Do women get migraines more often than men?

Yes, women do indeed get migraines more often than men. About three out of four migraine patients are women, which is mainly caused by hormonal fluctuations, such as oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones affect pain processing and blood vessels in the brain, making women more sensitive to migraine triggers. The differences become particularly clear after puberty and during the fertile years.

Why do women get migraines more often than men?

Scientific research shows that hormonal fluctuations are the main cause of the difference in migraine between men and women. Before puberty, boys and girls have roughly equal chances of headaches and migraines, but after puberty the number of female migraine patients rises drastically.

The female hormones oestrogen and progesterone play a crucial role in the development of migraine. These hormones affect the blood vessels in the brain and the way pain is processed. When hormone levels fluctuate, such as during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy or menopause, women become much more sensitive to various forms of migraine.

In addition, women often have more migraine triggers in their daily lives, such as stress from multitasking, sleep deprivation due to caring responsibilities and dietary patterns that are influenced by hormonal changes. This combination of biological and social factors makes women significantly more susceptible to migraine attacks.

Which hormones affect migraine in women?

Oestrogen is the most important hormone that affects migraine in women. When oestrogen levels suddenly drop, such as just before menstruation, this significantly increases the chance of migraine. Progesterone also plays a role in regulating pain perception and blood vessels.

Menstrual migraine occurs due to the sharp drop in oestrogen at the end of the cycle. Many women regularly experience migraine in the days before or during their menstruation, often accompanied by aura spots or other neurological symptoms.

During pregnancy, migraine triggers can change due to more stable hormone levels, especially in the second and third trimester. However, the first months and the period after delivery often bring more migraine attacks due to hormonal fluctuations.

Menopause poses a particular challenge, because hormone levels change drastically and unpredictably. Some women experience more migraine during the transition, while others see improvement after menopause, when the hormones stabilise.

What are the main migraine triggers in women?

Besides hormonal fluctuations, women have specific migraine triggers that men experience less often. Stress from work-life balance, irregular meals due to busy schedules and sleep deprivation due to caring responsibilities are common triggering factors.

Food triggers often play a larger role in women, partly due to hormonal influences on taste and appetite. Chocolate, cheese, red wine and foods with many additives can trigger migraine, especially around menstruation, when women are more sensitive.

Social and emotional stress forms an important trigger. Women often experience more emotional burden from multitasking and caring responsibilities, which increases the stress hormone cortisol and can trigger migraine.

Sleep patterns have a great influence on migraine in women. Both too little and too much sleep, but also irregular sleeping times due to changing obligations, can trigger migraine attacks. Light sensitivity is also often stronger in women.

How can women best prevent and treat migraine?

Prevention begins with recognising personal migraine triggers by keeping a migraine diary. Note food, sleep, stress and hormonal cycles to discover patterns. Regular meals, sufficient sleep and stress management form the basis of prevention.

Natural treatment methods can be effective. Magnesium supplements can help with hormonal migraine, regular exercise reduces stress and improves circulation, and relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises can help prevent attacks.

Tips for acute treatment of migraine include rest in a dark, quiet room, cold compresses on the forehead or neck and adequate hydration. Avoid screen time and bright light during an attack.

Seek professional help when migraine affects your daily life, attacks occur more than twice a week or when ordinary painkillers no longer help. A holistic approach that addresses the underlying causes often offers better results than symptom management alone.

How Ruggensteun helps with migraine treatment

Chiropractic care offers a natural approach for migraine by aligning the spine and optimising the nervous system. Poor posture and tension in neck and shoulders can trigger migraine, especially in women who experience a lot of stress.

At Ruggensteun we treat migraine by:

• Correction of cervical vertebrae that cause nerve compression and headaches
• Improvement of blood circulation to the brain through spinal alignment
• Relaxation of muscle groups that contribute to headaches in migraine
• A holistic approach that combines stress and physical causes

Our specialised treatments, such as CFR (Cranial Facial Release), can specifically help with migraine by reducing pressure in the head and improving natural drainage. We understand that migraine is more than just headaches and approach each patient individually.

Would you like to know more about how chiropractic care can reduce your migraine? View our comprehensive information about migraine treatment or contact us directly for a personal consultation. At Ruggensteun we are ready to help you achieve a life with less migraine.