How to help pregnancy headaches

Headache and migraine remedies that are safe during pregnancy | Your Pregnancy Matters

Occasional, mild headaches during pregnancy usually are nothing to worry about.

Most women deal with headaches at some point in their lives. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that one in five women had a severe acute headache or migraine in the previous three months. Additionally, migraines are more common in women than men – approximately 18 percent of women have them compared to 6.5 percent of men.

Because headaches and migraines are so common, it’s probably no surprise that many women deal with them during pregnancy. For the majority of pregnant women, occasional headaches or migraines are no cause for alarm, and most standard treatments are safe. However, suffering a severe headache at key times during or after pregnancy can indicate a serious medical emergency.

Common types of headaches and treatment options

Primary headaches

Primary or acute headaches arise once in a while and typically pass after a few hours. Tension headaches are the most common type and are characterized by muscle tightness and localized pain in the head and neck.

Primary headaches in pregnant women usually can be treated at home. Rest, a neck or scalp massage, hot or cold packs, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as Tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprofen can reduce the pain. However, if you start to have frequent or severe headaches, talk to your doctor to determine the cause.

Migraines

Migraines tend to be episodic (frequent and long-lasting) and typically cause additional neurological symptoms, such as:

● Blurred or tunnel vision

● Hallucinations

● Light sensitivity

● Nausea and vomiting

Studies have shown that migraines can be triggered by hormonal changes, including right before your period or as a result of taking oral contraceptives. Interestingly, some women who have migraines find that the frequency or intensity of their symptoms decreases during pregnancy. Research does not suggest, however, that pregnancy triggers the onset of migraines – if you have your first migraine during pregnancy, it’s likely coincidental.

Treatment during pregnancy is fairly similar to standard treatment. Anti-inflammatory drugs are generally safe and effective during pregnancy when used in a limited manner. Midrin is a commonly prescribed headache medication that contains acetaminophen along with a mild sedative. Midrin also has vasoconstrictive properties, which means it narrows the blood vessels, thereby reducing blood flow and pain.

Sumatriptan, commonly known as Imitrex, is another medication that reduces blood flow to the brain. It works best to stop a migraine if it’s taken as soon as symptoms present. Most nausea medications prescribed to women with migraines are safe to use during pregnancy, but I suggest reviewing the medications you take for migraine relief with your obstetrician at your first prenatal visit, just to be safe.

Certain drugs called ergotamines have a stronger vasoconstrictive effect and can adversely affect fetal growth. They also can stimulate uterine activity. Because of this, they absolutely should not be used during pregnancy.

Severe migraines might require hospitalization so you can receive fluids, pain medication, or anti-nausea medication through an IV if you are unable to keep medications down.

"Most women don’t require special care for headaches and migraines during pregnancy, and most standard remedies are safe. However, certain types of headaches require immediate medical attention to avoid potentially harmful health issues."
– Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, M.D.

When headaches are secondary to other problems

Headaches can result from other conditions, some of which are life-threatening:

● Stroke: Sudden and severe headaches might be a sign of a stroke. Women who have strokes during pregnancy or after delivery typically describe the pain as the worst headache of their lives. They also might report other symptoms, such as speech problems, vision issues, or functional problems on one side of the face or body. At the emergency room, the doctor will evaluate you for stroke symptoms, such as visual changes, facial drooping, and arm or leg weakness. If you are having or had a stroke, we will get you emergency treatment at our Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center.

● Preeclampsia: A headache with preeclampsia (a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure) can indicate a dangerous spike in blood pressure. The doctor will assess you and might admit you to the hospital for management of blood pressure and treatment to prevent seizures.

● Spinal fluid leak: A headache after an epidural or spinal block can indicate a spinal fluid leak, especially if it worsens when you sit or stand up. The most effective treatment is an epidural blood patch, in which the doctor injects a sample of your blood into the leaking area, essentially plugging the hole. This therapy provides dramatic relief right away.

Occasional mild headaches are common in women. The vast majority are no cause for alarm and can be treated at home, with guidance from your doctor. However, if your symptoms are severe or something just doesn’t seem right, it’s much better to seek care and be safe rather than sorry.

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Headaches During Pregnancy | American Pregnancy Association

Headaches are one of the most common discomforts experienced during pregnancy and may occur at any time during your pregnancy, but they tend to be most common during the first and third trimesters.

During the first trimester, your body experiences a surge of hormones and an increase in blood volume. These two changes can cause more frequent headaches. These headaches may be further aggravated by stress, poor posture or changes in your vision.
Other causes of headaches during pregnancy may involve one or more of the following:

Lack of sleep
Low blood sugar
Dehydration
Caffeine withdrawal
Stress (due to many changes)

Women who have regular migraine headaches may discover that they experience fewer migraines during pregnancy; however, some women may encounter the same number or even more migraine headaches. If you are pregnant, it is important to talk to your health care provider about any medications that you may be taking for headaches.
Headaches during the third trimester tend to be related more often to poor posture and tension from carrying extra weight. Headaches during the third trimester may also be caused by a condition called preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy.

How Do I Treat Headaches During Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you want to try and relieve your headache by natural means if possible, however your health care provider may recommend acetaminophen.

