What to do if you suffer from a migraine during pregnancy. Non-drug and drug treatments. Migraine during pregnancy: how to deal with a headache? Migraine in pregnant women than to relieve pain

03.03.2022

Migraine is a chronic pathology, accompanied by severe headaches, increased sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. The disease itself and the causes of its occurrence are still not fully understood. Scientists were able to establish that it develops due to a genetic factor and occurs most often in women.

Watch a video about what a migraine is:

Features of migraine in pregnant women

Every woman experiences migraines differently. For one, pain sensations practically do not cause discomfort, because they are barely noticeable, for others it does not bother at all, but most often it still occurs. The reason for this is the hormonal changes in the body. This condition occurs with the following symptoms:

Darkening in the eyes;
The appearance of nausea;
A sharp increase in blood pressure.

Reasons why migraine is dangerous for pregnant girls and women:

Severe headaches make the expectant mother nervous, and the baby also becomes restless.
A sharp contraction of blood vessels affects the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus.
Migraine is sometimes mistaken for toxicosis and treatment is started, which is harmful both for oneself and for the child.
Nausea and vomiting cause exhaustion of the woman's body, so it can provoke a miscarriage. It is also possible to stop the development of the fetus.

note: according to doctors, the appearance of migraine during pregnancy can warn of other dangerous pathologies, for example:

meningitis;
glaucoma;
sinusitis;
brain tumors.

If severe headaches bother you, you should immediately seek medical advice. Among the others dangerous diseases that can develop as a result of complications - migraine stroke. It is accompanied by long bouts of pain, and severe manifestations can cause neurological disorders that are dangerous for paralysis of the facial nerve.

Causes during pregnancy

Doctors identify two main causes of migraine in pregnant women:

Body changes, hormonal changes. Nervous system becomes sensitive to external stimuli and reacts with a headache.
Increased load on the kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

Among other factors that seriously affect the health status during pregnancy:

severe stress;
lack of sleep at night and general fatigue;
physical or emotional overload;
lowering blood sugar levels;
lack of water (especially the first three months of pregnancy);
sensitivity to weather changes;
malnutrition with a lot of chocolate, cheese, fish and nuts;
abuse of caffeine;
the presence of unpleasant odors, stuffiness, too bright light or loud music in the room;
an increase in toxins due to the fact that the woman has recently suffered an acute respiratory viral infection or poisoning;
pancreatitis;
liver disease;
diabetes.

Please note: migraines appear on early dates, but may also occur during the last trimester. Most often this occurs due to preeclampsia, hypertension, overweight and a strong load on the spine.

Main symptoms

The main symptoms of a migraine include:

Pulsating pain in one area (most often they are concentrated in the temples, in the forehead and in the superciliary region). Sometimes the attack is accompanied by the movement of pain in the occipital region.
The occurrence of pain during physical activity.
Increased sensitivity to light, sounds and smells.
The occurrence of nausea and vomiting.
Violation of vision. Before an attack, a woman can see jumping points before her eyes, objects become voluminous, fog is possible and hallucinations occur.
Change in the perception of sounds - this symptom is called "aura".
An increase in blood pressure.

Headaches can last for several hours, or they can last for several days, depending on the individual characteristics of the organism. The symptoms will go away within three days.

Is treatment with pills acceptable?

During pregnancy, most medicines are prohibited for women. If the headache is very severe, you can take paracetamol and drugs in which it acts as the main component: panadol or acetaminophen. Their reception is acceptable regardless of the duration of pregnancy.

Important: the allowable dose per day should not be more than four tablets of 500 ml.

Aspirin or ibuprofen can be taken only at the onset of the second trimester, otherwise, the baby may experience various diseases. In the last stages, these medicines can provoke premature birth. The use of analgin, baralgin, tempalgin during pregnancy is strictly prohibited. You can not take medicines without a doctor's prescription.

You can find out more about how and how to treat a head with a migraine in this material.

How to get rid of the disease folk remedies?

In the early stages, acupuncture helps a lot with headaches. The procedure is effective and completely safe. Needles have a blocking effect on nerve impulses passing through painful pathways. Several procedures restore the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, remove headaches for a long time. If the needles themselves cause concern, you can try the following methods:

Drink hot, sweet tea - one cup normalizes glucose levels. Attention: you can not use the method for diabetes.
Applying a cabbage leaf to the diseased area - it must be fixed with a towel or scarf.
Massage with circular, light movements of the neck, head, temples.
Lavender tea - take 10g of herbs, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. After the specified time, the decoction should be drunk.
Breathing exercises.

You can find out more about whether it is possible to do without taking pills in this material.

Prevention

To prevent migraines, expectant mothers will help simple recommendations:

avoid stress;
walk more in the fresh air;
sleep at least seven hours a day;
include yoga in the daily routine;
review the diet and reduce the consumption of chocolate and citrus fruits.
limit the performance of unpleasant duties and the circle of communication with negatively-minded people, communication with which does not bring joy.

Conclusion

Migraine can also occur during menstruation and breastfeeding. In pregnant women, severe headaches occur as a result of the restructuring of the body. By the second half of the term, he gets used to the changes and learns to solve the problem with his own resources. By the end of pregnancy, migraines usually do not bother much. You can solve the problem of headaches with medicines and folk methods, but the main thing is to follow preventive measures.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

If you want to consult with the specialists of the site or ask your question, then you can do it completely for free in comments.

And if you have a question that goes beyond the scope of this topic, use the button Ask a Question higher.

