Studies show that many neurological issues affect men and women differently, and that one gender can be more susceptible to an issue than the other. For example, women are more at risk for conditions like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and migraine.
In fact, women are far more at risk for migraine than men. Approximately 18% of women report experiencing migraines at some point in their lives, as opposed to 6% of men.
“Migraine is the number one neurological issue for women,” said Steven Meyers, MD, neurologist at Endeavor Health.
A migraine is a type of recurring headache where patients experience a moderate to severe pulsating pain, typically on one side of their head. Migraines can cause nausea and vomiting as well as extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Attacks can last for hours and sometimes days.
Because migraines predominantly affect menstruating women, the theory most widely accepted by the medical community is that migraines are linked to fluctuations in hormones.
“The incident rate of migraines is the same in boys and girls until puberty, when women start having their menstrual cycles,” he said. “When women get pregnant, their migraines will typically get much better because their hormones stabilize.”
Dr. Meyers said fluctuations in the hormone estrogen play a primary role in migraines in women.
“With migraine, most of the time, the trigger is change,” explained Dr. Meyers. “The migraine brain is very sensitive to changes in the environment.”
Dr. Meyers said there is also a strong genetic component for migraines. Women struggling with recurring migraines typically have a female family member who also suffers from migraines.
So what is the best way to treat migraine?
Because the brain can be sensitive to change, Dr. Meyers encourages women and men who struggle with migraine to practice regular meals, sleep patterns and physical activity.
“For example, some people tend to get migraines on the weekend because they sleep in,” he explained. “Those patients have to be fairly regular in their sleep cycles to prevent migraine.”
If lifestyle changes do not improve migraine, medication can sometimes be helpful. “The decision to use drugs is based on the frequency and severity of the migraine,” said Dr. Meyers.
While birth control is sometimes prescribed to stabilize hormones in order to treat migraines, there is the risk that birth control can actually make the migraine worse or increase the patient’s risk of stroke. And because migraine disproportionately affects women of childbearing age, Dr. Meyers said it is important to consider how medication to treat migraine will affect fertility.
“If you can deal with migraine without a drug, it's always best,” he said. “We have to consider how migraine treatment affects the other aspects of a woman's life.”
Because migraine triggers are unique to each person, it’s important to consult with your doctor to determine the best course of treatment for your migraine. Dr. Meyer strongly encourages anyone suffering from migraine to be evaluated by a doctor.
“The majority of people who suffer from migraine don't seek medical attention,” he said. “I see many women who think it's normal to get a migraine during their period when it’s actually something we can address and hopefully ameliorate [make more tolerable].”
Related Articles
