Pregnancy headache

Headache during pregnancy is a cause of great anxiety for a woman. If before pregnancy you can take any medications, then during pregnancy the expectant mother is forced to limit herself in many medicines. Before treating headaches during pregnancy, you must consult with your doctor. So, why does headache occur during pregnancy, how to treat it and what prevention should be done?

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Causes of headaches during pregnancy

The increase in headaches during the first trimester of pregnancy is thought to be caused by a surge in hormones as well as an increase in the amount of blood circulating throughout the body. Severe headaches during pregnancy can be made worse by stress, poor posture, or changes in routine. Other causes of headaches during pregnancy may include:

• Lack of sleep
• Low blood sugar
• Dehydration
• Caffeine - excessive doses
• Stress (too many lifestyle changes)

Headaches during the third trimester of pregnancy are usually associated with poor posture and strain on the spine due to the extra weight. Headaches during the third trimester of pregnancy can also be caused by preeclampsia, which is a severe form of morning sickness that results in high blood pressure.

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Statistics of headaches during pregnancy

More than 80% of women sooner or later complain of headaches during pregnancy. Even if a woman was absolutely healthy before pregnancy, she experiences more frequent headaches during pregnancy. Sometimes they become severe, so severe that they are difficult to bear. Headaches can occur at any time during pregnancy, but they are usually most common during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Migraine During Pregnancy

Migraine is a headache that can cause severe suffering in a woman. It can be so severe that vomiting, weakness, partial loss of vision occur, and the woman feels better only in a dark room, isolated from all sounds. Headaches during pregnancy associated with migraine often occur in one part of the head.

Migraine pain can last for several hours. If left untreated, the pain can last for a day or even two. Migraine is a rather unpredictable disease, especially during pregnancy, so it is necessary to establish control over it.

Causes of migraine

The exact cause of migraine headaches is unknown. But doctors believe that migraines are likely related to changes in nerve receptors, neurochemicals, and increased blood flow to the brain.

Researchers believe that overexcited brain cells stimulate the release of chemicals. These chemicals irritate the blood vessels located on the surface of the brain. The irritation causes the blood vessels to swell and stimulate pain.

Estrogen is also believed by doctors to play a major role in the development of migraines. That is why during pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause, a deficiency or excess of the hormone estrogen often causes headaches.

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Keeping a pregnancy diary and tracking migraine triggers

A pregnant woman is not always under the doctor's supervision. Therefore, it is important for her to form a complete picture of her headaches. For this, experts recommend keeping a diary. It is necessary to write down important information that will make the picture of the occurrence of migraine clearer for the doctor.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy are not the only thing that can trigger migraines. Most women suffer from a combination of triggers that trigger migraine-type headaches. For example, stress, skipped meals, lack of sleep or lack of sleep can trigger migraines. And here's another important point: what triggers a migraine one day may not bother a pregnant woman at all the next.

A headache diary will help the expectant mother keep track of triggers and how the pain reoccurs. This will help the doctor decide which treatments will work best to relieve specific pain symptoms. It will also help identify triggers that can be avoided during pregnancy.

Every time a pregnant woman has a headache, she should write down the following:

1. Specific symptoms: where the pain occurs, what is the nature of the pain, are there other symptoms such as vomiting or sensitivity to noise, odors, bright light
2. When the headache starts and ends (time of day, duration)
3. What foods and drinks did the pregnant woman eat and drink during the two days before the migraine occurred, were there any new types of food in the diet?
4. Any changes in the environment such as traveling, moving to a new place, changing weather,
5. Any treatment that the pregnant woman used herself, did it help or did it make the headache worse?

Foods that can trigger headaches (migraines) in pregnant women

• Chocolate
• Caffeine
• Products that contain preservatives (monosodium glutamate) and nitrates
• Aspartame is a sugar substitute in chocolate, cakes and candies

Migraine diagnostics for pregnant women

Headaches caused by pregnancy complications can be better diagnosed by the doctor if he/she is provided with the information that was recorded in the diary. In addition, it would be important for the doctor to know whether anyone in the patient's family (mother, grandmother) suffered from migraines.

CT scans and other tests that involve x-rays are not recommended during pregnancy due to the potential risk to the fetus.

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Migraine medications for pregnant women

Headache during pregnancy treatment involves caution. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant soon, your doctor will first advise you to stay away from medications. Before taking them, you will have to carefully consider the effect of the drug on your unborn child.

