What you need to know

Do periods really cause migraines? 

Periods cause migraines. 
Juliette Preston, M.D., neurologist and director of the OHSU Headache Center 

Migraines have many triggers, and one of them is definitely a change of estrogen level. When you ovulate, your estrogen level goes up. This is a possible trigger for women who have migraines. About two days before your period, estrogen levels drop. This is another possible trigger. 

This is a very common trigger in women. Women are three times more likely to have migraines than men, and the reason is that women have these hormone cycles. Many women even stop having migraines after menopause when their hormones stop fluctuating. 

Many women think their birth control pills cause migraines, but it's really just the hormone cycle. Birth control pills can actually prevent migraines if you skip the placebo week, eliminating the estrogen fluctuation.