Watch CBS News

Estrogen Levels Lower Among Women Who Suffer From Migraines, Study Finds

BOSTON (CBS) -- Almost 1 in 5 women suffers from migraines, and a new study provides more evidence that estrogen levels may play a role.

Many women say they get migraines right before their menstrual cycles begin, when estrogen levels fall.  Now researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY, have discovered that before menstruation, estrogen levels drop 40 percent in women with migraines compared to 30 percent for women without migraines.

Rami Burstein, PhD, a headache expert at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center today says while this is an interesting observation, it is not clear what it means, especially because there are estrogen receptors in many parts of the body, not just the brain.

"We have no idea how estrogen in any possible way can trigger a headache," says Burstein. "And if it changes brain function why would it trigger only a headache and not trigger pain in your stomach or in your teeth or in your ear?"

So while estrogen probably contributes to migraine in women, it probably has a complex role and will need to be studied further.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.