Many migraine medications should be avoided during pregnancy because they have been linked to birth defects in babies. Some other medications may negatively affect the pregnancy itself and cause complications for the woman. For example, some may cause bleeding, miscarriage, or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a condition in which the uterus and fetus do not develop normally. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, may increase the risk of bleeding and miscarriage. There is also a risk of blood pressure complications in the baby if anti-inflammatory and pain medications are taken in the third trimester of pregnancy. For example, aspirin may cause the mother to lose too much blood during labor.

Ergotamines are designed specifically to treat migraines. However, headaches during pregnancy are not recommended to be treated with these drugs. They increase the risk of birth defects in the baby, especially if taken in the first trimester of pregnancy. These drugs can also stimulate uterine contractions and premature labor.

But in extreme cases, you may still need to take medication to relieve a headache during pregnancy. Painkillers, called analgesics, can help relieve severe migraine headaches. Paracetamol is considered a low-risk drug for pregnancy. Most NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, can also help, but the risks of taking them during pregnancy are difficult to calculate.

Narcotic painkillers should be avoided during pregnancy. They pose a double risk of addiction for both mothers and babies if strong painkillers are used for a long time.

Relatively safe medications for migraines during pregnancy include antidepressants (such as amitriptyline and fluoxetine). There is another class of drugs for migraine symptoms called beta blockers, which include drugs such as propranolol, atenolol, and labetalol, which are considered relatively safe for pregnant women.

Preventive treatment of migraine

If a mother-to-be experiences severe, recurring pain attacks, preventive treatment may relieve pregnancy headaches or reduce headache symptoms. If a woman is pregnant, it is always worth talking to a doctor before taking any medication or home remedy. Migraine prevention measures include keeping a diary of your symptoms. If you find that certain factors (lifestyle, food, drinks) trigger migraine attacks, you should avoid them.

Tension headache in pregnant women

Tension headaches in pregnant women are manifested as pain and discomfort in the head, especially the scalp, or neck. Tension headaches in pregnant women are usually associated with spasms and muscle tension in these areas.

Causes of tension headaches in pregnant women

Tension headaches in pregnant women can occur at any age, but are most common in women aged 30-40.

If a pregnant woman has headaches two or more times a week for several weeks or longer, they are considered chronic. Chronic daily headaches may be due to untreated primary headaches.

Tension headaches can be a response to stress, depression, head injury, or increased anxiety.

Any activity that a pregnant woman does that causes tension headaches should be discussed with her doctor. Maybe she just needs to change her activity, and the headache will go away on its own without medication. These activities that provoke headaches can be working on a computer, working with papers, using instruments that require eye and neck strain, such as looking through a microscope for a long time. Sleeping in a cold room or sleeping in an incorrect position can also cause tension headaches.

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Other triggers for tension headaches in pregnancy include:

• Alcohol consumption
• Caffeine (too much or abrupt withdrawal)
• Cold, flu or sinusitis
• Dental problems such as clenching and teeth grinding
• Eye strain
• Excessive smoking
• Fatigue or mental strain

Tension headaches in pregnancy can also occur if the woman has already experienced migraines. Good news for pregnant women: tension headaches are not associated with brain diseases.

Symptoms of tension headaches

1. Squeezing of the head, as if in a vice, as well as a nagging headache
2. Both sides of the head hurt
3. Only one part of the head or a specific point hurts
4. The scalp, the top of the neck, or the back of the neck hurts, the pain may radiate to the shoulders

Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to 7 days and can be triggered by stress, fatigue, noise or bright light.

Note: Unlike migraines, tension headaches do not usually cause nausea or vomiting.

Pregnant women with tension headaches often try to relieve the pain by massaging their head or lower neck.

Diagnosis of tension headaches in pregnant women

If the headache varies from mild to moderate, is not accompanied by any other symptoms, massage and sleep in a calm environment, it can go away within a few hours. Then pregnant women do not need further examination. But if tension headaches continue despite prevention, blood and urine tests are needed, as well as doctor examinations and questioning. It is also necessary to measure the pregnant woman's blood pressure. Further examination will depend on the overall picture of the disease - perhaps the doctor will refer you to other specialists - an ENT or orthopedist.

Treatment

Medications that may relieve tension headaches include

• Painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol
• Painkillers, such as No-shpa or Spazmalgon
• Muscle relaxants such as tizanidine (only on doctor's recommendation)

Remember that painkillers cannot relieve pregnancy headaches, but only relieve symptoms for a short period of time. After a while, they may no longer work. Excessive use of painkillers for more than a week may lead to the return of pregnancy headaches.

The best cure for headaches during pregnancy is healthy sleep, fresh air and calmness.

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Cluster headaches

Cluster headache in pregnancy is a one-sided headache that can start out strong and last for a short time. Pain symptoms can occur constantly and bother pregnant women throughout the entire pregnancy.

Cluster headaches are not life-threatening and usually do not cause permanent changes in the pregnant woman's brain. However, they are chronic and often very painful, disrupting the pregnant woman's quality of life. Sometimes the headache can be so severe that the woman cannot do anything, she feels very ill.

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Reasons

Cluster headaches are four times more common in men than in women. However, pregnant women suffer from them in 20% of cases. Scientists do not know exactly what causes cluster headaches, but they suggest that it is associated with a sudden release of the hormones histamine and serotonin into the blood. The hypothalamus, a part of the brain, is sensitive to this and transmits a pain signal through pain receptors.

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Causes of cluster attacks

• Alcohol and smoking
• High altitude (e.g. air travel)
• Bright light (including sunlight)
• Emotional stress
• Excessive heat (hot weather, hot baths)
• Foods high in nitrites (eg bacon and canned meats, smoked sausage)
• Medicines

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Symptoms of Cluster Headaches in Pregnancy

Cluster headaches begin as a severe and sudden headache. The headache most often affects a pregnant woman 2-3 hours after she falls asleep. However, cluster headaches can also occur while she is awake. They usually occur at the same time of day.

Cluster headaches most often occur on one side of the head. They may be described as:

• Burning
• Acute
• Sustainable
• Pain may occur in the eyes, in the fundus, in the area around the eyes.
• Headache may spread along one side of the face from the neck to the temples
• The eyes and nose on the same side as the headache may also be affected. These may include:
• Puffiness under or around the eyes (may affect both eyes)
• Lacrimation
• Red eyes
• Rhinitis (runny nose) or one-sided nasal congestion (on the same side as the headache)
• Rush of blood to the face

Duration and frequency of cluster headaches in pregnant women

Headaches usually last from thirty minutes to two hours, with the average headache lasting for 45 minutes. Sometimes severe headaches can go away in as little as ten minutes, and in some rare cases headaches can last for several hours. The pain can quickly worsen, peaking within 5-10 minutes.

The headaches are so called because the attacks - "clusters" - continue for four to eight cycles per week. The frequency of attacks varies depending on the characteristics of each pregnant woman. Some women experience six severe headaches per day, while others experience only one cluster headache per week. In 85 percent of cases, headaches will bother a pregnant woman at the same time of day throughout the cycle.

Some studies show that the older a woman is, the greater the risk that she will suffer from chronic, severe headaches during pregnancy.

Cluster headaches may occur once a day for a month, alternating with periods without pain (episodic headache), or may recur throughout the pregnancy (chronic headache).

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Diagnostics

Your doctor can diagnose this type of headache by asking questions about your symptoms and how you generally feel.

If the medical examination is carried out during an attack of pain, it will be easier to determine the nature of its occurrence.

An MRI of the head may be necessary in extreme cases to rule out other causes of headaches in pregnancy.

Treatment

During pregnancy, many medications are unsafe for pregnant women to take, so your doctor may recommend that you limit yourself to anti-inflammatory pills or herbs, as well as painkillers. Acupuncture, aromatherapy, and head and neck massage may also be used.

A pregnant woman may be prescribed oxygen cocktails, rest, relaxation, and healthy sleep.

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Types of Headaches During Pregnancy

According to the classification of headaches during pregnancy, which doctors distinguish, headaches are divided into primary and secondary. Primary severe headaches during pregnancy are migraines and so-called tension headaches, as well as cluster (sharply expressed) headaches. And one more type is specific headaches in pregnant women.

But there is also a secondary headache. It can occur for the following reasons:

• Injuries from an accident or attack or blow or disaster
• Vascular disorders (manifested as hemorrhage, arterial hypertension)
• Pathologies inside the cranium (this could be increased intracranial pressure in a pregnant woman, a tumor in the brain, meningitis)
• Long-term use of medications and then their withdrawal
• Long-term use of alcohol and then sudden cessation
• A long process of smoking and then quitting
• Infections that doctors call systemic (eg, urosepsis)
• Metabolic disturbances in the body (for example, hypoxia – lack of oxygen, hypoglycemia – decreased glucose concentration in the blood)
• Neuralgia of various types (facial neuralgia, cranial neuralgia, etc.)
• Conditions in which the cause of headache is unknown.
• Hormonal changes in the body (hormonal storms)

Pregnant women should be aware that hormonal changes are inevitable in the body during pregnancy, so headaches can bother a woman throughout the entire pregnancy.

Prevention of cluster headaches

Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and certain foods that can cause headaches during pregnancy.