Migraine is a common form of headache during pregnancy. Its provocateurs can be various disorders of the vascular system, lack of rest, hormonal imbalance, stress, poor nutrition and many other factors. Migraine is characterized by throbbing and severe pain in the head, as well as the appearance of visual disturbances and nausea. Such discomfort greatly worsens the well-being of a woman and not the most in the best way affects pregnancy. But the biggest difficulty in this situation is the fact that all migraine remedies during pregnancy are contraindicated. To understand this issue, let's find out what causes migraines during pregnancy, how to treat this ailment and how a headache can affect the fetus.

Headache can be different and occurs for many reasons. Migraine is just one of the types of headache and is the result of neurological disorders of a chronic nature.

Migraine is paroxysmal in nature. The next paroxysm (attack) is preceded by certain symptoms (aura), and then intense pain begins at one point of the head, more often in the area of the temples or forehead. The pain is accompanied by a strong sensitivity of the senses to light, aroma, noise. Sometimes an attack can cause vomiting, dizziness, and fainting.

The disease can occur when conditions favorable for it appear, for example, after overheating in the sun, taking hormonal pills, with a nervous shock or chronic fatigue.

Migraine is hereditary. Medical experience shows that the risk of migraine increases by 70% if the mother had this disease.

Migraine is a chronic disease, therefore, it requires complex treatment, which consists of taking painkillers during an attack and drugs that stabilize the general state of health. If a woman is in a position, the treatment is selected the most benign, so as not to harm the baby. Therefore, if a woman suffers from migraine during pregnancy, only a doctor should decide how to treat another attack.

Possible complications of the disease are migraine stroke, which is accompanied by serious neurological disorders (facial paralysis) and frequent prolonged attacks of pain.

During pregnancy, recurring seizures can harm the baby as the woman suffers from dehydration and oxygen deficiency. In addition, frequent vomiting and severe exhaustion of a woman can provoke a miscarriage or stop the development of the fetus.

Causes of migraine during pregnancy

Scientists and doctors have not yet established what provokes the development of migraines. But studies and long-term observations prove that this disease affects people aged 18 to 30 years, and 70% of them are women. Therefore, the incidence of migraine during pregnancy is about 20%.

Pregnancy is considered a migraine trigger for two reasons. On the one hand, against the background of changes in the hormonal status, the nervous system becomes vulnerable to any external stimuli. On the other hand, increased load on the kidneys and increased blood volume directly affect the cardiovascular system. Therefore, such conditions make a woman prone to migraine attacks.

There are a number of reasons for the development of a migraine attack:

A sharp lack of night rest.
Decreased blood sugar concentration.
fluid deficiency.
Weather sensitivity.
A radical change in the daily routine without preparation.
The reaction to environmental stimuli is an unpleasant aroma, stuffiness in the room, loud music.
Abuse of caffeinated products.
Low pressure.
High stress conditions.

Migraine can be the result of poor functioning of internal organs. So with pancreatitis or liver damage, headache attacks can constantly occur without any precursors and disappear just as instantly.

Another cause of migraine is general intoxication. For example, SARS, poisoning, chronic infections constantly fill the body with toxins, which leads to constantly recurring headaches.

Migraine is a constant companion of diabetes. Therefore, this diagnosis should also be ruled out if migraine occurs during gestation.

Migraine attacks during pregnancy can be the result of other dangerous diseases such as meningitis, glaucoma, brain tumors and sinusitis. Therefore, if there is any severe pain in the head, it is very important to consult a doctor.

Mostly migraine appears in the first half of pregnancy. But there are exceptions when an attack may appear later. The reason for this may be the load on the spine, preeclampsia, hypertension and excess weight.

migraine symptoms during pregnancy

The main symptom of migraine is a severe pain syndrome in the head area, which resembles intense pulsation, a feeling of squeezing, tingling, knocking. The pain can be localized in the frontal-temporal part, or "migrate" along the head towards the back of the head. The place of pain can constantly change from attack to attack.

The frequency of migraine pains is different. Some women may have 1-2 seizures during their entire pregnancy, while others may have 3-4 attacks per week. The pain syndrome can last from 3 hours to several days with short periods of relief.

The next attack of migraine is preceded by certain symptoms, which are called migraine aura. This may be a change in smell, flickering before the eyes, irritability, loss of strength, loss of appetite.

If a woman experienced migraine attacks before pregnancy, then after conception, the frequency and intensity of migraine in early pregnancy can increase dramatically. But closer to the middle of pregnancy, the disease weakens.

You can distinguish a migraine from another type of headache by the following signs:

The pain is concentrated at one point (forehead, supraocular part, temple, occiput).
The pain is accompanied by bouts of nausea, salivation, intolerance to light and loud sounds.
Any physical activity makes the migraine worse.
The pain is like a pulse.
Analgesics do not help relieve pain.
The attack is preceded by a migraine aura.
Pain completely reduces daily activities.
Parents also have migraine attacks.

A migraine attack always occurs in three phases:

The first phase starts 20-60 minutes before the attack. A woman's mood disappears for no reason, she becomes lethargic, lifeless, she wants to sleep, a feeling of fullness in her head slowly grows, and pain appears.
The second phase is the peak of the headache. The woman has a strong pulsation in the temples, vomiting appears, the skin on the face turns pale, swelling of the eyelids may occur. Such a long and severe migraine during pregnancy requires urgent hospitalization.
The third phase falls on the decline of the headache. The woman becomes upset, exhausted, drowsy. Rarely, a migraine attack may recur at this stage. At the same time, a woman’s weakened body may be subject to such complications as cerebral hypoxia, convulsions, and dehydration.

