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What Causes Them and What You Can Do

If you’re pregnant and having headaches, you’re not alone. A medical review reports that 39 percent of pregnant and postpartum women have headaches.

Though during pregnancy you may have a different kind of headache than you usually do, most headaches during pregnancy aren’t harmful.

Headache pain during the first trimester of pregnancy may happen for different reasons than headaches in the second or third trimester. In some cases, headache pain may be a sign of other health problems during pregnancy.

Tell your doctor about any headache you have during, before, and after pregnancy. Keep a journal to record how often you have headaches and how serious the pain is. Additionally, record any other symptoms you have.

Most headaches during pregnancy are primary headaches. This means that the headache pain happens by itself. It’s not a sign or symptom of another disorder or a complication in the pregnancy. Primary headaches include:

• tension headaches
• migraine attacks
• cluster headaches

About 26 percent of headaches during pregnancy are tension headaches. Tell your doctor if you have chronic headaches or migraine during pregnancy or if you have a history of migraine.

Some women with a history of migraine get fewer migraine attacks during pregnancy. Migraine has also been linked to complications that happen later in pregnancy or after the birth of your baby.

Secondary headaches are a caused by a complication in the pregnancy, such as high blood pressure.

Headache pain may vary from one person to the next. You may have:

• dull ache
• throbbing or pulsating pain
• severe pain on one or both sides
• sharp pain behind one or both eyes

Migraine pain may also include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• seeing lines or flashes of light
• blind spots

First trimester

Tension headaches are common in the first trimester of your pregnancy. This may happen because your body is undergoing several changes at this time. These changes may trigger headache pain:

• hormonal changes
• higher blood volume
• weight changes

Common causes of headache pain during the first trimester of pregnancy also include:

• dehydration
• nausea and vomiting
• stress
• lack of sleep
• caffeine withdrawal
• poor nutrition
• low blood sugar levels
• too little physical activity
• sensitivity to light
• changes in vision

Some foods may also cause headaches. Your trigger foods may change during pregnancy. Common foods that may cause headaches in some people include:

• dairy
• chocolate
• cheese
• yeast
• tomatoes

Second and third trimester

Headaches during your second and third trimester may have different causes. These include:

• extra weight
• posture
• too little sleep
• diet
• muscle strain and tightness
• high blood pressure
• diabetes

High blood pressure

Headaches during your second or third trimester of pregnancy may be a sign that you have high blood pressure. About 6 to 8 percent of pregnant women ages 20 to 44 in the United States have high blood pressure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that this treatable condition can cause serious complications for both mother and baby. This is most common after week 20 of pregnancy.

If you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can raise the risk of:

• stroke
• preeclampsia
• eclampsia
• low oxygen flow to the baby
• preterm delivery, before 37 weeks
• placental abruption
• low baby birth weight, which is less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces

Treatment for hypertension during pregnancy

Your doctor may prescribe medication to treat your high blood pressure. You’ll also need to cut down on salt and add more fiber to your daily diet. Regular exercise is also very important to help balance your blood pressure.

Other causes of headache during pregnancy include common infections and more serious illnesses:

• sinus infection
• low blood pressure
• blood clots
• bleeding
• sickle cell anemia
• brain tumor
• aneurysm
• stroke
• heart conditions
• meningitis or encephalitis

Talk to your doctor before taking your regular headache pain medication during pregnancy. Don’t take aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin etc.).

The CDC warns that these pain relief drugs can be harmful to your growing baby, especially if taken during the first trimester. Many women may take acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy. However, some studies suggest there may be effects from taking acetaminophen as well.

Your doctor can recommend alternative medications to treat headache during pregnancy and natural headache remedies, such as:

• drinking plenty of water
• rest
• ice pack
• heating pad
• massage
• exercise and stretching
• essential oils, such as peppermint, rosemary, and chamomile

When to see your doctor

See your doctor if you have any headache pain at all during pregnancy. Get urgent medical attention if you have:

• fever
• nausea and vomiting
• blurred vision
• severe pain
• headache that lasts longer than a few hours
• frequent headache pain
• fainting
• seizure

Your doctor may recommend tests and scans to find out the cause of your headaches. These include:

• checking your blood pressure
• blood test
• blood sugar test
• vision test
• ultrasound of the head and neck
• heart or head scan
• checking eye health with a scope
• spine puncture

Headache pain during pregnancy is common. You may have tension headaches during your first trimester of pregnancy. This may happen because of the many changes that you’re going through in a short period.

Headache pain may happen in the second and third period of your pregnancy for other reasons. Some causes of headaches in your mid to late pregnancy may be serious.

High blood pressure is a serious cause of headache pain during pregnancy. You can have high blood pressure at any time in your pregnancy. You may not have any symptoms at all. Check your blood pressure at least once a day with a home monitor.

