Why Women Have More Headaches

Three women are afflicted with migraine for every one man. Between 18 and 25% of women experience migraine. Not only are women more prone to developing migraine than men, they are also more prone to chronic migraine (migraine that is present for more than 15 days every month).

But why is that?

There are many possible reasons why women suffer more migraines than men.

1. It's all in our heads.

Or, rather, our brains. Recent neurological studies have shown that migraines may be caused by a phenomenon called cortical-spreading depression (CSD). In CSD, waves of activity spread across the brain. This is believed to be partly responsible for migraine (not only the headache, but also visual disturbance, nausea and other symptoms). 

Women experience more CSD than men, and also experience CSD easier than men.

The good news is that a medication is being tested (memantine), which reduces CSD and has shown to be successful in preventing migraine. This is true particularly in patients who have had little or no success with other commonly-used migraine medications.

2. Jaw Tension

Both men and women may grind their jaw, especially at night. Over time, jaw grinding can lead to tension headaches, and even migraine. However, Worcestershire dentist Kate Stokes says that men are more likely to wear down their teeth while women are more likely to get headaches. This is partly due to women's jaw muscles tiring more easily.

Dr. Stokes says:

"The head pain caused by jaw problems can be felt in the temples, behind the eyes, in a band around the head and in the back of the neck."

If jaw grinding or tension is the cause of your headache, you may benefit from having occlusal (dental) splints made to wear over your teeth at night. For headache-sufferers, the splint is made of soft plastic, and is designed to prevent grinding. Your dentist can make it for you. 

Some sites offer to sell cheap splints and mouth guards online, which sellers may claim will work just as effectively. Do not buy them. An occlusal splint has to be made to fit you, so it fits perfectly when you bite together. An incorrect dental splint could do more harm than good.

3. It's That Time of Month

10% of women, and 50% of women who experience migraine, get menstrual migraine, most commonly in the two days before a menstrual period and the first three days of a period. They're caused by falling levels of oestrogen.

To find out if you're suffering menstrual migraine, try keeping a diary for three months to track your migraine attacks and the days you have a menstrual period.

READ Treating Menstrual Problems with Yoga

Treatment for menstrual migraine depends a lot on your menstrual periods:

• For women with migraine and heavy and/or painful periods: Mefenamic Acid can be effective. 500mg 3-4 times a day. You can start before your period, if you're regular.
• For women with regular menstrual migraines: you can try Combined Hormonal Contraceptive (such as the Pill or patches), and take several months back-to-back and reduce the frequency of your migraine. Some women should not take combined hormonal contraceptives, such as: the over-35s, smokers, women with a history of migraine with aura.

More Reasons Why Women Why Women Get More Headaches

4. Stress Affects Women More

Stress is a key trigger of migraine, and recent figures show that women are more likely to be stressed than men. Figures released by the Health and Safety Executive show that women suffer 70% more work-related stress than men.

Women's brains respond differently to stress hormones, making women perhaps less able to cope with stress. Another study by Parashar and colleagues 2014 found that most migraine without aura was predominantly related to stress.

One theory is that migraine occurs because the nerves in the neck and the nerves in the brain share passageways. When we are stressed, we tense our shoulders, impinging on the nerves in the brain, and causing migraine.

5. Women are Hardwired for Migraines

The propensity for migraines has been found in a gene, which is more likely to lead to migraines in women than men. However, that's not the full story. Migraines serve an evolutionary benefit. They alert us to changes in our environment: bad weather conditions, smoke, harsh light, heat.

The brains of migraineurs are hypersensitive to changes.

Professor Andrew Charles, of the University of California's Goldberg Migraine Program, says:

"There is a lot of speculation that migraine historically made women react more to any change...This may have given them some sort of evolutionary advantage."

Migraines may have made women seek better conditions. For example, migraines triggered by bad weather may have alerted our prehistoric ancestors to the changing seasons and allowed them to move to a more hospitable environment. Thus, migraine - and the increased sensitivity it brings - may have increased the odds of survival.

6. Those Extra Pounds Carry Extra Risk

Being overweight increases the risk of migraine in both men and women, but women are at particular risk. A 2011 study of 3700 women of premenopausal age found that women with a body mass index of 40 or more were at a threefold risk or migraine.

A 2015 review in the Journal of Headache and Pain found that obese and morbidly obese women were at a 44% increased risk of migraine. Obese and morbidly obese men were not at a significantly increased risk.

Why this might be is not sure, but there are several theories.

READ Easy Ways to Reduce Your Portions: Cut Calorie Intake and Lose Weight

One is that fat cells trigger an inflammatory response, which may affect the blood vessels of the brain and cause migraine. Another is that the same part of the brain that causes migraine is responsible for hunger, so women who experience migraines are more likely to be obese (rather than vice versa). Another theory is that obese people are less likely to exercise, and failure to take sensible regular exercise is a trigger factor.

7. Your Choice of Contraception

Although the Pill can prevent menstrual migraine in some women, in up to 10% of women the Pill and other forms of hormonal contraception can cause migraines and tension-headaches. It's thought that the drop in oestrogen in the Pill-free week can be the cause.

Taking the Pill continuously for two- to three months can help.

Copper coils can raise levels of prostaglandins, which can also trigger migraine in some women.

READ Side Effects Of The Contraceptive Pill

8. Women Pop Too Many Pills

Women are four times more likely to develop medication overuse headache. That's where you take medication to control migraine and end up taking more and more medication to control migraine.

Consultant neurologist, Brendan Davies, cautions his patients that if they take a painkiller (opiate, ergot, triptan, or even over-the-counter medication) more than ten to fifteen days a month for three months or more, the medication might be causing their headaches. Especially if their headaches are getting worse.

The only recommended solution to prescription overuse headache is to stop painkillers completely for at least six to eight weeks. Those who have been using opiates to control migraines may need to be hospitalised until withdrawal symptoms ease.

After several days of withdrawal from prescription painkillers, migraineurs should begin a programme of preventative treatment.