Treatments for Headaches During Pregnancy
Headaches during pregnancy is not a new thing. During the first trimester of pregnancy, you might experience headaches to changes your body is going through. However, you might experience headaches during the second and third trimesters for different reasons. Therefore, you should consider treatments in an emergency room near you since the causes might be severe.
One of the leading causes of headaches during the second and third trimesters is high blood pressure. Sometimes you might not show the significant symptoms of hypertension. Therefore, you can consider checking your blood pressure on your monitor daily.
Sometimes rest and over-the-counter pain relievers might help treat headaches. However, if your symptoms persist, you can consider visiting a doctor near you for diagnosis and treatments since they might be a result of other severe causes. You can keep a journal of your headaches and a record of any other symptoms.
Types of Headaches During Pregnancy
Most headaches during pregnancy are primary. A primary headache means that the pain happens itself and not a result of other complications. Some of the types of primary headaches you might experience during pregnancy are:
- Tension headaches
- Cluster headaches
- Migraine attacks
Any secondary headaches during pregnancy are a result of hypertension and other conditions such as nervous system issues.
Symptoms of Headaches During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, headache symptoms might vary from person to person. The common symptoms of headaches and migraines during pregnancy include:
- Dull aches
- Pulsating or throbbing pain
- Severe pain in both temples
- Sharp pain behind your eyes
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Blurriness or flashes of light
- Blind spots
If you experience the symptoms above, you should visit a doctor for emergency care services since you might experience complications later.
Causes of Headaches During Pregnancy
The causes of headaches and migraines during pregnancy vary depending on the trimester. During the first trimester, tension headaches are the most common. Tension headaches happen mostly due to the changes you are experiencing. Some of the changes that might trigger tension headaches are hormonal, blood volume, and weight changes.
Other cause of headaches during the first trimester include:
- Stress
- Dehydration
- Low blood sugar levels
- Sensitivity to light
- Too little physical activity
- Poor nutrition
During the second and third trimesters, the headaches might be a result of:
- Posture
- Extra weight
- Diet
- Lack of sleep
- Muscle strains and weakness
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
Treatments at an ER near Me
To establish the link between headaches and pregnancy, you should visit an emergency room near you in case of severe symptoms. During treatments, your doctor will first check your blood pressure since it might be the cause of the headaches. If you have chronic headaches and migraines, your doctor might recommend spine x-rays.
If the cause of headaches is hypertension, the doctor might recommend medications to control your blood pressure. You might also need to minimize your sugar and salt intake. Adding more fiber to your diet and physical exercise might be helpful.
When you have primary headaches during pregnancy, avoid taking over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. The pain-relieving drugs can be harmful to the growing baby, especially during the first trimester.
Your doctor might recommend Tylenol to treat the headaches. Alternatively, you can consider natural ways to treat headaches, such as:
- Drinking plenty of water
- Stretching and physical exercise
- Taking a rest
- Ice packs
- Using essential oils such as peppermint and rosemary
- Heat pad
Prevention of Headaches During Pregnancy
Whether you want to prevent or stop headaches and migraines during pregnancy, the following tips would come in handy:
- Avoid triggers such as foods and odors that have caused headaches in the past
- Try walks and other moderate aerobic exercises at home
- Find a healthy way to cope with your stresses
- Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, visualization, and deep breathing
- Eat regularly and maintain a healthy diet
- Since sleep deprivation might be a reason for headaches during pregnancy, you should consider a regular sleep schedule
- Visit your family doctor regularly for check-ups and follow-up sessions
- You can consider the bio-feedback technique
Emergency Room near Me
Are you experiencing severe headache symptoms such as headaches during pregnancy? In such a case, you might need emergency care. For emergency care, you can consider visiting us at Altus Emergency Center in Waxahachie. If you want to know how to stop headaches when pregnant, we can help.