According to Danielle Wilhour, an American neurologist, women are three times more likely than men to suffer from migraines.
- Migraine is a neurological disease, which is characterized by repeated attacks of headaches of varying intensity.
- Women are more likely to be affected by recurrent headaches than men.
- Different factors are responsible for migraine attacks.
Nearly 20% of women are affected by migraines compared to 10% of men, according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). This neurological disease results in repeated attacks of headaches of varying intensity. It is caused by abnormal neuronal excitability.
Hormonal fluctuations, factors responsible for headaches
In an article published in The ConversationDanielle Wilhour, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (USA), revealed the different causes that explain why men and women experience migraine attacks differently.
“These include hormones, genetics, how certain genes are turned on or off, and the environment. All of these factors play a role in the structure, function, and adaptability of the brain in terms of relates to migraines”, explained the neurologist. Before adding: “Lhe hormones estrogen and progesterone, through different mechanisms, play a role in the regulation of many biological functions. They affect various chemicals in the brain and may contribute to functional and structural differences in specific brain regions that are involved in the development of migraines. Also, sex hormones can rapidly change the size of blood vessels, which can predispose to migraine attacks.”
Menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause… phases conducive to migraine attacks
According to the specialist, little boys and little girls have the same risk of suffering from migraines. During puberty, however, the likelihood of experiencing recurrent headaches increases in young girls due to fluctuating levels of sex hormones, primarily estrogen. Before the onset or at the start of menstruation, they are also more likely to suffer from catamenial migraines. This type of headache is induced by the drop in estrogen levels before the onset of menstruation.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, a pregnant woman may also experience a greater number of migraine attacks. “The good news is that migraines generally tend to decrease in severity and frequency throughout pregnancy. For some women, they go away, especially as the months pass. But for those who suffered from them during pregnancy , migraines tend to increase after childbirth (…) This may be due to declining hormone levels, as well as lack of sleep, stress, dehydration and other environmental factors related to caring for a child”noted Danielle Wilhour.
Perimenopause, the transition phase to menopause, is also a time of migraine. These crises would be induced by the fluctuation of hormone levels, in particular estrogen. However, headaches decrease as menopause progresses.
