What Is Menstruation Migraine? The Monthly Battle Outranks Your Period Pains, New Study Reveals

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Migraines are intense headaches often accompanied by nausea and heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and touch. Nearly 30 million Americans experience migraines, with almost one in four having at least four severe attacks monthly.

Three times as many women suffer from migraines compared to men, especially during their reproductive years. Migraines frequently occur around the menstrual cycle when hormones like progesterone and estrogen fluctuate. These hormone levels are particularly low during the perimenstrual period.

What Is Menstrual Migraine?

Menstrual migraine is a type of migraine headache that is linked to the menstrual cycle. It typically occurs in women and is associated with hormonal changes that happen during the menstrual cycle. These migraines are usually more severe, last longer, and are more resistant to treatment compared to other types of migraines.

Some individuals experience migraines exclusively during menstruation and these tend to be more severe and harder to treat than those occurring at other times. Repeated migraine episodes can increase the risk of chronic migraines and medication overuse headaches.

Researchers have found that progesterone may make menstruating individuals more susceptible to migraines. Their studies focus on how this hormone and its receptors affect the brain. In recent research involving mice, they discovered that progesterone could heighten pain sensitivity.

Progesterone And Pain Sensitivity

To understand pain sensitivity changes during the reproductive cycle, researchers applied thin wires of increasing weight to female mice's hind paws. The mice showed discomfort by withdrawing their paw. They found higher pain sensitivity at the end of the cycle when hormone levels were low compared to mid-cycle when hormone levels were high.

The researchers then tested whether progesterone increased pain sensitivity by removing the mice's ovaries to eliminate hormonal changes. They administered estrogen followed by either progesterone or saline. Progesterone-treated animals exhibited increased touch sensitivity, unlike saline-treated ones.

Role Of Progesterone Receptors

Progesterone affects neurons by stimulating proteins called progesterone receptors in the brain, which modulate gene expression slowly. It can also quickly alter neuron function through a molecule called allopregnanolone. Researchers suggest these receptors play a role in progesterone's slow-emerging, pain-promoting effects.

After identifying progesterone receptors in neurons involved in migraine pain pathways, researchers explored whether these receptors regulate migraine susceptibility. Mice without these receptors did not show reduced pain thresholds with progesterone treatment. Conversely, activating these receptors with a specific drug increased pain susceptibility.

Potential Targets For Migraine Treatment

Nitroglycerin was used to mimic migraines as it produces symptoms similar to those seen in patients. Many migraine treatments also alleviate these symptoms in animals. When researchers stimulated mice's progesterone receptors, migraine susceptibility increased; however, mice lacking these receptors were resistant to nitroglycerin-induced pain.

This study identifies brain progesterone receptors as a reason for women's susceptibility to migraines due to cyclical hormone changes activating these receptors during the menstrual cycle. This makes the progesterone receptor a potential drug target for preventing or treating migraines.

The research team aims to uncover new ways to treat migraine headaches by studying how progesterone receptors increase pain sensitivity further.

"Our studies suggest that targeting progesterone receptors could offer new avenues for migraine treatment," said Suchitra Joshi, Research Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Virginia, to Science Alert.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.