Headache during pregnancy - what to do. What causes headaches during pregnancy and how to get rid of them without harm to the fetus

Expectant mothers often complain about headaches during pregnancy. Sometimes - you read in the responses of expectant mothers to similarly pregnant friends on the site - they advise you to endure any pain, since medications are harmful during pregnancy. It is difficult to agree with this, and the fact that headaches are common during pregnancy does not mean that this is the norm - normally nothing should hurt.

What reasons can cause headaches during pregnancy, what needs to be examined and what to be wary of?

The most common cause of headaches is migraine - a special condition, often inherited, characterized by severe, throbbing pain, often with blurred vision, photophobia, sometimes with nausea and vomiting, which is always difficult to relieve. Often pregnancy is the factor that triggers the first migraine attack. These pains contain both a hormonal and an allergic factor, and a violation of vascular tone - such a powerful symptom complex. It is worth saving yourself from a migraine with painkillers, excluding aspirin and nurofen, which are contraindicated for pregnant women. However, practice shows that it is possible to relieve a true migraine attack with antispasmodics only at the beginning, when vascular tone is increased. In the future, with its progressive decline, practically nothing can be done to help. It is advisable to lie down and rest in a ventilated, darkened room, and if possible, sleep. The attack usually ends, just as it begins, on its own.

The second cause of headaches in pregnant women can be stress, lack of sleep, overwork at work and at home - after all, you want to do as much as possible before completely devoting yourself to the child... Such headaches are called “tension pains.” To relieve them, not so much painkillers are used as sedatives, preferably of plant origin, but the main thing is to try to eliminate the cause - sleep more, rest, do not take on impossible obligations, avoid stress at all costs - nature itself has created a certain “protection” in this sense – many women, especially in the last months of pregnancy, fall into an indifferent, “half-asleep” state of some dullness, and this is not a topic for jokes - this is an important component of the normal course of pregnancy.

The cause of headaches during pregnancy can be osteochondrosis and its exacerbation - compressed neck vessels lead to insufficient oxygen supply from the heart to the brain. The usual therapeutic methods are acceptable here - massage of the collar area, for example. Often heard conversations about contraindications for pregnant women of any massage are meaningless - the head is very far from the pregnant uterus.

In addition, the cause of headaches during pregnancy can be an increase or decrease in blood pressure. Due to their importance, these topics will be discussed separately; it is important to remember that you need to pay double attention to monitoring your blood pressure during pregnancy. You may get a headache from malnutrition - low blood sugar - which should not be allowed for pregnant women.

Well, a few words must be said about the incomparably rarer, but also more serious causes of headaches that occur in pregnant women, not to scare, but from the principle - “forewarned is forearmed.” It is at the moment of pregnancy that the growth of brain tumors sharply accelerates, sometimes they appear just during this period - there is no need to think about what this is - a death sentence for pregnancy and for the woman herself - in our time, tumors are successfully operated on at any stage of pregnancy, and women continue to bear the fetus , if the disease is detected in the last weeks, or it progresses greatly, there is already experience of simultaneous removal of the tumor and performing a cesarean section - the experience, by the way, is successful. Sometimes intracranial hypertension existing after a brain injury also worsens during pregnancy and this also requires specific treatment. Therefore, you should not endure a headache during pregnancy, especially one that appears for the first time, is severe and does not respond to conventional treatment.

And migraines of different types. Most often, the pain is throbbing, constant and causes quite a lot of anxiety. The fact is that a woman’s body is completely rebuilt. A variety of hormonal changes occur, the cardiovascular system changes, which is under a huge load. Plus, fatigue, emotional overstrain or stress, which quite often accompany a woman during this period. Most often, it is because of these factors that headaches occur during pregnancy. But there are other reasons. For example, a sharp refusal of caffeine. Of course, it’s worth giving it up, but you need to do it gradually.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely eliminate unpleasant sensations, but it is quite possible to prevent them. What will help in this matter?

1. Relaxation. Pregnancy always causes some anxiety. Worries about the baby, about your future. You need to try to get bad thoughts and unnecessary worries out of your head and just relax. A light massage, yoga or spa treatment will help.