Tell your doctor if you have headaches at any time in your pregnancy. Let your doctor know right away if you have a personal or family history of migraine, high blood pressure, seizures or diabetes.

Take all medications and treatment exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all diet and exercise advice carefully. See your doctor for all follow-up and regular check-ups. Most causes of headaches during pregnancy are treatable or preventable with the right care.

For more pregnancy guidance and weekly tips tailored to your due date, sign up for our I’m Expecting newsletter.

Headache during pregnancy: where does it come from and how to get rid of it

November 14, 2020 Likbez Health

Sometimes you just need to get some sleep, and sometimes you need to call an ambulance immediately.

When to call an ambulance

Call 103 or 112 urgently if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• sudden and severe headache;
• consciousness becomes confused or completely lost;
• pain worsens over 5 minutes; nine0012
• flies, spots flash in the eyes;
• throbbing and noisy in the ears;
• speech has become slurred, words are drawn out;
• arms and legs weaken, convulsions set in;
• the muscles of the neck are very stiff, it is impossible to reach the chest with the chin;
• fever of 39 °C or more;
• increased heart rate at rest;
• severe shortness of breath;
• the child pushes without stopping or stops abruptly;
• leaking water or blood; nine0012
• lower abdomen hurts, as if contractions had begun.

Why pregnant women can get headaches

Pregnancy headaches are not always life threatening. But the doctor needs to be told about it in any case. If the symptom appeared for the first time and does not hurt much, postpone the conversation until a scheduled visit. If your headache is recurring or gets worse, it's best to make an appointment as soon as possible. The gynecologist will decide what needs to be done or refer you to another doctor.

There are many causes of headaches. Scientists have found that in pregnant women in 57% of cases it is primary, that is, not associated with other diseases. The most common are migraines and tension headaches. nine0003

Everything else is a secondary headache caused by various pathologies. Usually it is high blood pressure and infections. But there are also more dangerous reasons.

1. Stress and fatigue

A pregnant woman's body experiences increased stress, because it has to work for two. If at the same time the expectant mother is exposed to stress, strong feelings or sleeps little, she develops a tension headache.

Discomfort lasts from 30 minutes to several days. The head hurts in the forehead, occiput, both temples. But there is no feeling that they put on a tight hoop or helmet. The pain does not get worse when bending over, walking, or climbing stairs, bright lights, or sounds. nine0003

What to do

Tension headache can go away on its own: just get some fresh air or sleep. Sometimes pleasant emotions help, which distract from experiences.

If the pain persists for 2-3 consecutive days, see a doctor. He will select painkillers that are safe for the child.

2. Medications

Any medicine that enters the stomach or bloodstream can cause headaches even if the dosage is correct. In pregnant women, this often occurs due to drugs for high blood pressure, heart disease, antibiotics, anticonvulsants. nine0003

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for headaches may cause the opposite effect: the pills do not remove, but provoke symptoms.

What to do

If your head hurts a few hours after taking the medicine, you need to see a doctor to change the medicine. Do not drink non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for more than 3-5 days. If they do not help, you need to tell the doctor about it.

3. Love for coffee or rejection of it

Coffee can cause headaches during pregnancy. Unpleasant symptoms occur if you drink more than 3-4 cups a day.

Abrupt refusal of coffee is also harmful. It is worth finding out about pregnancy and stopping brewing a fragrant drink, and after 1-2 days, aching pain will appear in the temples and the back of the head.

What to do

Coffee is best avoided during pregnancy. If a headache occurs a day after this, you can drink a small cup of the drink and wait a day again. Gradually, the dependence on coffee will pass. nine0003

Coffee drinkers can reduce their drink intake to 1-2 cups per day.

4. Infection with fever

Acute viral (usually ARVI) or bacterial (eg, streptococcal tonsillitis) infections cause fever and headache. This is a normal reaction to foreign microorganisms.

But any infection is dangerous for pregnant women. It can cause fetal defects, growth retardation and even miscarriage. And with meningitis, especially listeriosis, there is a threat to the life of the mother. nine0003

What to do

If you have a headache with fever, call your doctor. He will prescribe safe medications or give you a referral to the hospital if a severe infection is suspected. In this case, you need strong antibiotics, droppers to maintain the body and sometimes hormones.

5. Preeclampsia and preeclampsia

After 20 weeks, preeclampsia may develop in pregnant women. This is a disease in which one of three symptoms or a combination of them may appear: high blood pressure, edema, and protein in the urine. nine0003

Without proper treatment, preeclampsia turns into preeclampsia. The pressure rises sharply, the head and lower abdomen hurt unbearably, the baby pushes unusually hard or, on the contrary, suddenly calms down. Preeclampsia can lead to placental abruption, damage to the liver and other organs, bleeding, and even seizures. Without urgent medical care, the fetus and mother die.

