75% of People Who Get Migraines are Women

  • Migraines often affects people ages 15 to 55
  • Migraines are less severe and less frequent with age
  • 30 Million in the US, and 1 Billion worldwide get migraines

What Causes Migraines?

  • Most researchers think that migraines are due to changes in levels of substances that are naturally produced in the brain
  • Increase in substance levels can cause inflammation
  • Inflammation then cause brain blood vessels to swell and press on nerves causing pain

Common Triggers in Women

  • Too little or too much sleep
  • Skipped meals
  • Bright lights
  • Loud noises
  • Strong odors
  • Menstrual cycle hormone changes
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Weather changes
  • Alcohol (often red wine)

  • Caffeine (too much or withdrawal)
  • 
Foods with nitrates (hot dogs and lunch meats
)
  • MSG (monosodium glutamate)
  • Foods with tyramine (aged cheeses, soy products, fava beans, hard sausages, smoked fish, and Chianti wine

  • Aspartame (NutraSweet® and Equal®)

Cardiogram Migraine IQ module can help you pinpoint your triggers.
Use Daily Log feature in Migraine IQ.

Menstrual Migraines

  • 50%+ migraines in women occur close to their period
  • Just before the cycle begins, female hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone go down sharply. This may trigger a migraine, because estrogen controls chemicals in the brain that affect a woman’s pain sensation
  • 2/3rds of women report that their symptoms improve with menopause
  • Nausea and vomiting usually decrease with age

Birth Control Pills Improve Migraines In Some Women

  • Birth control pills may help reduce the number of attacks
  • Migraine attacks usually become less severe for some, but not for all women using the pills

Healthy Habits that Can Reduce Migraine Episodes

  • Avoid or limit triggers (Migraine IQ can help you understand your triggers)
  • Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day
  • Eat healthy foods
  • Do not skip meals
  • Engage in regular physical activity
  • Limit alcohol and caffeine intake
  • Learn ways to reduce and cope with stress

Share with Doctor Report  (Coming Soon)

Share with Doctor feature will generate a personalized PDF report for you.  Your individualized report will provide specific information that might help your doctor and will include:
    • Frequency of your migraines
    • Location and severity of pain
    • How long the headaches last
    • When the headaches happen – such as during your period
    • Other symptoms, such as light or sound sensitivity and/or nausea and vomiting
    • An insight into your specific triggers
    • A log of headache medicines you took to either prevent getting the migraine or to alleviate pain