Treatment of menstrual migraine

Because of its pathophysiological and clinical peculiarities, true menstrual migraine (MM) (i.e. migraine starting exclusively between the days immediately before and immediately after the first day of the menstrual cycle) requires an ad hoc management different from that of other migraines. The paucity of well-conducted, controlled clinical trials and the lack of a universally accepted definition of MM have meant that the treatment of MM is still largely empirical. In our clinical practice, we adopt a sequential therapeutic approach, including the following steps: (i) acute attack drugs (sumatriptan, ergot derivatives, NSAIDs); (ii) intermittent prophylaxis with ergot derivatives or NSAIDs; (iii) oestrogen supplementation with percutaneous or transdermal oestradiol (100 microg patches); (iv) antioestrogen agents (danazol, tamoxifen).