WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Research has shown that women are three times more likely than men to experience migraines. These migraines are often more intense and last longer, leading to more severe and prolonged symptoms.
As a result, migraines are a leading cause of disability among women under 50. This neurological disorder is typically marked by severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and heightened sensitivity to light and sound.
Anne MacGregor, a headache and women's health expert, emphasizes the widespread nature of migraines, particularly among women. Despite the availability of various treatments, migraines lead to the highest number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for women aged 15 to 49. The gap in migraine incidence between girls and boys increases from puberty into their mid-thirties and continues into later life, creating a more pronounced difference by their mid-thirties.
Many women report that their migraine attacks occur in relation to their menstrual cycle. Women who are prone to migraines tend to experience a sharper drop in estradiol, a potent form of estrogen, around their period than those who are not affected by migraines. This hormonal influence also extends to transgender women undergoing hormone therapy, who show similar migraine rates as cisgender women.
MacGregor notes that women who did not previously have menstrual migraines may begin to experience them during the perimenopause phase. After reaching menopause, some women find relief, but the outcome varies for each individual, according to Richard Lipton, a neurologist and epidemiologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
The interaction of estrogen with other hormones, including serotonin, plays a significant role in migraine susceptibility. When estrogen levels drop, serotonin also decreases, raising the likelihood of experiencing a migraine. Additional triggers-like lack of sleep, irregular eating, dehydration, or stress-can collectively lead to an attack when combined with hormonal fluctuations.
Lipton explains that during migraine episodes, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels in the bloodstream are elevated. Women naturally have higher CGRP levels than men, and changes in estrogen can affect CGRP within the brain's pain pathways.
Recent studies also suggest that progesterone, another female hormone, might contribute to migraine susceptibility. New findings indicate that triggering progesterone receptors in the brain could heighten pain sensitivity. Lipton points out that characterizing migraines as a 'women's disease' can sometimes lead to their dismissal, despite women being more prone to seek medical help for migraines and receiving diagnoses.
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