About 90% of women say that they deal with PMS symptoms like headaches, cramps, and bloating. The headaches can be the most perplexing, because you may not understand why they happen.
If you regularly experience the PMS headache each month, knowing the source can help you take action to treat it. Use this information so that you can get the help you need.
Reasons for the PMS Headache
Getting a headache before your period is a common menstrual symptom. However, sometimes it can lead to a migraine. Seveverity can vary, but some migraines can be debilitating and ruin an entire day.
Some of the main reasons they occur include:
Female Hormones
When your period approaches, your estrogen and progesterone levels start to fluctuate by a wide margin. This sudden flucuation in your hormone levels can lead to many frustrating symptoms, including headaches and even a PMS migraine.
You’ll likely notice migraine relief toward the tail end of your period once the levels begin to stabilize. While everyone is different, changing hormone levels can generally cause a host of uncomfortable results.
Women are already three times more likely than men to suffer from migraine headaches, so menstrual periods add to this likelihood.
The Use of Birth Control
Many women today use hormonal birth control as a way to prevent conception. In some cases, this influx of hormones can change your estrogen and progesterone levels, which may worsen headaches.
Your mileage may vary with this, as some women find that their headaches improve due to the changes that come with using hormonal birth control brings. It might also vary based on the type of birth control you are using, whether it be the pill, shot, patch, or other types.
Changes in Serotonin Levels
Serotonin is another chemical that fluctuates when you’re on your period. When your estrogen goes up, it’s common to have your serotonin levels drop.
This imbalance of hormones is often enough to cause a headache. Women are particularly affected during their menstrual cycle when these levels are changing suddenly.
A Precursor to Pregnancy
Menstrual cycles aside, some women experience headaches because they are actually pregnant. However, usually a missed period and/or a positive pregnancy test is a more accurate and quicker way to pinpoint this type of precursor pointing to an actual pregnancy.
The headaches for early pregnancy happen for many of the same reasons. The sudden spike in pregnancy hormones and estrogen can cause severe headache symptoms.
How to Treat Your Headaches
When you understand the root causes, it’s time to begin looking into headache solutions. Knowing the cause of this symptom allows you to take the correct course of action to treat your headaches.
Some of the ways you can treat your headaches include:
Over the Counter Solutions
Unless your headaches are severe, typically, over-the-counter solutions like aspirin or ibuprofen should be a sufficient way to control PMS headaches.
Again, everyone is different and different doses work for different bodies. Try to keep track of your symptoms in order to stay on top of the doseage time frames until your headache subsides. If you’re dealing with a severe headache or a migraine, you may be able to get a prescription from your doctor.
Vitamins and Supplements
There are a variety of vitamins and supplements available that might help with your headache symptoms. It is not uncommon to get headaches because of a magnesium deficiency. If you are aware of having this deficiency, adding extra magnesium at the time of your period may help to counteract your symptoms.
Taking fatty acids could also help with your headache symptoms. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids have natural anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce the pain sensations during PMS. These fatty acids also stimulate blood flow, which can ease the tension your headaches may cause.
There are a variety of herbal supplements, such as ginger, chaste berry, peppermint, and coriander seed, that can assist in easing your headache pain. Make sure to take these supplements with plenty of water and do your research or talk to your doctor. It’s important to make sure your supplements don’t conflict with any medications you currently take.
Cold Compresses
You can also apply an ice pack or cold pack directly to your head to help ease the pain of your headaches. Keep a few packs in the freezer so that you can take them out and use them as needed.
Apply these compressions for about 15 minutes at a time, as needed. You can alternate between applying the cold packs and massaging your temples. Once you do this frequently enough, you will likely see that your symptoms may begin to subside.
Doing cold compresses in conjunction with taking over-the-counter medications and getting plenty of rest is often enough to ward off headaches before their severity increases.
Dealing With Your PMS Headache
A PMS headache can be a pain, but it’s not something you have to take lying down. It’s one of the more common menstrual symptoms, and using the information above can help pinpoint and treat it.
Now that you know what causes PMS headaches, you can use any combination of remedies to stop them in their tracks. Use the tips above to figure out what works best for you.
Mamma Chick, a PMS supplement, can provide relief when you are struggling with premenstrual stressors. Use our website to shop for products that can help with PMS symptoms and other issues associated with PMS.