Migraine during pregnancy: drug treatment

It is almost impossible to eliminate a migraine headache with conventional analgesics. Ergotamines are mainly used to alleviate the condition. But the treatment of migraine in women in position is very limited, because many of this group of drugs are toxic to the fetus, especially in the first 2-3 months. They can influence the development of chromosomal abnormalities, cause uterine contractions and miscarriages, and provoke bleeding.

Migraine pills during pregnancy

With a mild migraine attack, pregnant women are prescribed the simplest and conditionally safe analgesic, for example, Citramon or Paracetamol in low doses.

If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with migraine status (attacks are repeated more than 15 times a month), she is prescribed antidepressants and beta-blockers. Some of them are allowed during gestation and do not adversely affect the fetus. These include Labetalol, Amitriptyline, Propranolol and Fluoxetine.

Acupuncture for migraine during pregnancy

Acupuncture is a safe and effective remedy for migraine during pregnancy. The placement of needles brings quick relief during the next attack by blocking the passage of nerve impulses along the painful pathways. At the same time, the need to take harmful analgesic drugs disappears.

This method is allowed in the first trimester, but before the procedure, you need to consult a gynecologist and a neurologist. If there are no contraindications, then several courses of acupuncture between attacks will help restore the disrupted functioning of the vascular system and achieve a stable remission in a woman.

Treatment of migraine during pregnancy folk remedies

What should a woman do in a position if medications are contraindicated and the pain is very severe? In this situation, you can use one of the safe folk methods. They will help you feel better before you visit the doctor.

A mug of hot and very sweet tea will help to increase the level of glucose and bring the vascular tone back to normal. But here it is important to understand that in the presence of gestational diabetes, this method is contraindicated.
For many centuries, headaches have been relieved with the help of a cabbage leaf. You need to attach it to the sore spot and fix it with a handkerchief.
Ice helps to reduce pulsation. You need to wrap it in a bag and soft tissue and apply to the painful area for a couple of minutes. Do not apply ice yourself, as you can freeze the scalp.
A decoction of dill seeds has an analgesic effect. You need 1.5 tsp. brew seeds in 250 ml of boiling water for 2 hours and then drink the infusion.
Massage can help stop a migraine attack. It is not necessary to call a professional massage therapist, you can ask someone close to massage your head, neck, temples. This will improve blood circulation and double the supply of oxygen to the brain. All massage movements should be gentle, circular, not sharp.
Staying in the fresh air also helps to normalize blood pressure and reduce pain. But when a migraine is in its active phase, it can be very difficult to go outside. Intensive and regular airing of the room, a suitable air conditioner mode or relaxation on the balcony or veranda will help to solve this dilemma.
An herbal relaxation pillow will help prevent another migraine attack. To make it, you need to take part of the bay leaf, part of the cherry leaves and part of the eucalyptus, and then fill the pillowcase with the herbal mixture and sew it up. You can rest on a pillow for 3-4 hours a day.
Another great anti-migraine recipe is a thyme compress. It is necessary to pour a handful of grass with a small amount of boiling water to make a slurry. Then you need to wrap the grass in a clean cloth and apply it to your forehead and temples.
You can improve your well-being with lavender tea. It is very easy to prepare it: pour 10 g of inflorescences with a glass of boiling water and let the tea brew for 15 minutes.

Migraine during pregnancy: what to do to prevent attacks

Migraines are often provoked by external factors, so it is quite possible to reduce the frequency of pain if you adjust your lifestyle. It is important to exclude all factors that can irritate the nerve center and have a bad effect on the vascular system.

So, instructions on how to get rid of migraines during pregnancy:

Isolate yourself from psychological discomfort - eliminate stress, unpleasant communication, unloved activities.
Together with your doctor, make a list of foods that can provoke migraine attacks (usually citrus fruits, coffee, cocoa.)
Get enough rest, get enough fresh air, avoid noisy places with bright lights.
Be sure to undergo a diagnosis of the cardiovascular system (this can be done during pregnancy).
Learn to recognize the aura in order to calm down and rest in advance. This will reduce the intensity of the pain attack.
Discover yoga. Relaxation exercises are great for restoring the nervous system.
Do not neglect visits to the doctor. Always check with your gynecologist what you can get from migraine during pregnancy and what is prohibited.
With an increase in migraine-like headache, a pregnant woman should immediately take action: turn off the bright lights, turn off the TV and other sound sources, ventilate the room from the smells of food, tobacco smoke, perfumes, sit comfortably on the bed and relax.

Love yourself and enjoy your pregnancy. After all, positive energy is the best prevention of any headache and other diseases.

Video "Treatment of migraine during pregnancy"

A large number of women suffer from migraine headaches, and those who do not know what it is are just lucky. As a rule, with the onset of pregnancy, migraine recedes, since the development of this type of headache is associated with the hormonal background of a woman. But, alas, there are cases when a migraine does not leave a woman even during pregnancy. What to do in such cases, because almost all medications for relieving headaches are prohibited during childbearing? In this article, we will look at why migraine occurs during pregnancy, what are its symptoms and how to get rid of a migraine headache so as not to harm the unborn child.

Causes of migraine during pregnancy

The causes of migraine in pregnant women are no different from patients who are not pregnant. Today, scientists believe that migraine is a genetically determined disease. About thirty genes and their variations have been identified that are responsible for migraine attacks in their “owners” from mild to very severe.