You may want to try to relieve your headache with one or more of the following natural remedies:

If you have a sinus headache, apply a warm compress around your eyes and nose
If you have a tension headache, apply a cold compress or ice pack at the base of your neck
Maintain your blood sugar by eating smaller, more frequent meals – this may also help prevent future headaches
Get a massage – massaging your shoulders and neck is an effective way to relieve pain
Rest in a dark room and practice deep breathing
Take a warm shower or bath
Practice good posture (especially during the third trimester)
Get plenty of rest and relaxation
Exercise
Eat well-balanced meals

You may also reduce the likelihood of migraine headaches by avoiding common triggers of migraine headaches:

Chocolate
Alcohol
Yogurt
Aged cheese
Peanuts
Bread with fresh yeast
Preserved meats
Sour cream

When Should I Contact My Doctor?

Before taking any medications
If you do not experience any relief from the remedies above
Your headaches get worse or more persistent
You experience headaches that are different than normal
Your headaches are accompanied by blurry vision, sudden weight gain, pain in the upper right abdomen, and swelling in the hands and face

Want to Know More?

7 Common Discomforts of Pregnancy
Treating Muscle Cramps Naturally During Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Leg Cramps

Compiled using information from the following sources:

1. Williams Obstetrics Twenty-Second Ed. Cunningham, F. Gary, et al, Ch. 55.

2. National Headache Foundation.

https://www.headaches.org

3. Mayo Clinic Guide To A Healthy Pregnancy Harms, Roger W., M.D., et al, Part 3.

Migraine during pregnancy: what to do

Migraine is a benign disease, it does not affect the course of pregnancy and fetal development. However, migraine and pregnancy is a combination that requires a responsible attitude. Especially with frequent migraines (more than 2 times a week) and migraines with aura, because:

medicines approved for use, few,
and the approach to the treatment and prevention of migraine during this period is extremely individual: it depends on the frequency, severity and duration of headache, the degree of impact on life.

Our neurologist Daria Korobkova conducted a live broadcast on the clinic's Instagram account, where she told how migraine and pregnancy are connected, why attacks become more frequent or disappear, and answered subscribers' questions. The ether was saved, see “Air recording: migraine during pregnancy and GV.

We will tell about migraine during breastfeeding separately.

The statistics of clinical observations of migraine during pregnancy looks like this:

In 60-70% of pregnant women with migraine, headache attacks become less frequent, milder, or even completely disappear in the second and third trimesters. This is due to the stabilization of estrogen levels. By the beginning of the second trimester, it rises 6 times and its fluctuations stop.

In other women, migraines during pregnancy either remain unchanged or worsen. But as the duration of pregnancy increases, the proportion of such women gradually decreases:

If at the end of the first trimester the frequency and intensity of attacks persist, then it is most likely that migraine will disturb the woman throughout the entire period of pregnancy and after childbirth too.

How to manage migraine during pregnancy?

The main thing here is to learn how to control seizures and, if necessary, seek medical help.

Follow lifestyle advice:

get enough sleep;
drink enough fluids;
eat fractionally and without long breaks;
rest;
avoid stressful situations. This is one of the main provocateurs of migraine. Psychotherapy, relaxation and stress management are here to help you.

Keep a headache diary. This will help you take control of migraine triggers.

Yes, these simple recommendations are sometimes enough to make seizures less frequent! Pregnancy is a special state of a woman. If in other periods of life we do not take such recommendations so seriously, then in this situation it is worth trying to change the philosophy of life and attitude towards ourselves =)

How to relieve an attack?

Favor non-drug methods. Sometimes, in order to relieve an attack, it is enough to eliminate an unfavorable factor:

dry biscuits, ginger, or applesauce may help with nausea;
for dehydration - diluted juice or other liquid;
sleep, walking or breathing exercises can also help to cope;

If the attacks are severe, interfere with your life, then under the supervision of a specialist, you can resort to drug therapy.

PARACETAMOL is considered the safest and can be taken throughout pregnancy.

All other drugs have nuances. For example:

ibuprofen can be taken in the second trimester, and in the first trimester it is better to limit, in the third trimester the drug is contraindicated for use;
aspirin is prohibited in the 3rd trimester and is undesirable for taking in the first two, as it can cause extremely undesirable consequences;
It is strictly forbidden to use ergotamine and opioid analgesics;
triptans are not officially approved for use during pregnancy as no controlled studies have been conducted. However, clinical observations of women around the world who took them on their own showed no adverse effects on the fetus. We discussed this issue in more detail on the air.

!Other than paracetamol, we do not recommend the use of any drug without a doctor's prescription.

When to see a doctor:

migraine occurred for the first time during pregnancy;
if migraine attacks suddenly become more frequent and stronger;
if the aura became longer or appeared for the first time;
if the headache is rapidly increasing and has an unusual character;
if the pressure rises during the headache.

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

When to call an ambulance

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

sudden and severe headache;
consciousness becomes confused or completely lost;
pain worsens over 5 minutes;
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;
temperature rises to 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;
pain in the lower abdomen, 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.

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.