About 60% of women with migraine associate their headache attacks to the menstrual period. Regarding the non-migrainous headaches, this relationship is not so clear. The aim of this study is to present a clinical evaluation of menstrual headaches. Menstrual headache in our study was defined as the headache that begins in the interval of time from 2 days before menstruation until the last day of the menstrual period. The analyzed parameters were: intensity, character and localization of the pain, and associated symptoms. The headaches of 100 women (154 periods) whose ages ranged from 20 to 45 years were analyzed. Most headaches were classified as migraine without aura; the headaches had strong intensity in the first day of pain and reduced gradually until the last day of pain. The headaches were mostly of throbbing character and, in some moment of the menstrual period, referred as unilateral; the duration of these headaches was of longer duration than the migraine attacks reported in medical literature. Most part of the headaches began two days before the first day of the menstrual flow. Nauseas and/or vomiting were the most frequent associated symptoms. Finally, we found, among the menstrual headaches, 9 cases of tension type headache, 2 cases of cervicogenic headache and 1 case of stabbing headache.
menstrual headache; clinical description; menstrual migraine