But one genetic propensity for the occurrence of a migraine attack is not enough, exposure to headache-provoking factors is necessary. These include:

stressful situation;
physical or emotional stress;
consumption of certain foods (chocolate, hard cheeses, nuts, fish, high doses of caffeine, food preservatives such as monosodium glutamate, aspartame, nitrates);
drinking alcohol, especially red wine and champagne;
long sleep;
the use of oral hormonal contraceptives;
various dyshormonal disorders in a woman's body;
change in weather conditions.

The development of a migraine attack is associated with an increased amount of estrogen in a woman's body, because migraine in non-pregnant women most often develops at the beginning of menstrual bleeding. During pregnancy, the hormonal background changes in the direction of the predominance of progesterone, respectively, the attacks should stop. But, if a pregnant woman has any hormonal changes, for example, progesterone deficiency, then the woman continues to suffer from migraine attacks.

Migraine symptoms in pregnancy

Migraine is a special type of headache, which is fundamentally different not only in the specific clinical picture, but also in the mechanism of headache development. If the basis of most types of pain is a spasm of the cerebral arteries, which leads to cerebral hypoxia, then the pathogenesis of migraine is the pathological expansion of cerebral vessels and hyperperfusion of brain tissue. This mechanism of pain causes the ineffectiveness of most medications for the treatment of headache, which requires the use of specific anti-migraine drugs.

You can suspect a migraine attack in a pregnant woman by the following symptoms:

unilateral localization of headache;
the pain is pulsating;
medium or high intensity;
increases with any physical activity;
accompanied by increased sensitivity to external stimuli;
the attack lasts from several hours to several days (as a rule, does not exceed 72 hours);
accompanied by nausea and vomiting;
ineffectiveness of conventional pain medications;
before a headache attack, an aura may be present (25% of patients), which manifests itself in the form of visual disturbances (flickering before the eyes, dots, fog, etc.), tactile sensations, speech disorders, such symptoms occur from 5 minutes to an hour before the onset of a headache .

Establishing a diagnosis of migraine is easy. To do this, it is enough to carefully analyze the symptoms of pathology. But in the case of pregnancy, any episode of severe headache should not be left without medical attention. After all, there are other diseases that are accompanied by a headache in pregnant women.

One of these is preeclampsia and eclampsia - a serious pathology of pregnancy, which can lead not only to the death of the fetus, but also to the woman. The disease manifests itself with high blood pressure, swelling and headache. In the case of the transition of preeclampsia to eclampsia, seizures develop, which can cause the death of the mother or her unborn baby.

Treatment of migraine during pregnancy with medications

When a pregnant woman is taken by surprise by a migraine headache, then, naturally, the first question that arises is which pill can you take to get rid of the pain and not harm the baby. It is immediately necessary to answer that there are only a few such medicines, and they will not always save you from migraines.

Consider the possibility of using drugs for individual groups that are used for migraine by patients who are not in position.

Nonspecific antipyretics and analgesics

This is the most common and well-known group of drugs that are used in connection with headaches. But, it must be said that they do not eliminate migraine headaches as well as other types of headaches. These medicines can only show their effectiveness at the beginning of an attack, but if it has already been going on for some time, then even the whole pack of pills will not help get rid of a migraine.

In addition, almost all drugs from this group are prohibited from being used at certain stages of pregnancy. The only drug that is approved for use in all stages of pregnancy is paracetamol. It has been assigned safety group B by the US Food and Drug Administration.

For reference:

Category A- absolutely safe medicines, studies on humans have not revealed negative impact to the fruit. It should be noted that today there is not a single drug from this group, since experiments on pregnant women are unethical and prohibited.
Category B are relatively safe drugs. Animal studies have shown no effects on the embryo. The available clinical observations of the use of the drug by the mother prove that the risk to the baby does not exceed that in the general population.
Category C- Potentially dangerous drugs. Animal experiments have confirmed the negative effect of the substance on the fetus, but no evaluation has been carried out in humans. But drugs in this group can be prescribed to pregnant women strictly according to indications, if the benefit to the mother exceeds the negative for the fetus.
CategoryD- available clinical observations have revealed a negative effect of the drug on the human fetus, but drugs of this group can be prescribed to pregnant women strictly according to indications, if the benefit to the mother exceeds the negative for the fetus.
CategoryN There is not enough data yet to classify the drug.
Category X- dangerous drugs for the embryo. Clinical studies on animals and observations of pregnant women who took the drug revealed a significant negative effect on the fetus. Thus, the risk outweighs the benefit to the mother and these drugs are strictly prohibited during pregnancy.

There are many paracetamol preparations on the modern pharmaceutical market - Efferalgan, Panadol, Paracetamol, Acetaminophen, etc. The average therapeutic dose that is allowed for pregnant women is 325-500 mg, the daily amount should not exceed 2 grams (4 tablets of 500 mg).

Other drugs from the NSAID group, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen (which are allowed for headaches and breastfeeding), can only be taken in the second trimester of pregnancy (category C). In the first, they increase the risk of fetal malformations, and in the third, bleeding and premature birth.

It is strictly forbidden to take analgin, baralgin, spazmalgon, tempalgin, citramon, askofen and similar drugs. It should also be borne in mind that taking combined drugs for headaches is not welcome. The fact is that in their composition, in addition to the allowed paracetamol and caffeine, prohibited substances are often present, for example, acetylsalicylic acid.

