NPR Menstrual migraines can be caused by hormonal fluctuations. This is in contrast to typical migraines that are often caused by stress or environmental factors. Although estrogen is the main culprit in menstrual headaches, other hormones such as progesterone and progesterone could also play an important role. The estrogen levels drop significantly in the days before menstruation to enable the shedding and repair of the uterine membrane. The medical community recognized this decline for years, but couldn’t explain exactly why it causes more migraines. Medical News Today).
In a new however, Study Neurology published a breakthrough discovery by researchers that brings a whole new dimension to the discussion. The study found that when estrogen levels start to decline, our body’s level of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), starts to rise. It is possible that migraines are caused by an elevated CGRP.