2. Rest. Everyone knows perfectly well that pregnant women need to rest and enjoy their position. But, in the first and second trimester this is not always possible. Most women work until they go on maternity leave, and some have quite hard work. Our legislation provides for a transition to lighter labor with preservation. For your own well-being, it is better to take advantage of this opportunity.

3. Sleep. A lot of women suffer from insomnia during this period. This is facilitated by the active movements of the child and the inconvenience associated with a large belly. Problems arise especially often in the summer, when stuffiness is added to all this. Pain often occurs from lack of sleep. But I get headaches during pregnancy and from too much sleep. The sleep norm for pregnant women is 10 hours a day.

4. Hunger. And it gives me headaches during pregnancy. Therefore, even if you just need to eat at least something. An increase in blood sugar can help cope with the pain, so it won’t hurt to eat something sweet.

5. Fresh air. The room where a pregnant woman is regularly located must be ventilated. You will get a headache quite quickly if you are in a warm and, especially, smoky room. In summer, when it is very hot, a fan or air conditioner is simply necessary.

6. Noise. Many pregnant women do not tolerate excessive noise well. You should avoid places where loud music is played (restaurants, discos, cinemas) and large crowds of people.

7. Posture. Often, headaches during pregnancy appear from prolonged reading or any other activity that requires tilting the head. This also applies to the computer.

8. Compresses. Cold or hot compresses are used to relieve pain. Any soft cloth should be soaked in water and applied to the forehead (especially the temples), eyes, and face. Ice applied to the back of the head will help with contracting pain. A greater effect will follow if you completely relax and be in a calm, noiseless environment. It is best to retire, turn off the lights and try to take a nap, asking your loved ones not to disturb you.

If you have a severe headache during pregnancy and nothing helps, you have a great desire to take some kind of pill. You need to be careful! Most medications are unsafe for the baby's health. For example, aspirin and ibuprofen. In any case, there is no need to act at random. If non-drug methods do not work, you should consult a doctor for the correct and appropriate treatment.

Pregnancy is the most important and responsible period in the life of every woman. Of course, any expectant mother worries about her health and her baby.

Unfortunately, throughout pregnancy you can encounter various health problems. Quite often headaches appear, which can accompany a woman for all 9 months, or they can suddenly appear and go away without a trace on their own. As a rule, headaches appear in the first three months of pregnancy due to changes in the body. Also, periodic pain often occurs in the last months of pregnancy due to the heavy load on the woman’s body.

For many, headaches are not considered a serious reason to see a doctor. Most people try to take the right pill and forget about the presence of pain, believing that the problem is solved. However, you should not take this disease so lightly, especially during pregnancy. You should not expect more frequent attacks or severe, persistent pain.

Of course, the occurrence of attacks is not always a serious reason for worry; more often it can manifest itself as a reaction to changes that have occurred in a woman’s body. However, it is difficult to endure a severe headache during pregnancy, and if the pain is severe enough, it is sometimes not at all safe. So what to do, how to be and act in a situation where your head is splitting from pain? What measures to take and how to alleviate the condition? Are you allowed to take medications?

Causes of headaches during pregnancy

Headaches can occur suddenly, at different times, have a different nature and cause. Painful sensations can be aching and incessant, or they can be paroxysmal and periodic. Various factors can trigger headaches.
Why do pregnant women have headaches so often and sometimes severely? What is this connected with and how to deal with it?

• The head may hurt due to changes in hormonal levels;
• Often a headache is caused by the general condition of the body: fatigue, stress, depression, general emotional state;
• Your daily diet or having a specific diet is important. There are foods that can cause headaches. These are, first of all, smoked and pickled products, chocolate;
• Often the cause may be disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• Complications of chronic diseases or the emergence of new ones. These are primarily diseases of the spine, as well as spasms in blood vessels;
• Large weight gain affects;
• Any changes in blood pressure matter;
• The appearance of gestosis, in which swelling and spasms of blood vessels are observed, causing circulatory disorders.

What should pregnant women do and how can they get rid of headache attacks?

All expectant mothers are wary of taking any medication during this period. However, headache pain should not be tolerated for a long time; it must be treated. Then what if it’s too much?
You should not decide what to do and how to get rid of pain on your own. You should definitely consult your doctor. First, you need to determine the source and cause of the pain. Secondly, many drugs negatively affect the development of the fetus and can cause the development of intrauterine pathology.

Particular attention should be paid to the emergence of new diseases. Many diseases that appear during pregnancy can be accompanied by headache attacks. In this case, treatment and appropriate therapy for these diseases is required.
For pain caused by a severe stressful situation, fear or constant worry, sedatives may be prescribed.

If you have a headache due to high blood pressure, you should identify and eliminate the causes of high blood pressure. Medications approved for pregnant women may be prescribed to lower blood pressure. In case of low blood pressure, if it is not contraindicated for a pregnant woman, it is recommended to drink a coffee drink or take medications containing caffeine.
Anyway, the only correct one and a necessary decision when, is to consult a doctor.

• A warm or cold compress applied to the back of the head may help.
• Pain in the temple area can be dealt with by taking a contrast shower or a warm bath. If you cannot take a shower, you can wash your face with cold water.
• If the cause of headaches is low blood sugar, then you need to eat properly and nutritiously. It is recommended to eat small portions and often. You should not take sweets, chocolate, sweet cookies, or coffee at all. Remember to drink fluids regularly, preferably in small sips. Insufficient fluid intake can impair blood circulation, leading to vascular spasms. This, in turn, is reflected in the form of aching pain in the head.
• Regular rest and sleep will help put your health in order. The body needs to rest, doubly so during pregnancy.
• Using some relaxation techniques can help you distract yourself and relieve headaches. For example, meditation or yoga helps many pregnant girls when they have a headache.
• A good way to relax, calm down, relieve tension and eliminate congestion in the blood circulation is to massage the whole body or neck. This will help reduce headaches.
• Make changes to your daily routine. Rest more, spend time outdoors, be less nervous and worry. It is recommended to do light exercises in the morning.
• Moderate headaches can be treated with folk remedies. You can make infusions and decoctions from medicinal herbs. Mint, rose hips, and chamomile work well.

Is it dangerous for pregnant women to have a headache?

Unfortunately, frequent occurrence is not the norm, which means that something provokes it. Especially, be wary of very severe pain, which disrupts sleep and appetite, and makes it impossible to do everyday activities.

Although in most cases headaches are harmless, they can be a symptom of a serious illness. In any case, if the pain in the head persists constantly, you need to undergo the necessary course of examination and determine the cause of the pain.

If the pain is characterized by paroxysmal, throbbing, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, this is already a migraine - a dangerous condition for the health of a pregnant woman. Migraines should not be left without proper attention. Migraine is treated with medications approved for pregnant women, as prescribed by a doctor.

In most cases, pregnant women should not worry about the effect of pain in the head on the development of the baby in the womb and the course of pregnancy. Migraine cannot affect the development of the fetus, it will only cause you inconvenience and discomfort.

Regardless of the causes and nature of the headache, you need to report this problem to your doctor. gynecologist. If necessary, he may refer you to a therapist or neurologist for further examination and clarification.

You should definitely contact your doctor in the following situations:

• There is a constant presence of pain in the head throughout the day;
• Pain sensations are localized in one specific place;
• Changes from normal blood pressure in any direction are observed;
• For attacks of very severe headaches with the presence of nausea and sharp pain in the abdominal area.

Can I take medications to relieve pain symptoms?
Often, even in the absence of serious illnesses, headaches have to be treated with medications. In any case, the course of treatment must be prescribed by a doctor. It is important to assess the relationship between the effect of the drug and the development of negative consequences, primarily on the fetus. Many drugs narrow the blood vessels that supply blood to the placenta and uterus, and this is completely undesirable during pregnancy.

What medications can pregnant women take? Paracetamol is considered an acceptable drug during pregnancy, however, it can be taken in a moderate permissible dose. It is highly undesirable to use drugs such as analgin, nurofen and aspirin.

Preventive measures

Reducing the likelihood of headaches during pregnancy is very simple. It is enough to monitor your diet and maintain a daily routine that includes rest and sleep. But it will be very good if, even when planning a child, you undergo the necessary examination and cure existing health problems. However, it is impossible to completely protect yourself from the appearance of headaches, since the main reason is still the “interesting position” of the woman.
In any case, if you are experiencing severe and prolonged headaches, treatment should be immediate!

In pregnant women, headaches occur due to hormonal changes in the body, osteochondrosis, lack of sleep and constant stressful situations. Cephalgia does not affect the development of the fetus, but it worsens the woman’s well-being, lowers her mood and causes depression. Painkillers are contraindicated for the expectant mother, so unpleasant symptoms can be removed using home methods and folk remedies.

Diet for pain

With frequent migraines that last for hours, a pregnant woman is advised to reconsider her diet. Uncomfortable sensations may occur due to certain products:

• avocado pulp;
• bananas;
• dark chocolate and strong coffee;
• hard and processed cheeses;
• citrus fruits;
• beef, chicken and pork liver;
• Chinese dishes;
• black tea.

Strict diets cause headaches. Pregnant women are prohibited from therapeutic and cleansing fasting. The expectant mother maintains a healthy weight with healthy eating and low-calorie meals. They eat three times a day, and if they feel hungry, they snack on sandwiches or yoghurt.

Smoked and fried foods reduce vascular tone and cause headaches. They increase cholesterol levels, lead to oxygen starvation and spasms. Pregnant women who often experience migraines are advised to remove sausages and canned food, as well as processed foods, from their diet. Sausages and hamburgers contain many synthetic additives that interfere with blood circulation in the brain.

The future mother's well-being will improve if she switches to vegetables, lean meat and fish, fruits and cereals, as well as dairy products. A balanced diet protects against overwork, vitamin deficiency, salt deposits in the cervical spine and physical exhaustion.

Stress and homework

Modern women, even during pregnancy, try not to stay at home. They write reports, give lectures and conduct seminars up to 7–8 months. And then they rush home to cook dinner, wash their husband’s shirts and clean the floors.

Headache is one of the first symptoms of fatigue. The body warns a pregnant woman that she needs to slow down and rest. Abandon the next project, buy your husband a package of dumplings and spend your free time on the couch.

Expectant mothers who sit at the computer for a long time are advised to do exercises for the eyes and neck every 30 minutes. Rotate your head and tilt it in different directions, stretch your chin to your chest, and the back of your head to your shoulders. A light warm-up restores blood circulation in the vessels located in the cervical region and protects against osteochondrosis. Eye exercises prevent increased pressure and headaches due to overwork.

In the second or third trimester, pregnant women have problems sleeping due to their growing belly and active baby, who moves even at night. The woman suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and throbbing or squeezing pain in the back of the head and temples. To make migraines disappear or bother you less often, the expectant mother is recommended to sleep for 2-3 hours during the day, use a special supportive pillow and choose comfortable positions.

It is also useful to walk a lot in the fresh air. Oxygen invigorates, promotes the dilation of blood vessels located in the brain and cervical region, and removes the effects of stress and insomnia. If physical activity is contraindicated for a pregnant woman, she can sit by an open window or sunbathe on the balcony.

Massage and compress

Attacks of cephalgia caused by overwork, vegetative-vascular dystonia or pressure surges are removed with contrast lotions. You will need several handkerchiefs or pieces of fabric. One rag is soaked in cold tap water or filled with ice. You can use a bag of frozen vegetables or a piece of meat. A cold compress is pressed to the temples if the pain is localized in the front of the head. Cover the forehead and eyes with a bandage soaked in ice water. Frozen vegetables reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings, and a handkerchief protects the eyes from bright sunlight, which irritates the receptors and increases discomfort.

Warm lotions are applied to the back of the head for headaches. A handkerchief soaked in hot water, a boiled egg or a compress of crushed jacket potatoes will do. Thanks to high temperatures, blood flows to the neck and shoulders, and discomfort decreases.

Instead of compresses, apply a spoon to the maxillary sinuses and earlobes. The cutlery is dipped into hot tea or water and waited until it warms up. After the procedure, you can dip your fingertips into warm liquid to relax and relieve cramps.

If a migraine strikes a pregnant woman in an office or shopping center, the woman can go to the toilet and put her neck under a thin stream of warm water. She spends 5 to 15 minutes in this position until the pain goes away. After water procedures, you should not go outside suddenly, so as not to catch a cold in your nerve endings.

Frequent migraine attacks are relieved by massage. The woman independently kneads the shoulder and neck, presses with her middle or index finger on the depression between the spine and the back of the head. The expectant mother can ask her husband to massage her feet for 10-15 minutes. There are trigger points in the legs. When stimulated, spasms in the brain are reduced, and cephalalgia recedes.

The massage is carried out with basic and essential oils. Olive, flaxseed, apricot or coconut are used as a base. Add cardamom, grapefruit or chamomile. If a pregnant woman has allergies, citrus essential oil is not used so as not to aggravate the headache.

The mixture is applied to the shoulders and neck, gently rubbed into the muscles. The oil can be used to treat the temples, the area between the eyebrows and the bridge of the nose, as well as the occipital cavity. The product calms and relaxes, helps in stressful situations.

Pregnant women who often suffer from migraines are recommended to prepare a medicinal pendant. Sew a small bag from thick fabric and hang it around your neck. Place a cotton swab soaked in chamomile or cardamom essential oil inside.

Women prone to hypotension and headaches will benefit from trigger point massage. It is located between the thumb and index finger. When pressure is applied to the correct area, pain occurs. First, the pregnant woman kneads the point on her right hand, and after 5–10 minutes switches to her left palm.

Relaxing atmosphere

Pulsating or dull pain is removed with a contrast shower. The procedure restores blood circulation and normalizes blood pressure, relieving unpleasant symptoms. Instead of a contrast shower, it is also useful to take warm baths with essential oils.

Cephalgia goes away after washing your hair. It is not necessary to use shampoo; you can simply wet your hair and massage the skin with light movements for 5-10 minutes. Fingers will disperse the blood and reduce pressure in the brain.

• Draw the curtains so that the room is plunged into semi-darkness.
• Turn on calm music or sounds of wildlife.
• Open the windows and let fresh air into the room.

If a pregnant woman lives in a metropolis, where cars are constantly making noise, and the neighbors can’t finish their repairs, the music is replaced with earplugs. Plugs will protect you from extraneous loud sounds, which only worsen your headache.

The expectant mother lies down on the bed or sits on the floor and closes her eyes. She imagines that her body becomes weightless. A feeling of lightness arises in the stomach, which rises to the chest, neck and head. It fills the skull and displaces the pain.

Meditation in a dimly lit room relieves migraines caused by stress and severe emotional turmoil. Helps with problems with blood pressure and vegetative-vascular dystonia. The main thing is that the pregnant woman should not be disturbed by family members or pets during relaxation. She must fully concentrate on her feelings.

You can light an aroma lamp in the room. Essential oils have relaxing and analgesic properties:

• juniper;
• roses;
• lemon balm;
• ylang-ylang;
• mint;
• rosemary;
• lavender;
• lemongrass.

Only 2-3 drops of the component are added to the lamp. You can replace it with incense sticks or candles if they do not cause an allergy attack in the pregnant woman and an exacerbation of migraines.

Water for cephalalgia

In the early stages, when the expectant mother suffers from toxicosis and nausea, headaches occur due to a lack of fluid in the body. The blood thickens, the oxygen concentration decreases, and hypoxia develops. The problem is accompanied by dizziness, vomiting, lethargy and drowsiness. Migraine and accompanying symptoms will disappear if the pregnant woman drinks 0.5–1 liters of distilled water in small sips. You can tie a scarf tightly around your head or put on an iron hoop, which will squeeze your temples and the back of your head.

Discomfortable sensations appear due to changes in hormonal levels and stagnation of fluid in the maxillary sinuses. They put pressure on the eyeballs and frontal lobes, causing pain. If a pregnant woman complains of constant congestion, the problem can be eliminated with steam inhalation:

1. Pour 1.5–2 liters of hot water or chamomile infusion into a bowl.
2. Sometimes 3 drops of tea tree essential oil are added to the liquid. The component has anti-inflammatory properties and removes swelling.
3. The woman leans over the container and breathes the fumes for 10–15 minutes.
4. Gently blows out the mucus that is released during the procedure.

There is no need to cover yourself with a towel when performing steam inhalations. A pregnant woman can watch a movie or read a book while cleansing her maxillary sinuses. It is also useful to rinse the nasal passages with lightly salted or plain boiled water. The solution softens the mucous membrane, helps with headaches caused by allergies, sinusitis and sinusitis.

Quick ways

Unpleasant symptoms will go away if you tie a cabbage leaf to your forehead and temples. The workpiece is washed under the tap, dipped in boiling water for 1 minute, and then beaten with a knife handle or a meat mallet. The product is fixed on the head with bandages or a scarf. Leave it on for several hours until the migraine passes.

Headaches caused by hypotension or vegetative-vascular dystonia are relieved with black tea. Prepare a weak drink, add a little sugar or honey, and also add a slice of lemon. A tasty medicine increases blood pressure, relieves spasms and saturates the body with vitamin C, which strengthens and tones blood vessels.

If cephalalgia occurs due to nervous tension or stuffy dry air, the pregnant woman is recommended to wash her face with cool water. Water procedures refresh and restore blood circulation, helping to combat the consequences of stressful situations.

Drinking herbal tea can help soothe headaches during pregnancy. The healing drink is prepared from chamomile, mint or rose hips. The following is prohibited:

• Melissa;
• oregano;
• valerian;
• tansy;
• parsley;
• anise;
• St. John's wort;
• sagebrush;
• sweet clover;
• wild rosemary

The components sharply increase blood pressure, cause uterine tone and dizziness, and some instances provoke bleeding and miscarriage.

Herbal teas are taken with caution and in small quantities. Drink up to 2 cups of this healing drink per day. Warm liquid relieves spasms and helps with headaches caused by colds, sinusitis, cervical osteochondrosis and inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx. If the cause of a migraine is low blood pressure, you should prepare weak coffee or brew green tea with a slice of lemon and honey. The headache drink is complemented with a piece of chocolate or sweet cake.

Attacks of cephalalgia that occur in the early stages are treated with exercise, unless physical activity is contraindicated for the pregnant woman. The woman leans forward and to the sides, squats, lifts from a lying position and applies ointments to her hands and feet. Simple exercises activate blood circulation and help stretch a stiff spine and muscles. Headaches go away 10–20 minutes after the start of charging.

Migraines are relieved with table or apple cider vinegar. Dissolve 30 ml of the additive in a glass of distilled water. Soak a piece of cotton cloth in a cool preparation and apply it to the forehead for 15 minutes. The vinegar solution is not used if the pregnant woman is prone to hypotension. The product lowers blood pressure, may make you feel worse and cause fetal hypoxia.

Balm “Golden Star” helps. The product is sold in pharmacies in liquid and solid form. The drug is rubbed into the temples, maxillary sinuses, wings of the nose and the bridge of the nose with massage movements. The balm warms up and reduces pain, restores breathing and removes swelling.

Migraine symptoms are eliminated with freshly squeezed juice from white cabbage or cauliflower. Take 100–150 ml of drink. The product has a specific taste, so it is mixed with honey. Cabbage juice begins to work 20–30 minutes after consumption.

Pharmacy drugs

Severe headaches are relieved with tablets. Pregnant women suffering from low blood pressure are allowed to take Citramon. The drug contains caffeine, aspirin and paracetamol. But you should not take more than 1 tablet per day, so as not to harm the developing fetus.

No-shpa removes pulsation in the temples and back of the head. The medicine does not cope with severe migraine attacks, but helps with osteochondrosis, stressful situations and overwork. An analogue of the drug is “Drotaverine”.

For cephalgia caused by a cold, Paracetamol helps. They also take Nurofen or Ibuprofen. Antipyretic drugs relieve spasms, normalize temperature and relieve aches, headaches, weakness and other unpleasant symptoms. Paracetamol should not be taken if you have kidney or liver failure. Take no more than 6 tablets per day. Duration of treatment – ​​3 days. If the headache does not go away, the pregnant woman should consult a doctor.

Antipyretic drugs Ibuprofen and Nurofen are taken in the second trimester. Medicines are contraindicated in the early stages. Papaverine and Analgin are prohibited during pregnancy.

A woman carrying a child must carefully select pharmaceutical and folk remedies for cephalalgia. Many herbs and medications are contraindicated for a pregnant woman, but massage and aromatherapy, as well as compresses with vinegar and cabbage leaves, are allowed. Before choosing any method, you should consult a gynecologist and find the cause of the headaches.

Video: head massage to relieve headaches in 4 minutes

Headaches during pregnancy occur quite often. Most often it torments the expectant mother in the first and third trimesters, but sometimes it occurs throughout the entire period of pregnancy.

Before you try to relieve a headache during pregnancy on your own, you should evaluate the location and nature of the pain, its duration, and also find out the circumstances contributing to the occurrence of the attack. The causes of headaches during pregnancy can be very different and sometimes it is very difficult to establish them, but it is quite possible to find out what factors provoke it and try to eliminate them.

Headaches during pregnancy: causes

In pregnant women, headaches often occur due to a neurological disease - migraine. In this case, they are pulsating in nature and localized only in one half of the head. In a severe attack, they may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances. The development of a migraine attack can be triggered by the following factors:

• Food – consumption of citrus fruits, dark chocolate, cheese;
• Physical – overwork, lack of sleep, strong odors, noise, flickering light;
• Climatic – sudden changes in weather conditions;
• Stress.

Another cause of headaches during pregnancy is tension in the head muscles. This type of pain covers the entire head and is of medium intensity. Women note that it hurts to touch their hair; they often feel as if their head is being pulled together by a tight hoop. Such a headache during pregnancy often occurs when a woman is in an uncomfortable position for a long time (for example, when working at a computer), or when she is physically and mentally tired.

Quite severe headaches during pregnancy also occur as a result of low (hypotension) or high (hypertension) blood pressure. Hypotension is usually characteristic of the first trimester of pregnancy, especially if it is accompanied by symptoms of early toxicosis. Hypertension can occur in the second half of pregnancy and is a symptom of gestosis - late toxicosis. Severe headaches during pregnancy in the third trimester are often a sign of the development of preeclampsia, a life-threatening complication of pregnancy for the woman and fetus that requires urgent medical care in the intensive care unit.

Other causes of headaches during pregnancy are vegetative-vascular dystonia, hormonal changes and cervical osteochondrosis.

In addition, the cause of headaches in the expectant mother may be hormonal changes, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and cervical osteochondrosis.

Headaches during pregnancy: treatment and prevention

Headaches during pregnancy, as we have already said, occur in many women. Their treatment should only be prescribed by a doctor, because... Not all medications are safe for fetal development.

In most cases, the development of headaches during pregnancy can be prevented using simple methods:

• Follow a daily routine and do not overwork;
• Stick to a balanced diet;
• Avoid noisy and stuffy places;
• Drink enough mineral water, which will allow you to avoid deficiency of minerals and fluids;
• When working sedentarily, take short breaks every hour, during which you should perform simple gymnastic exercises to relieve excess tension from the muscles of the head, neck and shoulder girdle;
• Take walks in the fresh air as often as possible and regularly ventilate the room.

It is often possible to relieve headaches during pregnancy without the use of medications. Take the most comfortable body position for you and try to fall asleep. The room should be darkened and well ventilated. After even a short amount of sleep, the headache usually goes away on its own.

For tension headaches, a light massage of the scalp and neck helps. For migraines, many pregnant women find relief from a cold compress applied to the frontal or temporal areas of the head.

If a headache during pregnancy is caused by hypotension, then to raise blood pressure you should drink a glass of hot, sweet, strong tea.

In cases where these methods do not help you or headaches occur frequently, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment for headaches during pregnancy, taking into account the cause that causes it.

Headache during pregnancy: when do you need to see a doctor urgently?

There are certain situations when a woman with a headache during pregnancy should definitely consult a doctor. These include:

• The nature of the pain attack changes or the pain becomes almost constant;
• Headache occurs in the morning, immediately after a night's sleep;
• Headache occurs against the background of arterial hypotension or hypertension;
• The pain has a clear localization.

A severe headache during pregnancy, especially if it is combined with nausea, vomiting, visual or hearing impairment, skin sensitivity and/or motor functions, requires immediate delivery of the pregnant woman to the maternity hospital, where she can receive timely and comprehensive medical care!

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