Menopause & Headache

Menopause is the permanent halting of the female reproductive cycle and is a natural phenomenon. This phase of a woman’s life is quite uncomfortable and brings with it many medical and physical ailments. Headaches are perhaps the most nagging and common ailments that hound women during menopause and tend to sap their energy leaving them fatigued. Even when the headache does get over, most women feel as if they have gone through a long illness and the hangover takes several days to subside. Menopause headaches begin during the perimenopause period when there are hormonal fluctuations in the body.

Menopause headache tends to drain a women’s energy and is accompanied by throbbing pain that is quite severe in intensity in the head, temples, forehead and neck. Some women even complain that they feel as if their head might burst. When the headache is at its peak, even the slightest of noise or switching on the lights can make one feel quite uncomfortable.

Causes of menopause headache:

Hormonal changes: Menopause headache and migraine is associated with hormonal changes and make vulnerable to these headaches. As per research, menopause headache is less severe in cases of natural menopause, but if a woman has undergone surgery or has reached menopause due to other medical factors, the headache can be quite debilitating.

Lowered estrogen production: During the menopause phase, the body stops producing estrogen at a normal rate causing the entire hormonal system to collapse. Once the menstrual cycle is over, the level of progesterone production drops far below the required level and results in the development of different types of headaches.

Blood vessels: Menopause headache can also be caused by the abrupt contraction and expansion of the blood vessels or arteries in the brain at a very fast pace. The pain nerves in the human body are not used to handling such sudden events and react by causing high intensity pain.

Treatment of Menopause headache:

There are many ways by which menopause headache can be combated.

Acupuncture: This is an alternative therapy that provides relief to women and helps reduce the intensity and frequency of headache pain.

Diet: It is essential for women to take a balanced diet and avoid certain foods that are known to trigger these headaches such as alcohol, chocolate and tyramine. If you feel you are suffering from these headaches, you must take your meals on time and avoid staying hungry.

Rest: Adequate amount of rest is essential to relax the mind and body. Menopause headaches can also result from a lot of stress, lack of quality sleep and prolonged hours of work.

Medicines: Your doctor might prescribe certain medication such as H2 blockers, NSAIDs, antihypertensives and antidepressants. Hormone therapy is also recommended in certain cases.