Migraine mayhem

Why they pick on women ... seriously

Imagine your brain hosting a party. Suddenly, hormonal guests arrive uninvited, crash the mood and turns the dance floor into a migraine rave. That is often what happens to women because migraines strike roughly three times as often in women as they do in men.

Hormones, especially estrogen, are notorious mischief makers. When estrogen plunges just before a period or behaves erratically in perimenopause, the brain can overreact, triggering intense headache attacks and extra sensitivity to light and sound. The Illinois Department of Public Health states that about 60% of women with migraines suffer attacks that align closely with their menstrual cycle.

According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, roughly three out of four migraine sufferers are women and these headaches peak between ages 20 and 45. The prime time when many juggle work, social life and adulting in general. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2018, 20% of women had severe headaches or migraines in the previous three months compared to only about 10% of men.

It gets worse. Migraines are the fourth leading cause of disability in women worldwide, disproportionately disrupting daily life during midlife when hormonal swings hit hardest.

Migraines tend to pick on women thanks to hormonal roller‑coasters, genetic predisposition and brain chemistry under estrogen’s influence. Let’s hope that your next migraine misses the invitation to the party.