Why are women more prone to migraines than men?

The article is expertly consulted by Dr. Ton That Tri Dung - Head of Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine, Vinmec Danang International Hospital.

For temporary treatment of migraine, patients need to use medication as directed by their doctor as well as make changes to their lifestyle. In particular, migraine headaches are more common in women than in men. To better explain this issue, customers can follow the information provided in the article below.

Migraine is a type of headache that has a periodic period, the pain can be severe or mild depending on the condition of each person. The pain usually occurs on one side of the brain. In addition to headaches, patients may experience a number of other symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound.

Migraines are closely related to genes. In addition, there are many other causes such as:
Stress. Worried. Hormonal changes in women (Menstrual cycle). Side effects of medications. Lack of sleep or sleeping too much. Change Weather. Stimulants (tobacco, coffee,...). Excessive exercise.

Migraine rate in women is 3 times higher than in men, the role of estrogen and testosterone makes this difference. Research by a group of Spanish scientists has shown that the rise and fall of estrogen levels in the female body is linked to migraines. During the menstrual cycle, women will have more migraine attacks. The mechanism of action is explained as follows: estrogen affects the cells surrounding the trigeminal nerve and the blood vessels connected to the nerve endings, creating sensitization to them, leading to dysmenorrhea. migraine headache. Research has also shown that testosterone plays an important role in fighting migraines, while prolactin - a hormone that is more prevalent in women - aggravates this headache. These hormones regulate ion channels, thereby altering the sensitivity of ions to migraine triggers, increasing or decreasing it.

Currently, in the world, there is still no method to completely cure the disease. The drugs on the market only work to relieve symptoms and prevent the exacerbation of the disease. The only way is to detect and take medication at an early stage of the disease that will reduce the frequency of pain. Commonly used medications are triptans, ergotamine, and common pain relievers.
In addition, there are some ways to ease the pain such as:
Quietly rest, close your eyes to relax. Apply a cold washcloth or ice pack to your forehead. Drink lots of water (milk, fruit, electrolytes). Some lifestyle changes can also help limit the progression of the disease:
Manage stress with regular exercise, learn about effective relaxation techniques that can reduce frequency and severity of pain. Keep a record of headache triggers such as foods and medications. This can effectively prevent disease by pointing out things that should be changed to improve the disease such as getting enough sleep, eating right meals, foods to limit,... If you are obese should lose weight. Hormone therapy can help women with frequent migraines. Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital is equipped with modern equipment system and a team of experienced professionals in the examination, diagnosis and interventional treatment of neurological diseases - Stroke, treatment of migraine, cerebral ischemia, ....
Specialist II Le Nghiem Bao - Deputy Head of General Surgery - Vinmec Danang International Hospital, with more than 30 years experience in neurosurgery. MSc.BS Bui Ngoc Phuong Hoa - General Internal Medicine Doctor - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital, with more than 24 years working in the field of neuropsychiatry. Strengths of neurology: Belongs to clinical medicine, hold specialized functions in the examination and treatment of diseases related to the central nervous system (cranial, meningeal, brain, cerebrovascular , nerves in the skull, pituitary gland, spine, discs, spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (the nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord).