Pre-menstrual migraines are mainly caused by hormones (of course!), often the pre-menstrual drop in oestrogen or progesterone deficiency which means there isn’t enough relaxation for blood vessels and low adrenal function because the adrenals need progesterone to produce cortisol.   If menstrual migraine is plaguing you then perhaps some of the suggestions on this list might help. For end of cycle migraines, check your iron levels!

General tips for you….

For immediate relief…a coffee enerma works wonders….but doesn’t get to the root cause…keep reading.

Walk barefoot outside or soak feet in COLD water…this brings the blood out of the head and draws it to the feet…and walking outside barefoot grounds and opens your cells as you earth.

Hydration – Ok so I can hear you all saying ‘yeah. yeah I know’ but we all are probably guilty of not drinking enough most of the time.  But we really need to pay attention, especially in our pre-menstrual time if we are prone to migraine.  Get that water on board!

Rest – Again, I can hear you saying ‘I wish!’ and I know it really isn’t easy to take a rest when you have a busy life or are a mum, but we owe it to ourselves in the last few days before we bleed and if possible the first couple of days of our bleed to slow down.  Rest if you can, even if it means that food comes out of a packet occasionally or the kids watch a bit more TV than usual.  If you feel a migraine coming on, grab a big glass of water and go lie down for half an hour (if you can) and see if you can head it off.

Magnesium – many of us a deficient in magnesium in general, and part of the reason we crave chocolate pre-menstrually is because it has magenesium in it.  The problem is that most of the chocolate you buy only has teeny tiny amounts in it so you don’t get the magnesium hit and you get all the negative bits of eating to much sugar and fat!  You can take Magnesium on board via supplements- I recommend magnesuim citrate as its closest to the magnesium in breast milk- so the easiest for our body to absorb, you can also, take it via salts in the bath or made up into a body spray.  How about making up a bath salt mix – magnesium salts, borage, rose or jasmine.  If you don’t have a bathtub then make a foot bath.

B12 is known to be a huge support for migraines and indeed hormone issues.

Raw Cacao – this will help with the magnesium fix and the chocolate craving all in one go!

Starflower/Borage Tea – Borage is an amazing herb with so many nutritional benefits but amongst some of its biggest ones are its levels of Iron and Magnesium, both really important in supporting the menstrual cycle.  Iron has a direct impact on the oxygen carrying ability of our blood, so if we’re deficient then our brain isn’t going to be getting enough oxygen, a sure fire likelihood to cause headaches.

Gingko and Prickly Ash Bark – these herbs increase the flow of blood across the blood-brain barrier, ergo increasing the flow of oxygen and hopefully reducing the likelihood of migraine and headache.

Homeopathy – if you can its worth talking to a homeopath, whilst it is possible to take a generic choice of remedy it is always better to have one prescribed.  A full consultation will explore whether there are other factors at play in terms of your health or your menstruation that are contributing to the migraines.

Womb Massage – there are a few different types of Womb Massage therapy available, but they all work on the basic principle of making sure that the womb is the right place.  Many women have retroverted or mobile wombs and this can lead to a variety of menstrual health problems.  In the case of migraine it may be due to it falling backwards and placing pressure on the back and spinal nerves.
I offer massage treatments and you can do self massage.

Relaxants in the second half of your cycle – chamomile, skull cap, passionflower can be used during the second half of your cycle in the hope of reducing overall muscle tensions that may contribute to migraine and headache in the pre-menstrual phase.

Lavender – this is a great remedy to help treat a headache, often available in a headache balm that can be applied to the temples or the back of the neck, or equally a few drops of essential oil in a base oil can be used.

Acupuncture – anecdotally this can be hugely beneficial for treating menstrual migraine, but may require a course of treatment as opposed to just a single session.

Diet –  Alcohol impares the livers ability to deal with oestrogen, so needs to GO. Cut out dairy, gluten, eggs, caffiene, processed foods, sugar (switch to healthy sugars- honey or agave- both in moderation), eat very little meat (if you eat meat be sure its organic to avoid mass produced hormone fed meat), add in more organic foods- leafy greens, juices, smoothies, blueberries, seaweeds, salads, whole grains and legumes…. It can be worth keeping a diary of your food and of your migraines and seeing if there is an obvious connection to a certain food substance.

We are working to balance the body, balance the hormones…read more here.

What it all really boils down to is good Self Care!  Good hydration, good nutrition and rest.  We all know this, but its easy to forget and let things slip when we are busy or stressed – just the times when we need it most!

Working with the energy…Migraines are energetically connected to prefectionism and control….so there is a BIG CALL for SELF LOVE and SELF CARE…it’s time to stop ignoring your own needs and prioritise yourself and your healing.  Guilt, anxiety conflict (with self and others) can trigger migraines, as your body goes into self punishment. Do you get easily angry and annoyed with others and feel they are “giving you a headache”?

To go deeper with your healing journey, work with me 1-1 or on one of my online courses

Use my healing visualisations to connect deeper to your Womb and bring health and balance, also see my online trainings, and workshops

(c) Awen Clement 2015 updated and added to by Rachael Crow 2019

Disclaimer: Any health advice that I give is my opinion based on my general professional experience but not your specific case. As such, you should always seek the advice of your own health professionals, I would recommend a naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist, auvedic practitioner or acupuncturist …but go with what resonates for you.
By reading this guide, you agree that my company and myself are not responsible for your health or the health of your dependents.