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Hormonal therapies for menstrual migraine

Anne H Calhoun1, Susan Hutchinson

  • 1Carolina Headache Institute, 103 Market Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA. calhouna@carolinaheadacheinstitute.com

Current Pain and Headache Reports
|September 5, 2009
PubMed

Menstrual-related migraine (MRM) affects the majority of female migraineurs, with menstrual-associated attacks reported to be more disabling, longer lasting, and less responsive to traditional treatments than nonmenstrual attacks. Emerging evidence suggests that minimizing or eliminating monthly declines in estrogen concentration may be effective in preventing MRM. This article gives a practical overview of current hormonal options, both contraceptive and noncontraceptive. Our intent is to help the reader better understand the differences in currently available formulations and how some of these agents may be utilized as hormonal preventives of MRM.

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