Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Estrogen and tension-type headache

  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The vast majority of people experience tension-type headache during their lifetimes. Boys experience tension-type headache slightly more than girls during preadolescent years. During adolescence and adult years, tension-type headache occurs more commonly in females. Tension-type headache changes in women occur in relation to gynecologic changes, including menses, pregnancy, and menopause. These changes are related to estrogen fluctuations. Estrogen fluctuations cause changes in neurochemicals important for pain signal transmission, including serotonin, gammaaminobutyric acid, and enkephalins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Marcus DA: Identification of headache subjects at risk for psychological distress. Headache 2000, 40:373–376. Reports the important disability associated with frequent, mild headache, suggesting a greater importance should be given to diagnosis and treatment of tension-type headache.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rasmussen BK: Epidemiology of headache. Cephalalgia 1995, 15:45–68.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Rasmussen BK: Migraine and tension-type headache in a general population: precipitating factors, female hormones, sleep pattern and relation to lifestyle. Pain 1993, 53:65–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Abu-Arefeh I, Russell G: Prevalence of headache and migraine in schoolchildren. BMJ 1994, 309:765–769.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wober-Bingol C, Wober C, Wagner-Ennsgraber C, et al.: IHS criteria and gender: a study on migraine and tensiontype headache in children and adolescents. Cephalalgia 1996, 16:107–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sillanpaa M: Changes in the prevalence of migraine and other headaches during the first seven school years. Headache 1983, 23:15–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sillanpaa M, Piekkala P: Prevalence of migraine and other headaches in early puberty. Scand J Prim Health Care 1984, 2:27–32.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Barea LM, Tannhauser M, Rotta NT: An epidemiological study of headache among children and adolescents of southern Brazil. Cephalalgia 1996, 16:545–549.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Schwartz BS, Stewart WF, Simon D, Lipton RB: Epidemiology of tension-type headache. JAMA 1998, 279:381–383.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rasmussen BK, Jensen R, Schroll M, Olesen J: Epidemiology of headache in a general population-a prevalence study. J Clin Epidemiol 1991, 44:1147–157.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Rasmussen BK: Epidemiology of headache. Cephalalgia 1995, 15:45–68.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Scharff L, Turk DC, Marcus DA: Triggers of headache episodes and coping responses of headache diagnostic groups. Headache 1995, 35:397–403.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Solbach P, Sargent J, Coyne L, et al.: Tension headache: a comparison of menstrual and nonmenstrual occurrences. Headache 1998, 28:108–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Marcus DA, Scharff L, Turk D: Longitudinal prospective study of headache during pregnancy and postpartum. Headache 1999, 39:625–632.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Martignoni E, Neri I, Granella F, et al.: Prevalence of postmenopausal headache: a prospective study. Cephalalgia 1991, 11(suppl):196–97.

