Think of your cycle like a roller coaster ride. Then think of the estrogen in your body as the car on the tracks. The estrogen rises and falls throughout the course of the month. It’s on the rise until right before your period, then it drops. Unlike a roller coaster where you feel it in your stomach, when it comes to your period, you can feel it in your head 🤦. 

Headaches are a very common PMS symptom. When you add hormonal birth control to the mix, things get more complicated. In some cases it can actually eliminate the rise and fall of estrogen that usually occurs during a cycle. This balancing of estrogen can reduce the frequency and severity of headaches. It could also go the other way, though. You might find that you’re only experiencing headaches on your hormonal birth control. If so, speak with your doctor because a different birth control may be a better fit.