Why do menstruation cause headaches?

When girls enter their teens, their menstrual periods will gradually come to them, and they will enter their own early spring stage. Menstruation has a special meaning for girls. Some girls experience headaches during their periods. So, why do you have a headache during your period? What should you do if you have a headache during your period? Let’s take a look.

Why do I get a headache during my period?

Clinical experiments have shown that this may be related to changes in the concentration of estrogen (a female hormone) in blood cells. Due to the physiological characteristics of women, the estradiol concentration in blood cells decreases before and after menstruation, making the extracerebral blood vessels and uterine blood vessels more sensitive to certain factors such as 5-5-hydroxytryptamine, thereby causing changes in vascular support and causing headaches in some patients who are sensitive to this. After menstruation, the estradiol concentration in blood cells returns to normal, and the patient's headaches can also be relieved. There is also a possibility that estrogen (including estradiol) can directly or indirectly stimulate the secretion of prostacyclin by stimulating the secretion of prolactin. Prostacyclin acts on blood vessels, causing the contraction and dilation of blood vessels. This change also shows a cyclical change due to the influence of estrogen, thereby triggering the onset of headaches.

What to do if you have a headache during your period

First, the diet during menstruation should be light to avoid the stimulation of ethanol caffeine. During the menstrual period, try to choose food with light taste, avoid spicy food, and do not drink alcoholic and caffeine drinks such as wine, coffee, Coca-Cola and tea, so as to prevent these drinks from causing capillary dilation and causing menstrual headaches.

Second, ensure adequate sleep: avoid overwork. During your menstrual period, you should pay attention to getting enough rest and avoid overwork, which is very helpful in preventing menstrual headaches. If the headache is severe and occurs with irritability and insomnia, you can take painkillers appropriately and then find a quiet place to rest for a while.

Third, maintain a happy mood: a bad mood makes it easier to have a headache. If the emotions are hurt during the menstrual period, it will cause liver depression and qi stagnation, qi deficiency and blood stasis, which will block the brain meridians and cause migraines during the menstrual period. Therefore, during the menstrual period, you should learn to control your mood and maintain a happy mood.

Generally speaking, headaches during menstruation are relatively normal, and girls don't need to worry too much. Some girls think that it is not suitable to exercise because of heavy menstruation. In fact, moderate exercise is still possible, such as relaxing, practicing yoga, etc., which can relieve menstrual headaches and relieve stress.