Do your migraines seem to follow your cycle?
If migraine attacks repeatedly appear around your period or during other times of hormonal change, there may be a menstrual or hormonal pattern worth exploring.
We help you make sense of the pattern, assess other factors that may be relevant and work alongside your medical team where needed.
The timing of your migraine can tell us a lot.
Migraine around your period
Your attacks repeatedly occur in the days immediately before or during menstruation.
Migraine at other times as well
You experience migraine throughout the month, but attacks around your period seem particularly predictable or disruptive.
Your pattern has changed
Migraine may change around puberty, contraception, pregnancy or perimenopause as hormone patterns change.
Start with the pattern, not assumptions.
There isn't one simple test for menstrual migraine. Understanding when attacks occur in relation to your cycle is one of the most useful starting points.
- When your migraine attacks occur
- Where you are in your menstrual cycle
- Attack frequency, duration and severity
- Migraine symptoms including aura, nausea or sensory sensitivity
- Current medication and previous treatment
- Neck symptoms or cervical findings where relevant
- Dizziness or vestibular symptoms where relevant
A migraine diary can make the pattern much clearer.
Tracking your headaches alongside your menstrual cycle can help identify whether attacks consistently cluster around menstruation or whether another pattern is present.
Bring your diary to your appointment if you already use one. If you don't, we can help you work out what information is worth tracking.
Migraine around your period is still migraine. Hormones may influence when attacks occur, but they are only one part of the overall picture.
Menstrual migraine often needs more than one approach.
Our role is to understand the presentation, identify factors we may be able to influence and make sure the right clinicians are involved when medical management is required.
Headache assessment
We look at your migraine pattern, symptoms and previous management to understand where our care may fit.
Cervical assessment where relevant
If neck symptoms are part of your presentation, we can assess whether cervical function appears clinically relevant to your headache pattern.
Medical care when needed
Medication, migraine prevention and hormonal management are best discussed with your GP, neurologist or other prescribing clinician. We're happy to work alongside them.
We don't assume everything is hormonal.
A clear relationship with your cycle matters, but migraine is complex. Neck symptoms, vestibular symptoms, sleep, stress, medication use and other factors may also be relevant.
The purpose of your assessment is to work out which pieces actually matter in your case.
If your migraines seem to follow your cycle, start by understanding the pattern.
We'll help you make sense of your symptoms, assess what's relevant and give you a clearer plan for what happens next.