This blog is meant to highlight some key points about migraines in women, and give you the opportunity to watch a podcast on migraines that I recently produced with the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). (https://nanp.org/)
Migraine headaches in women that are associated with hormonal changes, affect about 12 million women in the U.S. Of the headaches that affect women, 60% to 70% have headaches with some relationship to the menstrual cycle. Of these women, 10% have true menstrual migraines, i.e. a migraine that occurs exclusively with menstruation. Other common hormonally related migraines are during pregnancy and postpartum. Migraines can occur for the first time during pregnancy but preexisting migraine sufferers can in some cases worsen, especially during the first trimester, but more likely improve during pregnancy, which occurs in 65% of migraine patients. In women with pre-existing migraines with aura, their headaches are likely to worsen during pregnancy while women with pre-existing true menstrual migraines may improve. In either case, headaches during pregnancy tend to improve in frequency, intensity and duration over the course of the pregnancy and in some cases, may completely remit. In those women who continue to have migraines at the end of their first trimester, they will tend to continue having migraines throughout their pregnancy as well as postpartum.
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.
For some people, a warning symptom known as an aura occurs before or with the headache. An aura can include visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or blind spots, or other disturbances, such as tingling on one side of the face or in an arm or leg and difficulty speaking.
Here are your options for viewing the podcast. Learn and Enjoy.
- NANP’s website: https://nanp.org/nanp-podcast/
- NANP’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NANP.ORG
- NANP’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalAssociationofNutritionProfessionals
- NANP’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-association-of-nutrition-professionals/
- NANP’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/nanpofficial/
- Also available through all the usual streaming apps.
