Many female patients who seek a migraine chiropractor in Park Ridge, NJ for the first time ask a lot of questions about their symptoms. Notably, one of their common queries goes something like, “can migraines result from hormonal changes?” If you also happen to be a woman who frequently experiences worsening migraines throughout your menstrual cycle, our discussion might help you cope better.

Migraines, Hormones, and Menstrual Cycle: Quick Facts and Insights 

While migraines can affect both sexes, studies note that it creates more problems for female patients because of fluctuating estrogen, a hormone produced by fat tissues, adrenal glands, and the ovaries. 

Here are some facts on estrogen and how it impacts women’s health and migraine symptoms: 

• Up to 60 percent of female migraineurs experience their episodes during the menstrual period. 
• When the estrogen levels drop after ovulation and a few days before period, the serotonin levels also plummets. This results in increased pain sensitivity of the nervous system. 
• Women who have reached the pre-menopausal stage tend to experience more frequent and severe migraine attacks. However, the episodes gradually become inexistent once a patient stops getting her monthly visits from Aunt Flo.  
• Estrogen-based contraceptives like the vagina rings and transdermal patch can cause worse headaches and migraine attacks. 
• Menstrual migraines can sometimes get worse because of hot flashes in the evenings. This uncomfortable sensation can impact sleep quality and put patients at risk of experiencing worse menstrual headaches and other migraine symptoms. 
• While some women only take NSAIDs to manage their migraines, most rely on more potent forms of medications like triptans to cope with their symptoms.
• Besides the menstrual cycle, excessive hormone therapy replacement drugs can also trigger worse symptoms.
• Many breastfeeding migraineurs claim that they experience less severe symptoms during their lactation period. According to a few studies, this might be because of breastfeeding’s ability to balance the estrogen levels in a mother’s body. 
• It pays to visit a migraine chiropractor in Park Ridge, NJ, like Dr. Andrew O’Neill because the adjustments provided might be able to lessen the severity of a menstrual migraine episode. 

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines and other headaches, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Coping with Menstrual Migraines: What are the Secrets?

As a leading migraine chiropractor in Park Ridge, NJ, Dr. O’Neill often shares well-kept secrets to relieving debilitating symptoms. Some examples of these include:

Minimizing consumption of trigger foods

Some food products like deli meats, dairy, nuts, seeds, and aged cheeses can worsen menstrual migraines. So, it would help if you steer clear of these items and switch to better alternatives. 

Getting more physical  

Exercises, sports, and other physically challenging activities can boost the production and release of endorphins and other natural painkillers. Additionally, a study notes that maintaining an active lifestyle comes in handy in regulating the body’s estrogen levels and preventing worse migraine attacks. 

Lessening exposure to environmental triggers 

Do you notice worse migraine attacks because of bright lights or temperature changes? If yes, we strongly suggest avoiding prolonged exposure to these triggers. You can prevent menstrual migraine symptoms by staying indoors or adjusting your schedule accordingly. 

Keeping track of migraine patterns

You’d be surprised by how much information you can learn from tracking your migraine attacks. So, if you have been active in monitoring your menstrual migraine patterns, we suggest creating a migraine diary. Feel free to jot essential details about each episode such as: 

• The duration
• Accompanying symptoms
• Triggers
• Number of migraine phases you experience
• Severity
• Drugs or remedies used to cope

Regulating alcohol intake

Several studies list alcohol as an occasional trigger of migraine attacks because it affects people differently. Some don’t experience negative side effects after drinking their go-to alcoholic beverages. But, on the one hand, others experienced an increased risk for cluster headaches and migraine headaches. 

As a result, it would be best to check how you respond to alcoholic beverages. Find out which type of alcohol can induce adverse side effects to your hormonal migraines and if there might be some beverages that can soothe your nerves and curb your symptoms. 

Additionally, we strongly recommend limiting your intake of alcoholic beverages to avoid migraine-triggering problems such as dehydration.  

Sleeping well at night

Good quality sleep is the key to improved health. It also lessens the risk for crippling problems like migraine attacks. If you often struggle to get enough restful sleep during the night, we strongly recommend doing the following: 

• Rethinking your sleeping patterns and identifying critical sources of disruptions or problems
• Set a definite and consistent sleeping and waking up schedule
• Get rid of distractors before you sleep 
• Avoid bluescreen exposure hours before bedtime
• Practice relaxation techniques like yoga breathing before heading to bed 

Working on the root cause with the help of a migraine chiropractor in Park Ridge, NJ

Several case studies attest to the value of going to a professional for migraine relief. So, besides the remedies we listed above, we suggest visiting a migraine chiropractor in Park Ridge, NJ, for an in-depth check-up of your spinal bones. 

Specific chiropractic is proven helpful in relieving chronic migraines headaches. It focuses on realigning the spine to ensure the uninterrupted flow of signals in your brain and heal irritated tissues like your nerve roots and brainstem. It also comes in extra handy in preventing hormone-related problems like menstrual or hormonal migraines because it aims to restore and maintain balance in the body. 

Learn more about our natural and holistic approach to eliminating hormonal migraines by visiting us at Optimal Health Family Chiropractic. Our chiropractic office at 17 Hawthorne Ave Park Ridge, NJ 07656 is open on Mondays to Sundays. You may check our schedule or call us at 201-505-8984 to book your appointment.

To schedule a consultation with Optimal Health Family Chiropractic, call (201) 505 - 8984, or just click the button below.