Why do I get headaches before my period?
Headaches before your period are usually triggered by the sharp drop in estrogen in the last days of your cycle. That fall affects brain chemicals and blood vessels involved in pain, especially if you're prone to migraine. At least 60% of people with migraine who menstruate notice attacks around their period. Poor sleep, dehydration and skipped meals that week make it worse.
The estrogen drop is the trigger
Estrogen stays fairly high through the luteal phase, then falls quickly in the 2 or 3 days before your period. For people sensitive to that change, the drop seems to make the brain's pain pathways more reactive and affects serotonin, which plays a role in migraine. Prostaglandins, the same chemicals that cause cramps, rise at the same time and may add to it.
That's why these headaches tend to arrive on a schedule: most often from two days before your period to three days into it. Doctors call a migraine that only happens in that window a pure menstrual migraine, and one that happens then and at other times a menstrually related migraine.
Which kind of headache is it?
| Type | What it feels like |
|---|---|
| Tension-type headache | A dull, tight band around the head; you can usually carry on |
| Menstrual migraine | Throbbing, often one-sided, with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound; often longer and harder to treat than other migraines |
| Headache from other PMS factors | Linked to poor sleep, caffeine changes, dehydration or skipped meals |
For a broader look at headaches across the whole period, see period headaches and PMS headaches.
What helps
- Predict it: if you know your period is due on Thursday, you know Tuesday to Saturday is the risk window.
- Treat early: pain relief works better taken at the first sign. Ask a pharmacist which suits you.
- Short-term prevention: some doctors suggest taking an anti-inflammatory like naproxen, or a migraine medicine, for a few days around your period. This needs a prescriber's advice.
- Protect the basics that week: steady sleep, regular meals, enough water, and no big swings in caffeine.
- Hormonal options: for some people, contraception that keeps hormone levels steady helps. This isn't suitable for everyone, especially people who have migraine with aura, so discuss it with a doctor.
Doctors diagnose menstrual migraine from a diary: headache days logged against period days for at least two to three cycles. A tracker builds that diary for you.
Headaches and mood before your period
Pain and mood are closely linked. A headache on top of PMS irritability or low mood can make those days feel much heavier. Seeing both coming, and planning a lighter day, can take some of the dread away.
You have a sudden, severe headache that feels like the worst of your life, a headache with fever and stiff neck, weakness, confusion, slurred speech or vision loss, or a headache after a head injury. See a doctor if headaches are getting more frequent, if you have migraine with aura and use combined hormonal contraception, or if pain relief no longer works.
Frequently asked questions
How many days before my period can a hormonal headache start?
Most often around 2 days before bleeding, though some people get them up to a week before as part of PMS.
Can headaches before my period be a sign of pregnancy?
Headaches are common in early pregnancy too, so they can't tell the two apart. If your period is late, take a test.
Do menstrual migraines go away after menopause?
For many people they ease once hormones settle after menopause, though they can get worse during perimenopause first.
Does magnesium help headaches before periods?
Some evidence suggests magnesium may help menstrual migraine. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before starting it. See magnesium for PMS.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: Menstrual Migraines (Hormone Headaches)
- American Migraine Foundation: Menstrual Migraine: Treatment and Prevention
- NHS: Migraine
This page is for information only and isn鈥檛 medical advice. If something worries you, please talk to a doctor.
Keep reading
Period headaches and menstrual migraines: why they happenWhy you get a period headache or menstrual migraine, when in your cycle it strikes, what helps (including planning ahead) and when to see a doctor.Can PMS cause headaches?Can PMS cause headaches? Yes. The drop in estrogen before your period can trigger headaches and menstrual migraine. Why it happens and what helps.
Luteal phase: why feelings get louderWhat the luteal phase is, how long it lasts, why progesterone rises and falls, and the common symptoms: PMS, cravings, low energy and mood changes.
Does magnesium help PMS?Magnesium for PMS: small trials suggest it may ease bloating, mood changes and cramps. Doses studied, safe limits, side effects and interactions to know.
PMS symptom diary: what to track for your doctorHow to keep a PMS symptom diary doctors can use: the daily items, the 1 to 6 rating scale, how long to track, and how to read the chart before your visit.