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How to you deal headache
during Pregnancy
Headaches are one of the more unpleasant
“side effects” that come with pregnancy. All women will
have some, but most will experience them in the first
and last trimesters. In the first three months, this is
thought to be primarily due to such factors as increased
blood volume, the initial stresses, and hormonal
changes. In the final three months, the causes are more
likely to be poor posture, which can result in pressure
on parts of your body that communicate their discomfort
to the brain, and also from the discomforts of carrying
extra weight.
Oddly enough, women who experience migraine headaches,
may have fewer during a |
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pregnancy,
while a small percentage of sufferers will have
more. These patients should discuss relief for the
migraines with their doctor, as soon as a pregnancy
is confirmed, if not beforehand while they are
planning to start a family. The best idea for
dealing with headaches during pregnancy, is to avoid
the “known” triggers, or those that are most likely
responsible. The food preservative MSG, cheeses,
spicy foods, caffeine, chocolate, and other elements
of our normal diet, are best eliminated while
expecting a baby.
A healthy, balanced diet, eaten in several small
meals a day if necessary, with plenty of fluids, and
lots of rest, is your first line of defense against
headaches. Being tired, dehydrated, and unable to
eat “normally”, can all work together to start your
head pounding.
When you do get a headache, try and identify the
cause and deal with it accordingly. If the headache
is from your sinuses, a warm compress around your
nose and above your eyebrows may relieve some of the
pressure. Stress or tension headaches can benefit
from cold compresses to the back of the neck. Using
these while lying down in a darkened room, will help
to alleviate some of the tension that builds up from
the pain, and makes the headache worse. Depending on
your preferences, some women may also benefit from
using aroma therapy and sound therapy techniques at
the same time.
While most pregnancy headaches are from “benign”
causes, you should call your doctor if they get
worse, become more frequent, are debilitating, or
are accompanied by swelling of the hands, feet or
face.
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