Why do women get more migraine attacks?

It’s true that women make up the majority of people that suffer from migraines. Jen Caudle, DO, explains why and how migraines are triggered.

Transcript

00:00

Hi, Dr. Caudle. I get a lot of migraine attacks. And I was wondering, why do women seem

00:06

to get more migraines attacks? Hi there. That's a great question.

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You know, it's true that the majority of people who get migraines are women. In fact, women suffer migraines at three times

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the rate that men do. And according to the Migraine Research Foundation, up to 85% of people who suffer migraines are women.

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That's a staggering number. A migraine is more than just a really bad headache. They can cause severe pain and are often

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accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound and they can last for days.

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But why are women disproportionately affected by migraines? Well, the answer, as of now, is that we're still trying to figure that out.

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You see, boys experience migraines more than girls before puberty. But after puberty, when estrogen enters the equation,

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girls and women suffer from migraines far more than men, up until after menopause, at which point migraines tend

01:00

to ease a bit. In this way, many experts believe that hormones are a big influence on migraines.

01:06

According to the Office on Women's Health, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, this is especially true around the time

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a woman has her period, a time in which estrogen levels drop. And it's not just hormones though that can set off a migraine.

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There are a lot of things that can trigger a migraine, bright lights, loud noises, smells, foods, stress,

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to name a few. As a result, many experts believe a migraine is the result of a variety of factors, including hormones, genetics, and environmental factors.

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In general, migraines tend to be less intense and happen less frequently as you age. But there are things you can do now to help as well.

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Talk to your doctor about your migraines and work together to come up with a plan that fits your needs.