    Google Scholar 

  16. MacGregor EA, White DS: Headache in a specialist menopause clinic. Cephalalgia 1997, 17:322.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Leidy LE, Canali C, Callahan WE: The medicalization of menopause: implications for recruitment of study participants. Menopause 2000, 7:193–99.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Neri I, Granella F, Nappi R, et al.: Characteristics of headache at menopause: a clinico-epidemiologic study. Maturitas 1993, 17:31–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bartelink MV, van den Lisdonk E, van den Hoogen H, et al.: Migraine in family practice: prevalence and influence of sex hormonal status. Fam Med 1993, 25:331–336.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Marcus DA: Interrelationships of neurochemicals, estrogen, and recurring headache, Pain 1995, 62:129–39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Coyle DE, Selhorst CS, Behbehani MM: Intact female rats are more susceptible to the development of tactile allodynia than ovariectomized female rats following partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL). Neurosci Lett 1996, 203:37–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hellstrom B, Lundberg U: Pain perception to the cold pressor test during the menstrual cycle in relation to estrogen levels and a comparison with men. Integr Physiol Behav Sci 2000, 35:132–41.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Amandusson A, Hermanson O, Blomqvist A: Colocalization of oestrogen receptor immunoreactivity and preproenkephalin mRNA expression to neurons I the superficial laminae of the spinal and medullary dorsal horn of rats. Eur J Neurosci 1996, 8:2440–2445.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Amandusson A, Hallbeck M, Hallbeck AL, et al.: Estrogeninduced alterations of spinal cord enkephalin gene expression. Pain 1999, 83:243–248. This rodent study demonstrates an important direct interaction between estrogen and the pain modulatory system. Estrogen is able to alter spinal and trigeminal opioid levels by increasing release of enkephalin from spinal and trigeminal neurons.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Joy KP, Tharakan B, Goos HJ: Distribution of gammaaminobutyric acid in catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) forebrain in relation to season, ovariectomy and E2 replacement, and effects of GABA administration on plasma gonadotropin-II level. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 1999, 123:369–376. Evaluates catfish brain neurotransmitter function in relation to estradiol. The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA is elevated after exposure to estradiol.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lagrange AH, Ronnekleiv OK, Kelly MJ: The potency of mu-opioid hyperpolarization of hypothalamic arcuate neurons is rapidly attenuated by 17-beta-estradiol. J Neurosci 1994, 14:6196–6204.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. LeResche L, Saunders K, Von Korff MR, et al.: Use of exogenous hormones and risk of temporomandibular disorders. Pain 1997, 6:153–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Rolf LH, Wiele G, Brune GG: 5-hydroxytryptamine in platelets of patients with muscle contraction headache. Headache 1981, 21:10–1.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Milovanovic DD, Majkic-Sing N, Mirkovic D: Plasma and urinary serotonin and 5-hyroxyindol-3-acetic acid in adults ith migraine and tension-type headache. Adv Exp Med Biol 1999, 467:191–97.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Marcus DA: Serotonin and its role in headache pathogenesis and treatment. Clin J Pain 1993, 9:159–67.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mathew RC, Ho BT, Kralik P, Claghorn JL: Biochemical basis for biofeedback treatment of migraine: a hypothesis. Headache 1979, 19:290–293.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Srikiatkhachorn A, Tarasub N, Govitrapong P: Effect of chronic analgesic exposure on the central serotonin system: a possible mechanism of analgesic abuse headache. Headache 2000, 40:343–350. Confirms the hypothesis that chronic analgesic exposure results in analgesic overuse headache by reducing serotonin receptor sensitivity. Receptor downregulation occurs in conjunction with reduced clinical efficacy of acetaminophen.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Marcus DA: Interrelationships of neurochemicals, estrogen, and recurring headache. Pain 1995, 62:129–39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Robbins LD: Sustained-release morphine sulfate (Kadian) for severe chronic daily headache. Headache 2000, 40:427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Fragoso YD, Carrazuna EJ: Low doses of gabapentin may be helpful in the management of chronic daily headache. Medscape Gen Med 2000, 6:E52.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Lipton RB, Stewart WF, Cady R, et al.: Sumatriptan for the range of headaches in migraine sufferers: results of the Spectrum study. Headache 2000, 40:783–791.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Paulus W, Raubuchl O, Straube A, Schoenen J: Exteroceptive suppression of temporalis muscle activity in various types of headache. Headache 1992, 32:41–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Schoenen J: Exteroceptive suppression of temporalis muscle activity: methodological and physiological aspects. Cephalalgia 1993, 13:3–0.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Schoenen J, Bottin D, Sulon J, et al.: Exteroceptive silent period of temporalis muscle in menstrual headaches. Cephalalgia 1991, 11:87–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Mathew NT, Kurman R, Perez F: Drug induces refractory headache-clinical features and management. Headache 1990, 30:634–638.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Marcus DA, Scharff L, Turk DC: Nonpharmacologic management of headaches during pregnancy. Psychosom Med 1995, 57:527–533.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Scharff L, Marcus DA, Turk DC: Maintenance of effects in the nonmedical treatment of headaches during pregnancy. Headache 1996, 36:285–290.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Olesen C, Steffensen FH, Sorensen HT, et al.: Pregnancy outcome following prescriptions for sumatriptan. Headache 2000, 40:20–24. These data, collected through the Danish registry, provide the first reported large-scale evaluation of triptan effects with pregnancy through national data collection. Previous reports have involved voluntary reporting through triptan registries. Pregnancy outcome is compared among nonheadache controls, migraineurs not using triptans, and migraineurs using triptans during pregnancy.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Vestergaard P, Hermann AP, Gram J, et al.: Improving compliance with hormonal replacement therapy in primary osteoporosis prevention. Maturitas 1997, 15:137–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain Evaluation and Treatment Institute, 4601 Baum Boulevard, 15213, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Dawn A. Marcus MD

Authors
  1. Dawn A. Marcus MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marcus, D.A. Estrogen and tension-type headache. Current Science Inc 5, 449–453 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-001-0056-4

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-001-0056-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation