Headaches during pregnancy can be very troublesome for mothers.
The reason is that while you are sick, you should not just take any medication because it can harm the condition of the fetus in the womb.
On the other hand, if the headache does not go away, this condition can make it difficult for you to carry out your daily activities.
So, are there other ways to deal with it, and what exactly are the causes and triggers of headaches during pregnancy?
The following is an explanation from experts summarized from several sources.
Headaches During Pregnancy Are Normal
Are you pregnant and often have headaches? Don’t worry, Mom, it’s not just you who experiences it, but also several other pregnant women.
A medical review reported that approximately 39 percent of pregnant and postpartum women experience headaches.
Reporting from the pageHealthline, even though the type of headache you feel is different from before pregnancy, headaches during pregnancy are not dangerous.
American Pregnancy Associationsaid, headaches during pregnancy most commonly occur in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy.
In general, Mom, the cause of the headaches you experience during the first trimester is different from the headaches you experience in the second or third trimester.
Factors that often cause headaches during the first trimester are changes in the body, such as hormonal surges and increased blood volume in early pregnancy.
Meanwhile, headaches in the third trimester are more often associated with worsening body posture due to the additional weight of the fetus, blood volume and amniotic fluid.
Headaches during the third trimester can also be caused by a condition called preeclampsia , which is high blood pressure during pregnancy.
These changes can cause headaches to occur more frequently.
These headaches can be further aggravated by stress, food, lack of sleep and other things.
However, in some cases, headaches can also be a sign of other health problems in your pregnancy.
Tell your obstetrician about any headaches you experience during, before, and after pregnancy.
Keep a journal to record how often you have headaches and how serious the pain is.
Additionally, note any other symptoms you have.
Types of Headaches During Pregnancy
Most headaches during pregnancy are primary headaches.
That is, a headache that occurs on its own and is not a sign or symptom of another disorder or complication in pregnancy.
Primary headaches during pregnancy include:
- Tension headache
- Migraine attacks
- Cluster headaches , which are pain or headaches that occur repeatedly in a certain cycle or period.
About 26 percent of headaches during pregnancy are tension headaches.
However, if you experience migraine headaches more frequently or chronically during pregnancy, or have a history of migraines before pregnancy, tell your obstetrician immediately.
Some pregnant women with a history of migraines will usually experience fewer migraine attacks during pregnancy.
Migraines have also been linked to complications that occur later in pregnancy, or after the birth of your baby.
Meanwhile, in secondary headaches, this is more caused by complications in pregnancy, such as high blood pressure .
Symptoms of Headache During Pregnancy
Quoting from the siteHealthline, headaches that occur in pregnant women can vary, including:
- Throbbing pain
- Severe pain on one or both sides of the head
- Sharp pain behind one or both eyes
Migraine pain can also include:
- Nauseous
- Vomit
- Seeing lines or flashes of light
Causes of Headaches During Pregnancy in Each Trimester
Here are some reasons why pregnant women often have headaches in each trimester. What are they?
Causes of 1st Trimester Headaches
As explained above, the common cause of pregnant women experiencing tension headaches in the first trimester of pregnancy is due to changes in their bodies.
These body changes can trigger headaches during pregnancy:
- Hormonal changes
- Higher blood volume
- Weight changes
Other common causes of headaches in the first trimester of pregnancy include:
- Dehydration
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stress or feeling pressured
- Lack of sleep or rest
- Consuming too much caffeine from food or drinks
- Poor nutritional intake
- Low blood sugar levels
- Too little physical activity or not moving enough on a daily basis
- Very sensitive to light
- Changes in vision
In addition to having to avoid the various bad habits above, mothers should also pay attention to the types of food they consume.
Mothers can reduce the possibility of headaches by avoiding the following headache triggers from food/drinks:
- Milk
- Chocolate
- Cheese
- Leavened foods such as bread
- Tomato
- Alcohol
- Yogurt
- Preserved meat
Causes of Headaches in the 2nd and 3rd Trimesters
Some triggers for headaches that often occur in the second and third trimesters are:
- Rapid or sudden weight gain
- Wrong posture when sitting or standing
- Lack of sleep or rest
- Unbalanced diet
- Muscle tension, can also be caused by stress
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Headaches during the second or third trimester of your pregnancy may be a sign that you have high blood pressure.
About 6-8 percent of pregnant women aged 20 to 44 in the United States have problems with high blood pressure, most often occurring after the 20th week of pregnancy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that this condition is treatable, but if ignored can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby.
High blood pressure during pregnancy that is not treated immediately can increase risks such as:
Mothers can ask their doctor for a prescription to prescribe high blood pressure medication, reduce salt, and consume more fiber in their daily diet.
Regular exercise is also very important to help balance blood pressure.
Other causes of headaches during pregnancy include common infections and more serious illnesses:
- Sinus infection
- Low blood pressure
- Blood clotting
- Bleeding
- Sickle cell anemia
- Brain tumor
- Aneurysm
- Stroke
- Heart conditions
- Meningitis or encephalitis
Safe Medications and Treatments to Relieve Headaches During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is expected that every pregnant woman does not consume medication carelessly.
If you want to take medication outside of a doctor’s prescription, consult your obstetrician first, especially for aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.).
The CDC explains that pain relievers such as headache medications can be harmful to a growing baby in the womb, especially if taken during the first trimester.
Many pregnant women may take acetaminophen ( Tylenol ) during pregnancy, and some studies suggest there may be side effects from acetaminophen use as well.
There are many simple natural ways that mothers can do to prevent and treat headaches during pregnancy.
Some of them must have been recommended by your obstetrician. Namely, such as:
- Increase fluids or drink lots of water.
- Rest. Try to rest in a dark room to minimize light stress on the eyes.
- Compress the base of your neck with ice if you have a tension headache.
- Use a compress or heating pad on the sides of your head, eyes, or along the back of your neck.
- Massage your shoulders and neck. Ask your partner to do it. This is very effective in relieving headaches.
- Deep breathing exercises and muscle stretching.
- Using essential oils, such aspeppermint,rosemary, Andchamomilein the room.
- Take a warm bath to relax the body and improve blood circulation.
How to Prevent and Relieve Headaches During Pregnancy Without Medication
Yvonne Butler Tobah, MD explains how to prevent or relieve mild headaches during pregnancy without taking medication, as reported byMayo Clinicthe following:
- Avoid headache triggers. If there are certain foods or smells that easily trigger your headaches before pregnancy, avoid them.
- Include physical activity in your daily routine, for example by walking to the nearest minimarket – if possible – or doing light aerobic exercise at home.
- Manage stress. Find healthy ways to deal with stressors.
- Practice relaxation techniques. Try deep breathing, yoga, massage, and visualization.
- Eat regularly. Eating regularly scheduled meals and maintaining a healthy diet can help prevent headaches. Eat a balanced diet and meet your other nutritional needs during pregnancy.
- Maintain blood sugar. Another thing you can do is eat smaller meals more often.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Follow a regular sleep schedule. Lack of sleep can cause headaches during pregnancy.
- Consider biofeedback . With this mind-body technique, you learn to control certain body functions—such as muscle tension, heart rate, and blood pressure—to prevent or reduce headaches. If you want to try biofeedback , ask your health care provider for a referral to a biofeedback therapist .
When to Worry and See a Doctor?
See an obstetrician as soon as possible if you experience headaches during pregnancy with serious symptoms such as the following:
- High fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vision becomes blurred
- Headaches get worse or occur more frequently than usual
- Severe headache that doesn’t go away even after emergency treatment as above
- Pain or headache that lasts more than a few hours, or is different in intensity than usual
- Faint
- Convulsions
- Sudden weight gain
- Pain in the upper right abdomen
- There is swelling in the hands and face.
After seeing your condition like this, your obstetrician will probably recommend some tests and scans to find out the cause of your headaches. These include:
- Check blood pressure
- Blood test
- Blood sugar test
- Head and neck ultrasound
- Vision test
- Heart or head scan
- Checking eye health with a scope
- Spinal cord test
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So now you know, Mom, that headaches during pregnancy are common and normal.
However, if you experience severe pain or are accompanied by serious symptoms, immediately go to the nearest medical professional to determine the cause of the pain and treatment.
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Well, Mom, those are the various causes and ways to deal with headaches during pregnancy. Hopefully the information above can be useful, yes.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
