3 Tips to Stop Menstrual & Menopausal Headaches!

A few months ago, a friend asked me about her headaches. She never had a problem with menstrual associated headaches when she was younger, but as she approached menopause, they became a real problem, incapacitating her for several days each month. Advil helped a little. She had a bit of a defeatist attitude about them, assuming she couldn’t do anything about them and just had to wait until she was through menopause. I told her there are things she can do, but I also warned her she probably wouldn’t want to do them. She replied she would try anything. I doubted her commitment, but gave her this three-step advice anyway.

Approximate best you can when the headache will start based on previous experience and your cycle.
One day before you think it would normally hit you, take Alleve every 12 hours until your period is over.
On that same day, also cut out ALL processed foods and sugar, and make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water and get consistent sleep until the end of the period.

Based on #3, you can see why I said she wouldn’t want to do this. Changing lifestyle is much harder than popping a pill, but it is infinitely more successful. It is far easier to prevent a headache than to stop one. Shockingly, she listened to me. I saw her yesterday and, she told me she has been completely headache free. It can be done, albeit with a few sacrifices. Avoiding pain is a great incentive to be proactive about your health, and who knows, maybe the good habits will trickle into the other three weeks of the month.

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