1 in 3 Women With Migraines Say Attacks Occur During Periods

About 1 out of 3 women who suffer from migraines say the attacks often occur during their periods, a new survey finds.

The majority of participants rank the pain from migraines that hit during menstruation as moderate-to-severe but say the headaches are frequent, lasting an average of 8.4 days per month.

42% use over-the-counter products to try to treat the headaches, while 49% use prescription medications.

But only 1 in 5 say they use drugs aimed at preventing migraines.

The lead author says preventive therapy is a long-term and often expensive commitment.

She says, “Unfortunately, newer disease-specific treatments are costly, so generic older treatments are often used and come with greater side effects.”

She urges women not to give up and to discuss these migraines with their gynecologist or neurologist.