What is menstrual migraine?

It's migraine associated with the natural fall in oestrogen around the period, described by the American Migraine Foundation. Attacks tend to cluster in the days just before and during bleeding — but the strength of the link varies, which is why tracking against your cycle helps.

How many cycles do I need to log to see a pattern?

Usually two or three. Because cycle timing varies, a couple of months of dated migraine days marked against your period days is enough to show whether attacks cluster perimenstrually or scatter across the month.

Hormonal changes and migraine: tracking the association

For many people who menstruate, migraine days cluster around their period — a pattern usually linked to the natural drop in oestrogen. It's one of the more consistently reported and well-recognised trigger associations, but it's still individual. Temple can't prove hormones triggered a given attack, but a dated record viewed against your cycle can make a menstrual pattern clearly visible.

What the evidence says

The American Migraine Foundation describes menstrual migraine, where attacks are associated with the fall in oestrogen in the days just before and during a period. The NHS also lists periods and hormonal changes among migraine triggers. For some this shows as attacks reliably around the same point each cycle; for others the link is looser. Recording it against your cycle is what tells the two apart.

How to log it usefully

Log your migraine days with dates and mark your period days. Over two or three cycles you can see whether attacks concentrate in the perimenstrual window — roughly the two days before through the first few days of bleeding — or whether they scatter across the month. Because cycles vary, dated entries beat memory every time.

How Temple surfaces the pattern

Temple lines your dated migraine days up against your cycle, so a perimenstrual cluster becomes obvious if it's there. That's exactly the kind of pattern worth taking to a healthcare professional, who can discuss options with you. The diary records the association — it doesn't diagnose, treat, or predict.

Temple lines your dated migraine days up against your cycle, so any perimenstrual pattern shows up clearly for a conversation with your clinician.

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Common questions

What is menstrual migraine?: It's migraine associated with the natural fall in oestrogen around the period, described by the American Migraine Foundation. Attacks tend to cluster in the days just before and during bleeding — but the strength of the link varies, which is why tracking against your cycle helps.
How many cycles do I need to log to see a pattern?: Usually two or three. Because cycle timing varies, a couple of months of dated migraine days marked against your period days is enough to show whether attacks cluster perimenstrually or scatter across the month.