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Current Pain and Headache Reports
Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 5/2010

01-10-2010

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

Authors: Elizabeth Sullivan, Cheryl Bushnell

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 5/2010

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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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Metadata
Title
Management of Menstrual Migraine: A Review of Current Abortive and Prophylactic Therapies
Authors
Elizabeth Sullivan
Cheryl Bushnell
Publication date
01-10-2010
Publisher
Current Science Inc.
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 5/2010
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-010-0138-2

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