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Management of Menstrual Migraine: A Review of Current Abortive and Prophylactic Therapies

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Abstract

After menarche, women have an increased prevalence of migraine compared to men. There is significant variability in the frequency and severity of migraine throughout the menstrual cycle. Women report migraines occur more frequently during menses, and that those are more severe than other migraines. This creates a unique challenge of effectively treating menstrually related and pure menstrual migraines. As with treatment of other migraines, both abortive and prophylactic treatment regimens are used. Triptans demonstrate efficacy in the abortive management of menstrually related and pure menstrual migraines. For migraines that occur primarily during menses or that are particularly resistant to other therapies, intermittent prophylactic therapies can be used. Naproxen and estrogens have been studied for this use. More recently, triptans have been examined and have shown efficacy for intermittent prophylaxis of menstrual migraine.

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  1. Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Elizabeth Sullivan & Cheryl Bushnell

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  1. Elizabeth Sullivan
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  2. Cheryl Bushnell
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Correspondence to Cheryl Bushnell.

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Sullivan, E., Bushnell, C. Management of Menstrual Migraine: A Review of Current Abortive and Prophylactic Therapies. Curr Pain Headache Rep 14, 376–384 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-010-0138-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-010-0138-2

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