Dealing With Pregnancy Headaches

Headaches are one of the most common discomforts and complaints that come with pregnancy. Though a headache may occur at anytime during one's pregnancy but they tend to be most common during the first and third trimesters. It is common for all ladies to feel anxiety about occurrences like headaches during the most important phase of their lives. Thus they can learn all they want to about pregnancy here.

What Causes Headaches during Pregnancy?

If one experiences an increase in headaches during the first trimester, it is believed to have resulted by the surge of hormones along with an increase in the blood volume circulating throughout your body. These headaches are generally tension headaches and may get further aggravated because of stress, poor posture or changes in vision. Other causes of headaches during pregnancy may involve one or more of the following.

a. Lack of sleep

b. Low blood sugar

c. Dehydration

d. Caffeine withdrawal

e. Stress (too many changes)

Quiet contradictory to this, women who have a tendency for migraine headaches may find that they experience fewer migraines during pregnancy, though it is possible for some women to encounter the same amount or even more. It is important to talk to your doctor about any medications that you may take for headaches during your pregnancy.

Headaches during the third trimester are more related to posture and tension due to carrying of extra weight. Headaches during the third trimester may also be caused by a condition called pre-eclampsia that is high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Treating Headaches during Pregnancy -

The best way to deal with any headache is to avoid it altogether. Avoiding tension headaches is easiest if one practices good health tips:

a. Keeping good posture (especially during the third trimester)

b. Taking plenty of rest and relaxation

c. Daily mild exercise

d. Eating well-balanced meals

If one is not able to prevent a headache from starting, then one must take steps do away with them. It is important that during pregnancy, one tries to relieve one's headache by natural means as far as possible. Pain relief medications like aspirin and ibuprofen are not recommended during pregnancy, though acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be considered safe only if taken occasionally.

Recommended Reading:

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