Pregnancy Headaches

While headaches during pregnancy are not commonly dangerous they do require special treatment because of the unborn child which the pregnant woman is carrying. Women can experience both tension headaches and migraine headaches when they are pregnant, especially during the first and third trimester. A tension headache often feels like a squeezing pain or a dull ache on both sides of the head or the back of the neck.

Experts are not sure why carrying a child tends to make headaches occur more frequently but a safe guess is that it is related to a hormonal free-for-all taking place in the body. Women who are also giving up caffeine cold turkey when they become pregnant may also have problems with withdrawal symptoms, including headaches. During the first and third trimesters women also suffer from general fatigue, nasal congestion, allergies, depression, hunger and dehydration all of which can also trigger a headache.

Migraines, another common type of headache, are also more frequently experienced by women who are pregnant. About 15% of migraine sufferers will get their first headache when they are pregnant, most often in the first trimester. A migraine headache will be experienced as severe throbbing pain, typically on one side of the head and lasting from four to 72 hours. These headaches are aggravated by physical activity, and cause an increased sensitivity to sound and light.

Some women also experienced an aura, visual changes (such as bright flashing lights or blind spots) that precede a migraine headache. Sometimes an aura can include sensation of \”pins and needles\”, weakness and speech disturbances. All of these symptoms may start as long as an hour before a migraine and can last up to an hour themselves.

Thankfully, the majority of women who are prone to migraines often noticed that they improve during pregnancy, instead of getting worse. It is important to note that migraine sufferers do not appear to have a higher risk of any pregnancy complications than other women.

The difference between a woman who experiences a tension headache or a migraine headache who is pregnant and one who is not pregnant is the type of treatment that can be used. Because she is carrying an unborn child who can be significantly negatively harmed by the type of medications or herbal supplements which the mother may take, pregnant women must be extremely cautious in the way they treat their headaches. For this reason, it is also important to work towards improved prevention programs to decrease the risk of developing a migraine or tension headache.

Some migraine sufferers suddenly find that the drugs that has been alleviating the pain is no longer an option. When a woman becomes pregnant it is important to discuss your options with your primary care physician, neurologists and or obstetrician. Some medications are usually considered safe, such as Tylenol, while others are completely out of the question such as ibuprofen.

Certain narcotic abortive medications, used to immediately stop the pain of a migraine headache, and some preventative drugs, such as beta-blockers and the antidepressants, can also be taken when a woman is pregnant. Anti-seizure medications which are sometimes prescribed for migraine prevention must always be avoided during pregnancy because of the danger of birth defects.

These are only some examples of the medications and herbal supplements which can be used to help treat migraine and tension headaches. In many countries drugs are put into classification which indicate how risky they are for use during pregnancy. At this point there are no preventative drugs in the lowest risk category and often doctors will have the woman go off preventative treatment once they discover they are pregnant or when they are trying to get pregnant.

But there are other things that can be done in order to either prevent a headache or get relief once you have one. The first thing is to figure out what is triggering the pain using a headache diary. This is something you may have done when you first discovered he had migraine headaches, in order to identify specific foods or environmental factors which triggered a migraine. Once you have a migraine headache you should write down anything you have eaten in the previous 24 hours, how much sleep you\’ve received, how much stress you are under in any barometric weather changes that are coming in the area.

Some common food triggers include monosodium glutamate, nitrates and sulfates as well as artificial sweeteners, some nuts, aged cheese and cultured dairy products, such as buttermilk and sour cream. For those women who are suffering from a tension headache a warm compress to the forehead or the base of the skull work best because they help to dilate the vessels which have become constricted, or smaller. For women who are suffering from a migraine headache a cold compress will work best. This is because the cold compress will help to constrict blood vessels which have dilated during the migraine.

For some sufferers who experienced migraine headaches during pregnancy a cold shower will bring some fast relief. Sufferers should prevent any low blood sugar by eating smaller, more frequent meals and keeping snacks with you when you are on the go. Drink plenty of water to stay well hydrated and avoid becoming fatigued by taking naps during the day. Pregnant women should not ignore the need for exercise which can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines as well as reduce stress. This is also a great time to use any relaxation techniques with which you are familiar and to consider getting a full body massage to release the tension in the muscles of your neck, shoulders and back.

By avoiding the trigger, eating well-balanced meals and taking care of your body most women are able to decrease the number of migraine headaches they experienced during pregnancy. Using some of the other pain relieving techniques as well as talking with your primary care physician about the medications which you may be able to use to help relieve pain you should be able to control the pain and continue to enjoy your pregnancy.

RESOURCES

American Pregnancy Association: Pregnancy and Headaches

BabyCenter: Headaches During Pregnancy

MayoClinic: Pregnancy Week by Week

Utah Department of Health: Headaches During Pregnancy

University of Rochester Medical Center: Headaches in Early Pregnancy