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Suchitra Joshi, Research Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Virginia

Why are migraines worse during your period? Research in mice points to a hormone called progesterone, offering a new treatment target

Targeting progesterone receptors in the brain may be a route to migraine relief for some people. We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Migraines are throbbing headaches often accompanied by nausea and increased sensitivity to light, sound and touch. Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraines, and almost 1 in 4 of them have at least four severe attacks each month. Three times as many women suffer from migraine headaches as men, and this disparity is even more pronounced during reproductive years.

Migraines often occur around the menstrual cycle, during which reproductive hormones such as progesterone and estrogen rise and fall. The levels of both these hormones are low during the perimenstrual period.

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