What to do

When the first signs of preeclampsia appear, the pregnant woman is hospitalized to find treatment. After that, she is discharged home under the supervision of her gynecologist. nine0003

But if her health worsens, the doctor again sends the woman to the hospital, where she is prescribed medication to reduce pressure, special drips to keep her body functioning. If improvement does not occur within a day, a caesarean section is performed.

6. Migraine

One of the causes of migraine is a change in estrogen levels. But the disease very rarely appears due to pregnancy. On the contrary, in 70% of women, the symptoms subside dramatically after conception. Nevertheless, migraines torment many. nine0003

It may begin with an aura: flashes of light, spots before the eyes, tingling in the hands or numbness of half of the face, sometimes tinnitus. Each symptom can last from 20 minutes to an hour.

A migraine attack develops after the aura. In this case, one side of the head hurts and throbs, nausea or vomiting appears. A woman is irritated by bright lights, loud noises, smells. They make the pain worse.

Seizures last from a few hours to a week or more. After a migraine, there is a feeling of severe fatigue, exhaustion, and an awkward turn of the head can return the pain. nine0003

What to do

Any medication for migraine during pregnancy must be prescribed by a doctor. In some cases, drugs from the group of beta-blockers are used.

Studies have shown that frequent migraine in pregnancy is associated with a lack of magnesium. The doctor will help you choose the appropriate type of vitamin and mineral complex and its dosage.

7. Cerebral vascular disease

Hormone problems in some pregnant women increase blood clotting, which increases the risk of thrombosis, stroke or bleeding in the meninges. These conditions are very dangerous: a woman can die within a few minutes or remain disabled. nine0003

Vascular involvement is always accompanied by several symptoms:

• severe headache on one side;
• nausea and vomiting;
• blurred vision;
• loss of consciousness;
• convulsions.

What to do

Urgently call an ambulance. The pregnant woman must be laid or seated so that she does not hit when she falls. You can't give medicine! You can only open the window so that there is more air in the room.

Which treatment the doctor prescribes depends on the specific disease. These can be drugs that reduce blood clotting and dissolve blood clots. In some cases, urgent surgery is needed. nine0003

8. Brain tumors

Studies show that progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy can trigger or accelerate the growth of tumors in the brain. Symptoms of the disease appear slowly, over several months, and depend on the size and location of the tumor.

Headache may gradually increase, then vision, speech, hearing deteriorate, limbs go numb and convulsions appear. Sometimes it is difficult for a woman to keep her balance.

What to do

If a pregnant woman often has a headache, or she forgets what she wanted to buy in the store and how to cook her favorite borscht, confuses her way home, you need to go to a neurologist. First, he will prescribe standard treatment, simple and safe medicines, rest, good sleep.

If this does not help, the symptoms persist or worsen, a deep examination is needed. The pregnant woman will be sent for an MRI of the brain. This procedure is safe for the fetus. If the diagnosis is confirmed, surgery may be required. nine0003

What to do if the doctor cannot find the cause of the pain

If you have been examined and the doctor cannot tell you why your head hurts and diagnoses you with vascular dystonia, this is cause for concern. There is no such disease.

Seek another doctor. Perhaps he uses new diagnostic methods that will help to deal with the problem and choose a treatment.

How to avoid pregnancy headaches

Experts recommend:

• Avoid triggers. For example, if you notice that certain foods, smells, or situations cause headaches, try not to encounter them.
• Protect yourself from stress, do not worry about trifles.
• Move more. During pregnancy, walk every day in the fresh air and do special exercises for expectant mothers.
• Eat right. Try to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, dairy products, drink at least 2.4 liters of liquid. Every day, the menu should include fish, poultry or lean meat. And it is better not to buy sweet, fast food and other junk food. nine0012
• Follow the daily routine. You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day and go to bed no later than 22-23 hours in order for melatonin to be produced normally.
• Learn to relax. Learn simple meditation techniques or breathing exercises.

Read also 🧐

• How pregnancy develops by week
• How to calculate the duration of pregnancy
• What rights does a pregnant woman have at work
• 7 best sex positions for pregnant women
• How to recognize a miscarriage and what to do next

Pregnancy headache

Authors: A. Yu. Limanskaya, Yu.V. Davydova

nineteen.01.2017

A.Yu. Limanskaya

Tension headache and migraine are the most common types of headaches (30-78% and 15% respectively). According to the WHO, primary headache is in general in 10th place among all conditions leading to disability, and in women, in 5th place. In 16% of patients, episodic tension-type headache becomes chronic. The economic loss in Western Europe and North America due to headache-related disability is estimated at $17-20 billion a year. To date, there is a trend towards an increase in the incidence of headache in young people. nine0206