When it comes to migraines, women have it harder than men. In fact, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, 38 million people in America are afflicted with these intense, debilitating headaches—and of that number, 28 million of those people are women. What’s worse, women tend to experience migraines in greater frequency and severity than men.
There are certain factors that cause this gender-based disparity, but we can zero in on three main reasons. Knowing more about how migraines affect women can help give you a better understanding of why women suffer disproportionally—and why it’s so important to seek out migraine treatment.
- Women’s brain tissue is different than men’s
A study published in Science found that the brain’s grey matter is thicker in women who suffer from migraines. While both men and women who suffer from migraines can have a thicker brain cortex, women also have thicker tissues in the posteria insula and precuneus, the areas of the brain responsible for pain processing and consciousness, respectively.
- Women’s brain patterns operate differently than men’s.
Because of these structural differences, women’s brains process pain differently when the posteria insula and precuneus are experiencing a migraine. When anyone has a migraine attack, according to The Migraine Institute, there can be an intense, throbbing pain in the head that lasts anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days, with accompanying symptoms that may include nausea and sensitivity to light. These symptoms are even more severe for women, who feel the pain at a stronger level than men—it can last longer and become a chronic issue. Women’s brains don’t just process the physical pain of a migraine more intensely, but they also feel an impact when it comes to processing emotional pain. Migraines can be challenging for anyone to work through, but the Science study indicated that women may be more likely to suffer mental health issues such as depression or anxiety in the wake of a migraine.
- Estrogen appears to be a key issue with migraines.
One of the most recent developments in the research on women and migraines focuses on how hormones play a part, specifically estrogen. While boys are more likely to experience migraines in childhood than girls, those roles reverse after puberty, when estrogen production ramps up in females. That may also explain why women can experience migraines around their menstrual cycles or at menopause, when hormone levels are in flux.
This year, during the 2018 Experimental Biology meeting hosted by five scientific societies, research was presented that found women may be more likely to experience migraines—and less likely to respond to treatment—because estrogen affects their brain cells. Using rats, the researchers surmised that the issue revolves around a protein found in the brain called NHE1. When levels of NHE1 are too low, it may lead to the onset of a migraine episode. The research found that female rats were at a disadvantage to their male counterparts, who had four times the amount of NHE1 in their brains. To compound the problem, the female rats NHE1 levels dipped even lower when their estrogen levels were at their highest.
While these discoveries could lead to further research, and perhaps the development of targeted medications to counteract estrogen’s effect on migraines, there are other treatment options women should explore with their primary care doctor, such as traditional medications or, in more severe cases, Botox or surgical intervention. If you are a woman suffering from a migraine, know that you are not alone—and that scientific advances continue to bring us closer to a more informed view of why women are more at risk for migraines, and how to best treat them.
