiencing can help you relieve it.

If you suffer from classic migraines, you might mistake them easily for hormonal headaches. They can produce comparable symptoms and feel very similar.

Treating a hormonal headache as you would any classic migraine will not alleviate the pain. As a matteer of fact, in some cases, it may make it worse. Make sure to first identify the kind of headache you are experiencing first, so as not to prolong your suffering.

Certain conditions can trigger hormone headaches. While you may be thinking that it is just your hormones, there is always some underlying reason your hormones are behaving badly.

Here are a few common causes:

Birth control pills

Women taking the pill for any reason – whether it be family planning, controlling painful periods, managing conditions like PCOS or regulating periods, you probably have suffered at least one hormone-related headache.

Women often have a choice between combination birth control pills, and progestin-only (minipills). Combination birth control pills are likely to trigger hormone headache because they contain both progestin, and estrogen. So, one has 3 weeks of ‘active’ pills, and one week of ‘inactive’ pills each month.

A word of caution, if one transitions to inactive pills, the body stops receiving estrogen. Its natural response could be a headache because of the fluctuation of hormones in the body. However, in a few weeks, one may see a drop in the number of headaches they experience.

Menstrual cycle

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) signals that you are getting close to getting your period. More than 90% of women report that they experience PMS symptoms each month, including headaches, bloating, and mood swings.

Right before menstruation, estrogen and progesterone levels drop. This causes FSH, and GnRH levels to rise. FSH and GnRH are female hormones respoonsible for stimulating the body’s ability to ovulate, and conceive. This shift in hormones can cause a headache in some women.

Perimenopause and menopause

During this time in your reproductive cycle, the ovaries start winding down. The body slowly decreases the amount of estrogen it produces, eventually stopping your menstrual cycles completely.

A study in 2021 found a correlation between fluacting hormone levels during perimenopause, and frequent headaches. According to those findings, one can expect the biggest impact to take place when estrogen levels fall below 45 to 50 picograms per milliliter.

The chances of experiencing a hormonal headache are slim once one completes menopause.

Pregnancy

Let’s face it, pregnancy wreaks havoc on our bodies. From relaxed ligaments to sleeplessness, and heartburn, pregnancy hormones cause a lot of unpleasantness. One of them can be frequent headaches.

If you may be experiencing headaches early in pregnancy, it is likely due to the increase in the volume of blood the body is producing to support the growiing fetus. Changes in hormonal levels, with progesterone ramping up, can trigger a headache.

Pregnancy headaches can rise to migraines for some women, causing vomiting, nausea, and sensitivity to light. You know its a migraine, and not just a regular hormone headache if you feel a throbbing pain on one side of the head.

How to diagnose a hormonal headache

A hormonal headache can be tricky to diagnose. The doctor may ask you to chart when they happen to determine if they occur at the same time each month. If someone is taking the birth control pill, the doctor may try to evaluate if that’s the trigger.

Dome of the questions your doctor may ask include:

• Where is your head pain located, and how severe is it?
• How often do you experience headaches?
• Is there anything which makes your headache better or worse?
• Does any of your family get frequent headaches?
• How do you feel before, during and after the headache has occur ed?

You can try and be as accurate, and truthful as possible when answering these questions because each question helps the doctor pinpoint triggers that could determine whether you’re having a hormonal headache or a classic migraine.

Diagnostic testing for hormonal headaches

There are no diagnostic tests that determine whether your headaches are hormonal or just classic migraines. However, the doctor may do some blood work, and imaging tests like MRI’s or CT scans to rule out other causes for your headaches.

Migraine journals

The doctor may ask that you keep a headache or migraine journals. Documenting when you get symptoms, what you were doing when they happened, and how long they last can help the doctor determine if it is a hormonal headache or a classic migraine.

How to get rid of a hormonal headache

Traditional solutions for hormonal headaches

There are traditional medications, over the counter and prescription medications that can ease up your symptoms, and reduce the likelihood of future occurrences. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can help with the pain. Migraine specific medications – triptans, help reduce the intensity of hormonal headaches.

If you experience frequent hormonal headaches, the doctor may explore preventive therapy which may include:

• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants
• Beta-blockers and
• Calcium channel blockers

Natural solutions for hormonal headaches

Not everyone likes to rely on prescription medications for headache relief – certainly not me. Precriptioon medications, even over the counter pain relievers can cause side effects. Here are some natural alternatives which can relieve your headaches:

Apply pain spray – pain spray isn’t just for muscle, and joint pain relief. Menthol, eucalyptus, and peppermint oil can be active ingredients which you can use to massage into your temples, and the base of your neck to get relief from your hormonal headache.

Drink plenty of water – Dehydration can cause a hormonal headache or make it worse. Make sure to drink the right amount of water daily.

Embrace the power of essential oils – essential oils help alleviate symptoms associated with most common ailments. Some people have found lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus,, rosemary, and chamomile essential oils effective in alleviating hormonal headaches. You could diffuse them or apply them directly to the affected area. You can also easily use a few ready made herbal roll-ons which combine essential oils good at providing headache relief.

Get a massage – regular massage therapy sessions can help regulate your hormones naturally. Massages keep cortisol – the hormone that triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response – in check. It can also be an effective method for easing pain if you have a headache.

You do not have to let your hormones ruin your day. You can talk to your doctor, and give these all-natural solutions to try to keep hormone headaches under control.