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Headache and Sex Hormone Therapy
Author(s) -
Dennerstein Lorraine,
Laby Betty,
Burrows Graham D.,
Hyman Graeme J.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1978.hed1803146.x
Subject(s) - headaches , medicine , placebo , estrogen , testosterone (patch) , menopause , norgestrel , hormone therapy , endocrinology , gynecology , population , family planning , surgery , alternative medicine , research methodology , pathology , cancer , breast cancer , environmental health
SYNOPSIS A review of the literature suggested that falling levels of estrogen may trigger headaches for many women. A double blind controlled cross‐over study was carried out on 49 women, all of whom had undergone a surgical menopause. During the study each woman was randomly allocated each of the following drugs daily for three months: ethinyl estradiol 50 μg; d norgestrel 250 μg; combination of ethinyl estradiol 50 μg and d norgestrel 250 μg; and placebo. Women who reported they were headache free sufferers in the past had higher neuroticism and lower extraversion scores than others. Women who suffered headaches during a hormone free time interval had significantly higher plasma testosterone levels. An increase in the frequency of headaches occurred in association with a fall in estrogen content of the medication.