Specific anti-migraine drugs

This group includes 2 types of drugs: ergot derivatives (dihydroergotamine, dihydergot) and serotonin agonists (zolmitriptan, sumatriptan, naratriptan). All of these drugs are prohibited during pregnancy (category D), except for sumatriptan (category C). The appointment of a sumatriptan tablet is possible only by the attending physician for the relief of a severe migraine attack if the benefit to the woman outweighs the risk to the fetus.

Video about migraine:

Anticonvulsants and antidepressants

Often, drugs from this group are used to get rid of migraines. Consider the possibility of their use during pregnancy.

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors:

Citalopram, Sertraline, Fluoxetine (group D) - there are data on such malformations as pulmonary hypertension, defects in the development of the brain and skull, heart and large vessels. The drug is acceptable during pregnancy.
Paroxetine (group X) - causes heart defects, anencephaly, cranial defects, embryonic hernias. Prohibited for use in pregnant women.

Tricyclic antidepressants:

Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline (category C) - causes underdevelopment of limbs in animals, there is no confirmation in humans. Allowed for use under the strict indications of a doctor.

MAO inhibitors:

All drugs from this group belong to category X and are contraindicated in pregnancy.

Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers

Of the beta-blockers, only metoprolol and atenolol are allowed for use in pregnant women. These drugs belong to group C and are prescribed by a doctor according to strict indications.

Preparations from the group of calcium channel blockers are allowed for use only in the second trimester (category C). These are verapamil, diltiazem, amlodipine, nifedipine, etc.

Thus, only a paracetamol tablet can be taken for a headache on its own, all other cases need a doctor's prescription after assessing all the benefits to the mother and the risk to the fetus.
Food video for migraines:

Alternative Treatments for Migraine in Pregnancy

Do not immediately get upset and prepare yourself for the fact that you will have to endure the pain for several days, because there are many alternative and safe methods treatment of migraine in pregnancy. Consider the most effective:
you can drink a cup of strong and very sweet tea or coffee;

apply a cabbage leaf compress to the head and tightly tie a scarf;

ensure yourself complete peace - no light, no sound, no movement;

cold is an excellent helper in the fight against migraine - a cold shower, a compress, a heating pad with ice on the head - help bring the tone of the vessels back to normal and narrow them, which manifests itself in the form of a decrease in headache;

you can smear whiskey with lavender oil or an asterisk, but this method is not suitable for everyone, in some pregnant women a pungent odor can only increase the headache;

nutrition should be light and balanced, all migraine provocateurs should be excluded from the menu;

you need to drink enough fluids, dehydration only aggravates the situation;

acupressure head massage;

reflexology and acupuncture;

breathing exercises can have an excellent result;

nap.

In order not to face such a problem as migraine during pregnancy, first of all, a woman in position should observe a rational regime of work and rest, a healthy lifestyle, exercise for pregnant women, eliminate all bad habits, eat right and healthy, lead an active lifestyle and to walk alot. And most importantly, avoid stressful situations, prepare for motherhood and enjoy your happiness.

lack of sleep or its excess;

Our readers write

Hello! My name is

Treatment without pills

Folk recipes

Relaxation techniques

Massage

swimming or yoga;

The development of migraine during pregnancy can seriously disrupt the course of natural processes, overshadow the awareness of future motherhood. Specialists have developed many safe approaches that can alleviate the condition of a woman with a headache. Do not refuse professional help, because it can also negatively affect the child.

Migraines during pregnancy: causes and treatment with folk remedies

Migraine- a medical problem that occurs at any age, more often in women. During pregnancy, it has a number of features of the course and specific tactics of correction.

Migraine

This is an attack of severe unilateral headache against the background of a sharp deterioration in well-being, the reaction of internal and sensory organs. It is based on a violation of the interaction of the nervous system with the vascular system. Lasts from several hours up to 3 days, goes through several stages.

It has the following manifestations:

In the initial period(a few hours before the pain) there are rapid mood swings, weakness, nervousness due to noise, light.
aura stage(when it occurs) lasts up to 1 hour, manifested by changes in the senses.
In pain stage there is a debilitating headache against the background of the reaction of internal organs.
At the final stage(no more than 1 hour) pain stops, condition improves, digestion normalizes.

Aura does not always occur. It can be observed before a painful attack, maybe at the height of pain. Depending on this, distinguish migraine without an aura (simple) and with an aura (associated). Read more about how to avoid a migraine attack with aura.

Migraines during pregnancy

When carrying a child, sometimes it occurs for the first time.

Symptoms

Manifestations depend on the degree of damage to the nervous tissue, they are most pronounced during the pain stage.

Main features:

headache;
dizziness;
loss of appetite;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
light-, sound-phobia;
pale skin;
weakness;
feeling hot, cold.

Headache is caused by the location of the affected area of the nervous tissue.

Pain characteristics:

one-sided;
pulsating;
very high intensity.

Pain syndrome is always combined with intolerance to noise and loud sounds, light, smells.

Early dates

Pregnancy in different periods has its own characteristics that contribute to the onset of the disease.

Peculiarities:

specific stresses;
hormonal changes;
lack of water, dehydration;
Allergy or rejection of foods previously familiar.

Late dates

At this time, the woman's body undergoes the next stage of changes and prepares for childbirth.

Peculiarities:

the amount of liquid increases;
increased vascular permeability;
the movement of blood is impeded;

going on load increase on different parts of the spine, especially the lumbar. Posture is changing. Changes in the spinal column affect the state of nerve endings, vascular formations in this area.

