Migraines are not just regular headaches—they can disrupt your entire day. Everyday triggers such as stress, light, noise, smells, disrupted routines and lifestyle habits can make them worse. So can prior military experiences and hormone changes. It’s crucial to recognize the symptoms, know your triggers and get the support you need.
Understanding Migraines
Migraines are intense, throbbing head pains that can hit any time, lasting from hours to days. Women tend to experience migraines more frequently and intensely than men, with symptoms including:
- Sharp, intense head pain.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Sensitivity to light, sound and smells.
- Fogginess.
- Visual changes.
Red Flags: Some symptoms are a warning sign of something more serious. If you experience any of the following, head to the ER right away:
- A headache that starts suddenly and escalates within 1-2 minutes.
- Weakness, numbness or trouble speaking.
- A level of pain you’ve never felt before.
Know Your Triggers
Migraines are especially common in women of childbearing age. Hormonal changes—such as periods, menopause, birth control, or pregnancy—can trigger attacks, along with everyday factors like light, noise, smells, weather, disrupted routines and lifestyle habits. Add your prior military experience, and you’ve got a perfect storm for more frequent migraines.
Tracking your migraines (including when they happen, how long they last and symptoms) will help you and your VA health care team create a solid treatment plan. Don’t forget to note your family history and any medications you are taking.
Get Support from VA
Don’t let another migraine throw off your day. If migraines are impacting your life, reach out to VA for support. Together, you and your provider can create a treatment plan to manage your pain and reduce future attacks.
VA offers a full range of services to treat disabling and chronic pain, including medications, injections, acupuncture, and other non-drug therapies like occupational and physical therapy, biofeedback, massage, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. Our Whole Health approach also addresses stress, sleep, nutrition and exercise to manage triggers that contribute to your migraines.
Visit VA Women Veterans Health Care to learn more or call the Women Veterans Call Center (1-855-VA-WOMEN) to speak to a real person who can help you enroll, schedule an appointment and connect you to care you can trust.
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I’m a man, suffering with migraines since I ETS out of the Army in ’82. On Change.org, they are trying to get attention to the fact that migraines are also associated with the firing of Mortars. The repeated jarring of the brain may cause Minnie TBI’s, which in turn causes migraines. I know the ladies have the physical things they go thru, but also If you were associated with any type of blasts could be an issue as well. Thank you Ladies for all you do.
I am a female Veteran going through the migraine medication regimen process at the VA it’s been a long process of taking Magnesium Oxide and Riboflavin to begin with. Then move on up to Topirimate, Candasartan and Rizatriptan. Now I get to try an injection. unfortunately, since these meds are costly, and the VA is Federally funded, we must go through all the options before getting to the new and trendy drugs as seen on TV or social media. I cannot complain, my healthcare is free due to service connected disabilities and there are others who are worse off than I am. Above all, I get great care at the VA. My Neurology team is very caring and take into consideration my whole health such as my sleep apnea, teeth grinding, cervical strain, etc. I pray these injections work.
Up front – I’m not a vet, but am the daughter of a very brave father who served his country with dignity and I keep tabs on VA news for him.
As a woman who has suffered migraines since her early 20s (I’m 50 now), I’ve pretty much tried all the medications. Some would help, some would have awful side-effects, but none were a cure. Four years ago I was suffering migraine attacks 14ish times a month. I saw a neurologist who recommended Botox. Now, I know it’s not for everyone, and it won’t work for all patients, but it corrected my problem and now I have migraines once a month or less. A friend of mine had also recommended that I go to the Botox website because they would help pay for my treatments. They covered the whole thing. I had to pay my deductible to my doctor’s office up-front on my first visit, but nothing more and got a refund for my payment. (Not a botox rep, btw) I don’t know if they still have options available like that, but even if you’ve been prescribed medications, the pharmaceutical companies will often help pay. Either way, don’t give up. Try the meds, and if they don’t work, immediately let your doctor know so you can try something else. No treatment is a one stop shop for the population. And be kind to yourself. Some self-TLC goes a long way when you deal with migraines and any other physical or mental condition.
Sorry…went off on a tangent, but I really hope this helps. Lord knows I could have used better advice when I was younger.
I am a veteran, but other than that your comment describes me. I turned 50 a few months ago and have had migraines since I was 21. I went through it all as well and spent the majority of 6 months living in my cold dark bedroom because any other way of existing caused a migraine. Then I started botox. I can’t imagine my life without it now.
I am male and 71 years old and suffer from migraines. My grandfather had migraines and so did my dad. They were called the “sick headache” by them. I have had migraines since I was 14. Now, I get the “aura”, visual disturbances, without the painful headache.
I’m a Physician Assistant. I’ve been helping “chronic migraines” for years. The best medication that I’ve found is the muscle relaxant, Baclofen. Ten miligram is very helpfur for many people. I take 20 mg tid for severe headaches that I’ve had for 50 years. Since an amusement park injury, where I was thrown , head first, through a wodden fence surrounding the ride. I have also performed Trigger Point injections, using Kenalog mixed with Lidocaine, 0.3/0.3 of each in nthe injections. A series of injections, one week apart, has resolved this pattern of severe headache, NOT Migraine, for people haveing had them for 30-40 years. I have no one to perform them on me. Botox is just a waste of time, and never resolves the issue. They’re largely stress and cervical injury related.
According to the American Migraine Foundation, women in the general population are three times more likely to experience migraines, so the headline in this article, implying that it only pertains to women veterans is bogus.
My migraines didn’t trigger until my PTSD hit, after two combat tours in Iraq and much later in life than migraines usually begin. Years later, I’m now regularly working over the phone with the migraine clinic at my VA out here in western SD and we’re making some good progress. Kudos to pharmacist Joe Berendse. // check to see if your VA also has a clinic like this—it’s very convenient and the meds can be mailed to you. We book follow-ups immediately so no issues trying to find an appt time.
I am Men with migraines. Now what?
I’m not a woman but I’ve had headaches for five months now and all I’ve been offered by the VA was medication. No massage no physical therapy no bio feedback, etc. Just hear some medication‘s. Let’s not look any deeper to what’s causing this but here’s some more medication that will make you feel foggy and vomit all day.
women are more prone to migraines than men. Studies indicate that women are roughly three times more likely to experience migraines than men.
Thank you for this. I’ve suffered from Migraines for many years. And, while AD, I never got it documented in my records because I just figured it was a typical headache. Now, years later – I’ve fully come to understand how debilitating this condition can be. I have a great Neurologist (Dr. Smith) at the DC VA who has been exceptionally committed to providing me great options (besides medications) to help with my Migraines. MSgt, USAF, Ret.