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What is hormonal migraine?

Hormone changes can trigger migraine for some women. For example, at puberty, during periods, around the time of menopause and with health conditions such as endometriosis. More research is needed to better understand why this happens.

Hormonal migraine attacks happen more often and last longer than other types of migraine. They are also more severe and harder to treat.

On this page, you’ll find information about how hormones affect migraine and how to manage hormonal migraine.

Topics on this page

Why hormonal migraine matters

In Australia, about 70% of people with migraine are women. Migraine is an important women’s health issue as symptoms can impact many aspects of life, including work, relationships, social lives and health.

It can be easy to dismiss hormonal migraine symptoms as normal and delay treatment. This is especially true if other female family members struggle through migraine symptoms at different times, for example, during periods.

Migraine and puberty

After puberty, far more females experience migraine than males.

This could be due to the oestrogen hormone. One study suggests that the first exposure to oestrogen during puberty could be the starting point for migraine in some adolescent girls.

Research suggests hormonal changes during puberty can cause asthma and migraine in girls, and early puberty increases the risk.

It’s also thought that:

Many girls have irregular periods at puberty, so it’s hard to know if migraine attacks and periods are linked.

Talk to your daughter about migraine during puberty

If your daughter is going through puberty and there is a family history of migraine:

  • explain migraine symptoms to her
  • ask her to tell you if she has any symptoms
  • let her know you will help her manage symptoms and get treatment if needed.

Menstrually-related migraine

Menstrually-related migraine is when you get migraine attacks around the time of your period, including at other times of your menstrual cycle. Menstrual migraine is when you get attacks only before or during your period. This type of migraine is less common.

If you have menstrually-related migraine, an attack usually happens from 2 days before your period to 3 days after your period starts. This is when oestrogen and progesterone hormone levels drop. Hormonal changes may be a key trigger.

If you have migraine attacks during this time for at least 2 out of 3 cycles, you are more likely to get a diagnosis of menstrually-related migraine. It’s a good idea to keep a symptom diary for a few months and share this with your doctor.

Migraine with heavy and painful periods

Recent research suggests that hormone-like chemicals in the body called ‘prostaglandins’ play an important role in female migraine.

Women with heavy or painful periods have higher levels of prostaglandins, which can create chronic pain and a higher sensitivity to pain.

If you have heavy or painful periods, you may be more likely to get menstrually-related migraine.

Migraine and endometriosis

More research is needed to better understand the link between migraine and endometriosis.

We know that:

  • endometriosis can cause heavy and painful bleeding
  • women with endometriosis are thought to produce more prostaglandins
  • many women with endometriosis report having menstrual headaches
  • many migraine patients report a history of heavy and painful periods
  • starting periods early is a risk factor for migraine and endometriosis
  • women with migraine are up to 5 times more likely to have severe endometriosis.

How to manage menstrually-related migraine

Everyone’s experience of menstrually-related migraine is different. You might need to try different treatments before you find one that works for you.

Your period can change over time, for example, in the lead-up to menopause, so you may need to explore new treatments in the future.

Ask your doctor to recommend different ways to prevent menstrually-related migraine. For example:

  • manage your migraine triggers well, especially around the time of your period
  • take prevention medicines in the days just before and during your period
  • take hormone medicines to even out the hormones that usually vary during your menstrual cycle
  • take supplements, such as magnesium and vitamin E
  • try acupuncture to relieve symptoms.

Migraine and irregular periods

When oestrogen hormone levels drop during your menstrual cycle, it can trigger migraine attack. This can also happen when you have irregular periods.

You may have irregular periods at different times in your life, including the lead-up to menopause. Other health issues, such as PCOS and underactive thyroid, can also cause irregular periods.

When periods are irregular, it can be hard to predict and manage migraine attacks.

This information was developed in partnership with Migraine & Headache Australia.

This con­tent has been reviewed by a group of med­ical sub­ject mat­ter experts, in accor­dance with Jean Hailes pol­i­cy.

© Jean Hailes Foun­da­tion. All rights reserved.

Last updated: 
04 August 2025
 | 
Last reviewed: 
04 August 2025