Pregnant women become more sensitive to changes in weather conditions, fluctuations in atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature. It's conditional increase occurrence and exacerbation of disease attacks.

In the trimester

For second trimester, unlike the first (early terms) and the third (late terms), a noticeable improvement, relief of symptoms, and a decrease in the frequency of occurrence are characteristic. Often there is a complete disappearance of manifestations at this time.

Also, several doctors expands list of approved drugs.

Causes

The occurrence is associated with violation nervous regulation of the work of blood vessels, the release of special biologically active substances (serotonin). This leads to a deterioration in the functioning of the nervous tissue, the processing of information about pain, as well as impulses emanating from the sense organs and internal systems, is disrupted.

Most often, the disease can provoke:

strong emotions, including positive ones;
long anxiety, depressed mood;
physical overload;
fluctuations atmospheric pressure, temperature, magnetic storms;
consumption a large number chocolate, smoked meats, red wine, coffee, hard cheeses;
change hormonal background.

A strong light, a loud sound, a certain pungent odor triggers a cascade of processes leading to the onset of symptoms.

Migraine with aura during pregnancy

During the bearing of a child, often before the pain syndrome, a number of signs are observed associated with the reaction of the sense organs, the nervous system (usually one-sided), which are called aura.

Aura is manifested by symptoms:

visual effects (dots, lines, zigzags, light rays);
temporary blindness in one or both eyes;
weakening motor ability of the arm, leg on one side;
tingling, violation of the sensitivity of the limbs;
violation speech.

If at this stage it is possible to stop the actions of the provoking factor, then the further development of symptoms may not arise.

What to do and how to treat?

During pregnancy, it is desirable to avoid taking pills. Normalize lifestyle, diet, use traditional medicine. A doctor's supervision is necessary.

When starting, you need:

Create peace, stop irritation of all senses.
Turn off in the room light, close and curtain windows, turn off everything that spreads sound, humidify the air.
Next, use l folk and traditional means.

Folk remedies

Before using alternative medicine methods, it is better consult with a doctor to avoid negative effects on the body future mother, child.

The safest way to relieve the condition is:

brew, drink sweet tea, stronger than usual.
To painful apply a compress from a fresh cabbage leaf poured with boiling water to the zone. Wrap with a wool scarf.
Post ice for a short time.
Do massage with hands or a massage brush, along conditional lines from the forehead to the back of the head, every half hour.
Breathe pairs of citrus aromatic oils, lemon balm, mint.
Use pillow, inside which are dry bay, cherry, eucalyptus leaves.
Put small slices of lemon on the temporal region, bandage the head with a towel moistened with hot water.
Napkins moistened with water with the addition of a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil, put on the temples, forehead.
Compress from steamed wormwood put on the forehead, whiskey, wrap with a towel.

Before using herbal remedies and aromatic oils, you need to make sure in the absence allergies to them.

Preparations

Most traditional migraine medications at this time use dangerous. Aspirin use can lead to bleeding, complications, early miscarriages, premature births later dates.

Can be applied under control doctor, only in the second trimester small doses of Citramon. Find out what helps Citramon in tablets here.

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is currently one of the few drugs that can be taken to treat during gestation. Prescribes this drug, determines the number of tablets that you can drink per day, only a doctor. Take paracetamol during pregnancy with caution, try not to take it on an empty stomach.

When to go to the doctor

A pregnant woman should definitely go to the doctor if she has begun to be disturbed or previously observed migraines have intensified. The consultation will help you navigate with the recommendations in the selection of tablets for treatment, if necessary.

However, there are situations when seeking medical help should be urgent.

Must be alert:

more intense headache than usual;
not passing visual impairment;
persisting after an attack, numbness or deterioration of movements;
gradually increasing chronic pain in any area of the head;
confusion consciousness.

The importance of urgent diagnosis in these manifestations is due to the fact that migraine-like symptoms and signs can be signs others diseases that require completely different actions.

Prevention

The basis of prevention is the correction of lifestyle and diet.

First of all, you need:

Observe rest and wakefulness regimen (sleep 9-10 hours);
Avoid nervous psychological overload;
Provide low level noise, no chemicals, light stimuli (light indicators);
Support room temperature not more than 23°C, humidity - 50-70%.
Sleep mostly on the side, especially in the third trimester.
Active stop physical activity no later than 6 hours before bedtime.
Use at dinner, a small amount of well-digestible foods containing a lot of protein (lean meat, fish, cottage cheese).
Eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime.

Thus, at pregnancy there are a number of changes that contribute to the emergence, as well as affect the existing migraine. Observation, timely detection and a set of therapeutic measures allows you to stabilize the condition, avoid complications, and restore health.

Migraine during pregnancy: how to get rid of migraine

Ivan Drozdov 12.12.2017 0 Comments

Migraine is an intense unilateral headache, the main cause of which is vascular disorders. During an attack, a strong pulsation in the temples, frontal lobes or the back of the head is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms - nausea, dizziness, weakness, visual, tactile and auditory disorders. Doctors have identified a certain list of common causes of migraine, which is supplemented during pregnancy and aggravates the woman's condition.

Common Causes of Migraines During Pregnancy

At different stages of pregnancy, changes occur in the female body that can cause migraine pain. During this period, more frequent and intense manifestation of seizures contributes to:

In the early stages of pregnancy - a change in the level of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and the state of arterial vessels as a result, a double burden on the heart and nervous system.
In late pregnancy - emotional sensitivity, the occurrence of weather dependence, the load on the spine and vertebral arteries.

