Usually, aches and pains are most common with pregnant women and among those migraines during pregnancy is most common. Migraine headaches are different from tension or stress headaches. These are a type of vascular headaches resulting from dilation of blood vessels in the brain.
Migraine headaches are like a lottery when you experience during pregnancy. Women who are usually prone to get migraines, they may experience even stronger headaches or may have reduced severity during pregnancy. Also, you may experience your first migraine headache when you are pregnant.
Migraines during pregnancy initially start out as dull and gradually turn into a throbbing pain in the temples, the front of the head or even base of the head. Sometimes, migraines may also be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Some women may even experience aura, which is jagged or wavy lines and also dots of flashing lights.
Effects of migraines during pregnancy:
The only danger of migraines during pregnancy is when you experience something danger. You should immediately consult your doctor when you observe any of these symptoms.
- Migraines accompanied by fever
- A headache persists for more than few hours or returns frequently
- A headache causes blurred vision
There are some things that can make your headache more severe, such as:
- Cheese
- Chocolates
- Coffee
- Hormones
- Stress
- Weather
Pregnant women who experience migraines should avoid these triggers. But these triggers are not the same with each woman, so maintain a diary by listings what triggers your condition.
Migraines during pregnancy can be treated at your home by following these things.
- Taking a nap will help you to reduce fatigue. If you are having severe migraines, take a nap in a quiet and dark room.
- Taking a cold bath can give fast relief, but it is temporary. If you cannot take a bath, just splash some cool water on your face.
- Applying cold towel on your head as it works best for migraines.
- Practicing regular exercise can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and also reduce the stress that leads to tension headaches. Also maintaining right posture can help to ease headaches particularly during the third trimester.
- Practicing relaxation exercises such as yoga, meditation, biofeedback, and self-hypnosis can relieve headaches during pregnancy.
- Trying massage will ease tension in the neck muscles, back, and shoulder. If you can afford, you can get a massage from a trained prenatal massage therapist.
- Considering acupuncture is safe during pregnancy. It helps to reduce various pains in your pregnancy period.
