Home > Media Relations > Mercy News Archive

Media Relations: Mercy News Archive

Mercy's Dr. Caren Craig, OB/GYN, and Dr. Jonathan Rich, Internal Medicine.

Mercy's Dr. Caren Craig, OB/GYN And Internist Dr. Jonathan Rich Discuss Headaches, PMS And Perimenopause On "The Woman's Doctor"

While premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is common for many women, so are the headaches that accompany it, and doctors said there's a reason for the link.

PMS is medically defined as symptoms that occur based on the changes in hormones several days before your period for several months straight.

"I think PMS is something every woman could define in their own individual way," said Mercy Medical Center's Dr. Caren Craig, OB/GYN.

She said PMS is a common problem and so are headaches.

"(It happens) because of the hormonal changes that can occur -- the drop in estrogen, for example. That's a hormone that most women know about. The drop in estrogen can cause headaches because of the release of other chemicals," Dr. Craig said.

She said behavioral changes can sometimes help.

"Certainly, it's been proven that consistent aerobic exercise can help with PMS symptoms," Dr. Craig said.

According to Mercy internist Dr. Jonathan Rich, it's helpful to keep a log for a couple of months.

"You have them keep a record of when their cycle was, when they had the headache, what food did you eat, when the headache occurred, what time of day. So, it can be very helpful to track a pattern on your patients," he said.

For more details and to view Dr. Craig and Dr. Rich's interviews on WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor," click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/21340281/detail.html.