Abstract

ROLE OF HORMONES AND MIGRAINE HEADACHE DURING WOMENS LIFE

Devika J. J.*, Lijolin V. S., Prasobh G. R. and Grace N. Raju

Abstract

Migraine is mostly seen in women than men. Women are of longer attack duration of migraines. It is a chronic neurological disease that affects 10 to 12% of the population. On comparing women and men women have more frequent, longer lasting, and more severe headaches than men. Women’s reproductive cycle regulated by the hypothalamichypophyseal- ovarian axis through the release of estrogen and progesterone. Variations in the levels of these hormones control and regulate the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, puerperium, and menopause. This consists of two phases: the follicular or the proliferative phase and the luteal or ovulatory phase. The two primary types of migraine are migraine without aura and migraine with aura. Menses is the most commonly reported migraine trigger after stress. There are 8–13% of women with migraine reported the new onset of migraine during perimenopause. Treatment of migraine in any phase of life is of acute or preventive. Drugs like Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), anti-epileptics topiramate, valproate, beta-blockers like propranolol, tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline and nortriptyline are commonly used. Migraine is very common in life of women. Migraine is mainly affected by fluctuation in sex hormone levels in women during menses. The hormone levels in women during their lifetime will fluctuates migraine.

Keywords: Introduction, Migraine and women, Migraine and hormones, Estrogen and central nervous system, Treatment during menopause, Conclusion.