Migraine in Women

Migraine headaches affect about 15% of the population. Both sexes may develop migraines between the ages of five and 35. However women are affected in more number comparing to men. This often occurs in women who do a job, be with a family, and have social commitments. Women also tend to report higher levels of pain, longer headache time, and more symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Three times as many women as men have migraines. Over 80% of migraineurs have family members who have migraines are women.

Symptoms and Causes

Hormones can trigger migraine. Over half of women with migraine report having them right before, during, or after their period. Others get them for the first time when taking birth control pills. And some women start getting them when they enter menopause.

Many things can trigger a migraine or make it worse. Headache triggers can be things you eat, smell, hear or see. Hormone changes during the menstrual cycle can also trigger migraine which is followed by stress and anxiety.

Food and Medicines that Might Trigger Migraine

The food that that we take must be properly chosen, may women do a lot of work and eat less, they concentrate more on their family, office and other issues which means indirectly they will neglect the food, they wont take it on time, so much care must be taken to eliminate this problem.

Some of the food products include:

• Bananas, figs and raisins
• Beer, wine and hard liquor
• Caffeine in coffee, tea and cola, and some over-the-counter medicines, as well as caffeine withdrawal(if you try to give up caffeinated sodas, for example); chocolate
• Dairy products such as ice cream, milk, yogurt, cheese, whipped cream and sour cream
• Fermented and pickled foods such as pickled herring
• Most citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and lemons
• Nuts and peanuts
• Onions

Few of the medicines which are helpful in treating migraine in women include:

• Cimetidine (brand name: Tagamet)
• Estrogens (including birth control pills)
• Fenfluramine (brand name: Pondimin)
• Indomethacin (brand name: Indocin)
• Nifedipine (brand name: Adalat, Procardia)
• Nitroglycerin (brand name: Nitrostat)
• Pain medicines in general (either overuse or withdrawal from them)
• Reserpine-containing medicines (brand names: Ser-ap-Es, Hydropres, Regroton)
• Theophylline (brand name: TheoDur, Theo-24)

How Is a Migraine Headache Treated for a Women

If a women suffers infrequently from migraine, drugs can be taken at the first sign of a headache to stop or ease the pain. People who get occasional mild migraines may benefit from taking aspirin or acetaminophen at the start of an attack. A small amount of caffeine may be useful if taken in the early stages of a migraine. The most common methods of preventing and controlling migraines and other vascular headaches include:

• Drug therapy
• Biofeedback training
• Stress reduction
• Elimination of certain foods from the diet
• Regular exercise, such as swimming or vigorous walking
• Temporary relief can sometimes be obtained by using cold packs or by pressing on bulging arteries found in front of the ear or the painful side of the head.
• Avoiding known triggers