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Headaches During Pregnancy

Headaches during pregnancy are very common.  Some women who have terrible headaches such as migraines find themselves headache free in pregnancy.  Other women who have rarely had headaches begin to have daily headaches while pregnant.  In some women, they have an early pregnancy symptom of headache.

Pregnancy headaches have many different causes. It can be enormously frustrating to women who are experiencing headaches during pregnancy, but with the right techniques they can become manageable.

Headaches and Pregnancy - Causes
There is no simple answer for why women get headaches during pregnancy.  There is a relationship between hormone levels and pregnancy headaches, and these changes are most
prominent during early and late pregnancy.  Some other reasons for headaches may include:
   
  • *  Stress:  Women who have stressors in their lives might get tension headaches, which are       usually located in the temple region of the head. 
  • *  Increased blood volume:  In pregnancy, women have 50% more blood volume than in          their non-pregnant state.  This extra blood volume can sometimes cause a headache              during pregnancy. 
  • *  Poor Nutrition:  Eating a diet that is lacking in nutrients and calories can create a situation    where a headache from low or fluctuating blood sugar occurs. 
  • *  Cessation of caffeine:  Choosing to eliminate caffeine from your diet can cause                    headaches during the first several days of stopping.  While these headaches can be                piercing and very intense, they are also fleeting and will pass after the body completes            withdrawal from caffeine. 
  • *  Sleeplessness:  A body that is deprived of sleep can also trigger headaches. 

The cause of the headaches during pregnancy is important to know, because without understanding where the headaches are stemming from, preventing them can be difficult. 

A headache diary is useful to help identify what is happening in around the time of the headache occurrence.  Looking back at the diary can help determine the causes for your specific headaches.
 
 
Headaches and Pregnancy - Treatment
While generally having a headache means taking an analgesic like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, being pregnant might give a woman good reason to seek alternative means for
alleviating the headache. Finding the source of your headache and eliminating the trigger is more effective than simply treating the headache with analgesics.

Try the following treatment options:
  • Watch Out for Headache Triggers:  If you’ve kept a headache diary and noted the choices in diet or lifestyle that have accompanied your headaches, then knowing what to eliminate will be easy.  Even if you haven’t kept a journal, you can eliminate those things that often trigger headaches.  Keep your eye on aged cheese, MSG (monosodium glutamate), chocolate, caffeine, and any food allergens you may have, as these are common headache triggers. 
  • Reduce Your Stress Level:  No one can completely eliminate stress, but making a conscious effort to reduce your stress level can truly help your pregnancy headaches.  Try to reduce those stressful occasions in your life and work toward a more peaceful existence to help combat your headaches during pregnancy.  Exercise can be a powerful reliever of stress. Walking, yoga, and swimming are all great exercise activities during pregnancy.
  • Nutrition is Important:  Be sure that you are eating healthy meals that contain all the nutrition that you need for a day.  If you are experiencing nausea associated with early pregnancy, try to eat smaller meals more often.  Ensure that your nutrition during pregnancy is well-balanced and offers you the best hope for nourishing your body and your developing baby.  Not eating enough of the right foods can trigger pregnancy headaches and put you and your baby at risk. (Read more about pregnancy diet)
  • Use Hot and Cold:  Using temperature extremes can also help with headaches during pregnancy.  Use both hot and cold compresses on your head, neck, and face to help relieve the sensation of headaches.  
  • Use of Over-the-Counter Pain Medicines:  Acetaminophen can be used safely in all stages of pregnancy.  Consult your doctor or midwife for proper dosage information for use in
  • pregnancy. 

Migraine Headaches and Pregnancy
Because migraine headaches during pregnancy are particularly resistant to both over-the-counter pain relievers and alternative manners of treatment, migraine sufferers need to be sure to communicate with their doctor or midwife about the options available to them during pregnancy.  Migraines in pregnancy may disappear completely, only to return with a vengeance after pregnancy is over.  Traditional medicines for migraine headaches may not be safe during pregnancy, so check with your care provider before taking any previously prescribed medicine.

When To Call Your Doctor or Midwife
Headaches are usually benign in nature, but on occasion headaches can venture outside the scope of a normal healthy pregnancy.  If your headache is accompanied by any of the
following symptoms, please contact your doctor:

  • *  Visual disturbances (spots or blurry vision)
  • *  Pain in the upper right quadrant
  • *  Uncharacteristic swelling (especially of the hands and face)
  • *  Nausea or vomiting




Go from Headaches During Pregnancy to Pregnancy Problems.

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