Often a migraine is observed in a woman even before pregnancy, and during the period of bearing a baby, the attacks simply become more intense. In this case, the causes of migraine during pregnancy can be very diverse:

susceptibility to stress;
chronic fatigue;
diseases of the nervous system;
hypertension;
vegetovascular dystonia;
head injuries resulting in disruption of the vascular system or the development of tumors;
heredity;
hormonal instability;
insomnia or prolonged sleep;
factors present in Everyday life(polluted air, working at a computer, smoking, watching TV, frequent quarrels, scandals, living or working in noisy places, a strong unpleasant odor).

In some cases, migraine attacks recede with the onset of pregnancy, and women forget about painful discomfort and accompanying symptoms for the duration of the gestation. This happens if the development of the pain syndrome was associated with the menstrual cycle, which, after fertilization of the egg, disappears for the next 9 months.

If during pregnancy a woman is worried about migraine attacks, it is necessary, together with the gynecologist, to develop a treatment card that describes safe drugs and non-drugs, optimal dosages and methods for taking them.

Drugs during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you should limit the intake of any medication and use alternative methods. If migraine pains aggravate the condition of the pregnant woman with their intensity and intake chemicals is inevitable, then, in agreement with the gynecologist, you can take one of the painkillers:

Ibuprofen and its derivatives (Nurofen, Imet) are prescribed once in the first two trimesters, and it is not recommended to take it at a later date in order to avoid complications of labor and premature closure of the ductus arteriosus in a child.
Paracetamol and its derivatives (Efferalgan, Panadol) are prescribed at the end of the second trimester and in the last months. Despite the presence of many side effects when taking it, the drug is considered a safe pain reliever for pregnant women.
Light antidepressants (Fluoxetine, Fitosed) are indicated for pregnant women whose migraine is provoked by emotional instability, fear of childbirth, and suspiciousness. In this case, taking the drug is a preventive measure.
Beta-blockers (Atenolol, Propranolol) reduce blood pressure to normal levels in hypertension and thereby prevent the development of migraine pain.
Magnesium preparations (Magne B6) prevent the development of migraine.

The intake of the described drugs during the period of bearing the baby must be agreed with the gynecologist, who, when prescribing the dosage, must compare the condition of the pregnant woman and the risks of exposure to chemicals on the development of the fetus.

If you were overtaken by a migraine during pregnancy, then during this period you should not take triptans, as well as drugs in which the main substance is analgin, aspirin, ergot alkaloid, narcotic substances. In exceptional cases, with severe attacks, they can be prescribed by a doctor if the choice between the fetus and the pregnant woman is made in favor of the health and life of the latter.

Treatment of migraine during pregnancy folk remedies

With moderate pain attacks, medications can be replaced with available folk remedies:

At the time of the headache, apply a cold compress to the forehead.
Take fresh cabbage leaf, wrinkle it a little in your hands, attach it to the painful part of the head and wrap it on top tissue paper. The compress should be kept on the head until the headache goes away.
With reduced pressure, you need to drink hot tea with sugar, with hypertension - add lemon to the drink.
Use the Asterisk balm, gently rubbing it into the temples, forehead area.
Take cold a raw egg, apply to the area of the upper cervical vertebrae and hold until it becomes warm.
Inhale during an attack essential oils orange, lemon, lavender, lemon balm.
Make a light head massage using a comb. To do this, the hair must be combed first in one direction, then in the other.
Use a raw onion for a compress, which must first be cut into halves and then applied to the site of pain.

A pregnant woman needs to be careful with the use of herbal infusions, as some of them can provoke a miscarriage or adversely affect the condition of the fetus. In this case, a specific type of herb, like a medication, should be prescribed by a gynecologist.

Prevention of migraine in pregnant women

Preventive measures play a significant role in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks during pregnancy and their intensity, which is very important for women who are carrying a baby. First of all, you need to reconsider the usual daily routine, exclude from it the factors that provoke migraines. To do this, it is advisable to keep a diary in which to record the time and duration of the attacks, their intensity, as well as the events that preceded the development of the pain syndrome.

During pregnancy, to prevent the development of migraine pain, a woman needs to follow simple but effective measures:

Ensure healthy sleep for 8-9 hours in a well-ventilated room;
Regularly take walks in the park area, if there are no contraindications for walking by a gynecologist;
Rule out dehydration. To do this, consume up to 2 liters of fluid per day, provided that the woman has no pathologies from the kidneys;
Avoid visiting noisy public places during pregnancy;
Refuse to travel to countries with a different climate;
Develop a "healthy menu", giving up nuts, hot spices, hard and processed cheeses, dark chocolate, alcoholic beverages;
Eat small meals, but often;
In agreement with the gynecologist, engage in physiotherapy exercises;
Eliminate overheating in the sun or, conversely, hypothermia;
Periodically, in agreement with the doctor, carry out a light relaxing massage of the neck and collar zone, head;
Prevent the development of migraine against the background of unrest and fears characteristic of pregnant women, with the help of soothing teas and decoctions.

Feel free to ask your questions right here on the site. We will answer you! Ask a question >>

Preventive measures, as well as the treatment of migraine, must be coordinated and adjusted with a gynecologist, depending on the condition of the pregnant woman. Only individual approach will help reduce the number of seizures and facilitate the course of pregnancy.

Migraine during pregnancy

Causes of migraine in pregnancy

Migraine is recognized as a neurological disorder, which is characterized by a chronic course. Migraine during pregnancy is not just a aching headache, it is important to remember that one-sided pain in the forehead, neck or temple indicates a violation of the functionality of the nervous system. If a woman has a migraine and pregnancy at the same time, how can the pathology be treated?

