Headache and Menstruation

Abstract

In a prospective study 70 women between 15 and 40 complaining about severe headache before and during menstruation were examined. They had gynecological, psychological, neurological (also EEG), orthopedic and hormonal examinations. In almost all cases the headache was accompanied by algo/dys/menorrhea. The headache occurred as a “migrainoid” crisis, with nausea and vomiting, coliclike abdominal pain with allergic symptoms. The majority of the hormonal examinations showed no deviations from the norm. Through intensive questioning and psychological tests in 65% of the women we could detect psycho-emotional stress, that is: psycho-sexual conflicts with the husband and conflicts with his family, difficulties at work, in the case of young girls conflicts with the parents, in particular with the mother. Almost all women suffered from vegetative neurosis. Our treatment consisted of psychotherapy and elimination of the conflict situation. Spectacular immediate success resulted from Novocain injection into the head region and at the height of the first lumbar segments (Head zones), but we could notice that after injection of a placebo the same therapeutic results were obtained. We had little success with hormonal contraceptives, in some cases these even aggravated complaints.