PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It is called a menstrual migraine and although you may not have heard of it, you should know that it’s one of the most common causes of headache in the world.

Women who suffer from menstrual migraines tend to have a migraine at about the same time every month and in many cases the condition can lead to missed work time and severe discomfort. In fact, from a purely business standpoint menstrual migraine is a leading cause of decreased productivity in the workplace because even when people go to work they’re less efficient because they are struggling with the pain.
Perhaps the most important part of a menstrual migraine is recognizing the problem because once the pattern is detected treatment can be given to stop the symptoms from occurring in the first place or medications can be used to make the symptoms less severe.

You can do something at home that will really help you when it comes to treating this condition. If you think you suffer from menstrual migraines start to make a diary. Write down the days of the month and hours of the day you had any symptoms and do this for several months. After a while you can detect a pattern. Bring this diary to your doctor’s appointment and it will become quite clear what the problem is.



Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor