For 20% of women in an interesting position that inhabit our planet, a headache during pregnancy is a common phenomenon. In most cases, it is not dangerous, but annoying painful attacks. Being afraid of harming the baby with painkillers, moms courageously endure the pain. Is it so harmless and how can you alleviate your condition - let's try to figure it out together.
Headache during pregnancy - the main causes
Experts divide the pain in the head into two groups - primary and secondary. The first of these includes the familiar migraine and tension headache for women. There are plenty of reasons for the appearance of the secondary:
- various head injuries;
- vascular disorders, hypertension;
- infections;
- neuralgia;
- increase of pressure inside the skull, some other pathologies.
Sometimes two or three different factors affect the occurrence of a headache during pregnancy, so finding out the cause of a specialist is not always easy.
Migraine - features of manifestation and causes
In most cases, headache during pregnancy owes its appearance to migraines. The illness is transmitted genetically, and it is while waiting for the birth of a new man that one can feel for the first time his “charms”. Another option is possible - if before the conception a migraine annoyed quite often, especially on critical days, for a long nine months it can give a rest from its aggression and return again after the birth of the crumbs.
The disease is associated with impaired vascular tone. The classic version of migraine begins with blurred vision, sometimes the appearance of an aura in the form of flashes of light. Then pains gradually increase only on one side, which are aggravated by unpleasant nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of pulsation. Each sound is given a sharp flash of pain, photophobia appears. The diversity of migraines is due to a variety of manifestations - pain can occur for no apparent reason and disappear without a trace after a short time, but seizures that pester for several days, replacing each other, are quite acceptable.
Almost every time a migraine “pleases” with its visit against the background of causal factors - excessive fatigue, endured stress, too loud conversations or sounds of music, an abrupt change in the weather. Improper and inadequate nutrition has a huge effect on the appearance of pain. An unbearable headache during pregnancy causes the frequent consumption of coffee or too strong tea, red wine and citrus, gas drinks, cheese and canned food. Alcohol and cigarettes are indispensable companions of migraine.
To relieve an acute attack, it is permissible, of course, to use painkillers, but not containing aspirin, which is extremely dangerous during pregnancy. However, the practice convincingly proves that the most effective thing is to lie down in a dim room and try to sleep. Most often, after sleep, pain subsides.
Attention! Do not diagnose yourself! Ask about headaches during pregnancy with a doctor, and he will help get rid of them without compromising the health of the baby.
Tension headache during pregnancy
A headache during pregnancy can annoy for another reason - the desire to remake all the household chores before the birth of the crumbs is sometimes beyond common sense. Of course, I want to prepare for a unique event as efficiently as possible, but not at the cost of my own health. You should not take on difficult commitments, you need to take care of proper rest and rest.
The cause of pain ruthlessly compressing the head can be both emotional and physical strain. If it is caused by an uncomfortable position of the body during the execution of an action, the overstrain of the shoulder and neck muscles uniqueness pain - it starts from the neck and then spreads all over the head. To eliminate her doctor recommends sedatives, preferably gaturalnye, and good rest. With tension headache, warming of the head gives an effective result.
Headache during pregnancy - other reasons
Pregnancy is a unique condition of the female body when the restructuring of the functionality of all systems is carried out. The volume of blood increases, venous pressure increases, the permeability of vascular walls changes, and water-electrolyte balance is disturbed. Changes can exacerbate chronic diseases, have a direct impact on their manifestation. The result may be a headache during pregnancy, the sudden occurrence of which can be influenced by ordinary factors. The most common reasons:
- change in atmospheric pressure, a sharp change of weather;
- load on the eyes for a long time, overstrain, hard work at home or work computer;
- conflict, aggression, stress;
- exacerbation of osteochondrosis - cerebral oxygen starvation due to compression of the neck vessels;
- malnutrition, lack of glucose;
- obesity - against the background of his pressure usually increases, and there is a headache during pregnancy;
- increase-decrease in blood pressure;
- hormonal changes in the body.
Not to mention the danger, which, unfortunately, sometimes threatens future moms. Recently, cases of the appearance and sharp acceleration of the growth of brain tumors during pregnancy have become more frequent. Modern diagnostics makes it possible to recognize the disease in time and successfully cope with it. Often in such cases, a cesarean section is performed. Therefore, in the event that you are disturbed by a regular headache, the reasons for which you do not know, be sure to visit a specialist who will conduct an examination and relieve you of unnecessary fears.
Headache during pregnancy is not treated as a separate disease. Finding the cause, the doctor prescribes an acceptable set of measures to eliminate it. Trying to get rid of the painful manifestations of the future mom can and herself, with the help of folk remedies.
Headache during pregnancy - heal yourself
First of all, you need to use the advice of the doctor and more rest. Pregnancy is a great opportunity to go too much. If, nevertheless, a headache during pregnancy does not give rest, we use the advice of experienced ones.
1. Sleep in a dark, carefully ventilated room in a comfortable position will help to “sleep” attack.
2. Shampooing the head with warm, pleasant water.
3. Ask your husband to help you ease the pain with a light head massage with your fingertips, and relax yourself as much as possible.
4. Tightly tie your head with a scarf.
5. Apply ice or water compress to the temporal, occipital and frontal parts of the head, depending on the location of the pain.
6. Help slightly mashed cabbage leaves in the form of a compress.
7. Drink a glass of warm decoction of herbs - lemon balm, mint, chamomile, rosehip. If the pressure is lowered - strong sweet tea helps.
Treatment with the help of currently popular homeopathic medicines (prescribed only by a specialist!), Aromatherapy, and acupuncture is also considered non-drug.
Severe headache during pregnancy - is it possible to use medications
If you couldn’t cope with the pain yourself, you will have to resort to a proven method. However, do not forget that the use of far from all drugs is permissible in your position, so the advice of a doctor is simply necessary. After all, the effectiveness of treatment depends on why the headache was activated during pregnancy - removing the symptom, you do not get rid of the root cause. The most appropriate drug, the permissible use of which does not harm the baby, is well-known paracetamol. But it should be taken in acceptable doses, and only after consulting with the doctor. Some drugs contain, in addition to paracetamol, other undesirable components. In Panadol Extra, for example, there is caffeine, because of this, it can only be used against a background of reduced pressure. Ibuprofen (Nurofen) can help if the headache during pregnancy is too annoying, but its reception is allowed only until the thirtieth week. A pill No-shpy will help relieve spasm, relax muscles and relieve pain.
The usual drugs are not recommended:
- favorite Citramon, as well as Citrapar, can cause all kinds of malformations, especially this is important at the beginning of pregnancy;
- Aspirin is dangerous for the baby's heart, and taking it in late pregnancy can cause birth bleeding;
- Spazman, Spazmalgol, Analgin, Baralgin - have some toxicity and affect the composition of the blood, the headache during pregnancy with the help of them is not eliminated;
- drugs containing Triptan, which are quite successfully used in the treatment of migraine, doctors strictly prohibit - they can cause an abortion.
If the spine is to blame for a headache during pregnancy - it is worth thinking about remedial gymnastics. With a constant increase in pressure, most likely, antihypertensive drugs will be needed, but the physician should recognize the appropriateness of their use.
Headache during pregnancy - need help from a doctor
Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It may occur at the end of pregnancy and requires an emergency response. It is also necessary to visit the doctor in cases where:
- headache during pregnancy is aggravated by nausea, visible edema and increased pressure;
- permanent and unbearable migraine is not subject to any means;
- there are numbness and cramps in the limbs, reducing their sensitivity;
- vision, hearing, speech deteriorate;
- headache during pregnancy annoys in the morning, arising after waking up.
Prevention of pregnancy headache
Given the delicacy of the situation, preference in the difficult struggle with the headache during pregnancy should be given not to drug treatment, but to reliable prevention. The banal repetition of the immutable rules - more rest, enough sleep and eat right. As for sleep, “enough” does not mean over measure, it is desirable that the night son lasts approximately the same time. Its increase, as well as lack of sleep, can cause a headache during pregnancy.
If the birth of the baby is planned in advance, Mom should definitely be given enough time and attention to existing chronic diseases and have time to conduct a course of treatment or prevention of exacerbation. A headache during pregnancy in most cases is caused by a migraine, and in turn, certain products often contribute to its appearance. With regular food diary, you can easily determine what is causing the attack and exclude unwanted products from the menu. Nutrition is better to do fractional, because the feeling of hunger is also an important factor in the occurrence of headaches during pregnancy. Going for a walk, do not be lazy to grab an apple or a banana, biscuits, a sandwich with you to have a snack in time. Dad should remember that every quarrel and rapid showdown cause significant harm to the health of his beloved and affect the well-being of the desired baby.
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