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Fertility & Pregnancy, Disease Management

Headaches during Pregnancy

Headaches may occur at any time during  pregnancy, but they tend to be most common during the first and third trimesters. In the first trimester, headaches occur because of hormone changes you experience while in the third trimester, headaches are felt because of your having to carry additional weight and changes in your usual posture.

Causes of headache during pregnancy:

Causes of headaches during pregnancy may involve one or more of the following:

• Hormonal Changes

• Lack of sleep

• Low blood sugar

• Dehydration

• Caffeine withdrawal

• Stress (too many changes)

• Headaches during the third trimester may also be caused by a condition called pre-eclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Aside from these, experts suspect that eating cold foods, added caffeine intake,  general fatigue, sinus congestion, allergies, eyestrain, depression, and hunger.

Treating headaches during pregnancy

Migraine does not pose an increased risk for miscarriage, toxemia, congenital anomalies, or stillbirths. However, inadequately addressed and treated migraines can lead to poor nutritional intake, dehydration, sleep deprivation, increased stress, poor marital relations, and depression with associated adverse sequelae on maternal and fetal well-being.

Find out what are the possible causes that trigger the throbbing pain. Stress is actually one of the most common factors that triggers headache during pregnancy. What you can do is to recognize what are the things that stress you out and find a way to avoid them. Aside from identifying and accepting the reasons why are you stressed out, you can also minimize stress by eating regularly and drinking plenty of liquids. You should also rest and exercise whenever you can.

Aside from resting, try indulging to relaxing activities such as by meditation, listening to music, or writing. Also avoid taking in or eating products that may cause headache such as alcohol, foods has MSG, artificial sweeteners, aged cheese and cultured dairy products and the like. If possible, try to stay away from people who are stressful and always keep the communication lines between you and your partner open.

Avoiding tension headaches is easiest when you follow these tips:

• Practice good posture (especially during the third trimester)

• Get plenty of rest and relaxation

• Exercise

• Eat well-balanced meals

If you are not able to prevent headaches, there are still things that you can do to help them go away. During pregnancy, you want to try and relieve your headache by natural means if possible. Pain relief medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen are not recommended in most pregnancies; however, acetaminophen may be recommended by your health care provider.

Natural remedies to relieve headache:

• 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/cold shower or bath. Since cold showers help constrict dilated blood vessels in the body, it is a simple and easy remedy for headaches. If it's not possible to take a shower, make sure that you can splash cool water on your face to relieve the pain.

Dated 11 June 2012

Related Links

• The Basic Makeover for your Posture

• Counting some health benefits of Meditation

• Massage Therapy

• Breathing

• Diet to minimize the risk of a Miscarriage

• Pre-eclampsia: a Common Pregnancy Complication

• Exercise Routine for Second Trimester