In the early stages of pregnancy, aching or acute pain in the head can be caused by overwork or toxicosis. If in ordinary life malaise can be relieved with the help of painkillers or sedatives, then for expectant mothers the list of approved medications is very limited, so you have to deal with migraines in other ways.

Doctors still do not agree on the answer to the question of what can be called the root cause of migraine. It is generally accepted that the pathology is hereditary in nature, while it is more often transmitted genetically through the female line. Pregnancy is one of the provoking factors for the manifestation of pathology, because a woman experiences a sharp change in the hormonal background, as well as the general state of the nervous system.

It has been proven that about 10% of pregnant women experience migraine for the first time precisely during the “interesting situation”, while migraine in pregnant women can manifest itself in the early stages, as well as during the duration of the entire pregnancy.

Doctors named adverse factors that provoke the manifestation of unilateral pain in women:

lack of walks in the fresh air;
active and passive smoking;
lack of sufficient fluid in the body - especially in the first trimester of pregnancy;
long sleep (more than 9 hours);
physical fatigue;
drinking alcohol (wine, champagne);
stressful situations;
nervous or moral overwork;
violations of the functionality of the internal systems of the body;
malnutrition, as well as long periods between meals;
impact environment(strong wind, variability of temperature regimes, blizzard, etc.).

Migraine during pregnancy can be activated due to the use of certain foods or foods. Since the hormonal background of the expectant mother is rearranged, it may not respond adequately even to the usual foods. Most often migraine aggressors are chocolate, coffee, sweet foods, strong tea.

In order not to suffer from migraine pains, a pregnant woman is recommended to exclude the following foods from her daily diet:

peanut;
bananas;
all kinds of citrus fruits;
fatty varieties of hard cheese;
sugar substitutes.

Clinical picture

Migraine differs from ordinary headache in the nature of the course and the mechanism of development. With a normal headache, a spasm of the arteries of the brain occurs, which leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen). Migraine is characterized by pathological expansion of cerebral vessels, which leads to hyperperfusion of brain tissues. The specified mechanism of pain contributes to the manifestation of the ineffectiveness of most medications against headache, respectively, in order to fight migraine, it is necessary to take special anti-migraine drugs.

Migraine is characterized by the following clinical picture:

unilateral headache, which is localized in the frontal, temporal or occipital part of the head;
throbbing pain in the head;
soreness increases with various mental or physical loads;
the pain is characterized by intensity - medium or high;
an accompanying symptom of pain is hypersensitivity to external stimuli;
along with pain in the head, nausea or vomiting may occur;
before an attack of unilateral pain, many women have an aura, that is, the appearance of "goosebumps", "shrouds" before the eyes, weakness, irritability, visual dysfunction (aura occurs about 5 minutes before the onset of an attack of pain).

What distinguishes migraine from ordinary headaches is that the discomfort cannot be removed with the usual painkillers. The manifestation of frequent and regular migraine attacks should not be left without medical attention. If symptoms of pathology are detected, the expectant mother should urgently seek advice from her treating doctor.

It is important to remember that the treatment of migraine during pregnancy is a mandatory procedure. If therapy is ignored, then painful sensations can “grow” into serious complications. One of the complications of migraine during pregnancy is preeclampsia and eclampsia - serious pathological conditions that can lead to death of both the fetus and the mother herself. Preeclampsia is characterized by increased blood pressure, frequent headaches, and the appearance of edema. If preeclampsia “turns” into eclampsia, then the expectant mother begins to have convulsions, which may well cause death for herself and her unborn baby.

Migraine Treatment Methods

In the fight against migraine, expectant mothers can use only a limited list of medicines. Most often, during attacks of pain, the attending doctor says: “Drink Paracetamol, since this medication has practically no effect on the body of a pregnant woman and the development of the fetus.”

Indeed, a drug called Paracetamol or its analogues - Panadol, Panadol Extra, Efferalgan helps pregnant women cope with pain. The medicine is available in the form of tablets. For the body of a pregnant woman and her baby, the drug is absolutely harmless - it does not have a toxic effect, it is not forbidden to be taken in the early stages of pregnancy.

If the expectant mother does not suffer from increased excitability, depression and other pathological manifestations of the nervous system, then she can take Panadol Extra. The only thing you need to be sure is that there is no possible failure of the blood pressure regimes in a woman.

What other drugs are allowed to be taken during pregnancy? How to treat migraine? By appointment, you can take - Drotaverin, No-Shpa.

How to deal with persistent migraine attacks? In this case, only a doctor should prescribe drugs. A pregnant woman may be prescribed an anti-migraine drug - sumatriptan, but it is allowed to use it only if its benefit outweighs the risk to the health of the fetus.

In complicated cases, the problem of how to get rid of a migraine is solved in a hospital setting. The doctor, according to strict indications, may prescribe the drug Atenolol or Metoprolol. The medicine is recommended to be used only in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy.

postpartum migraine

If a persistent migraine appears after childbirth, then it is important to find out the root cause of the pathology. Self-medicate headaches in the postpartum period (especially when breastfeeding) it is forbidden. Only a doctor individually prescribes a treatment regimen, which may include:

painkillers;
anti-inflammatory injections (an injection is used if the benefit of therapy outweighs the risk to the health of the baby).

Folk remedies for the treatment of migraine

When a migraine appears, the question of what to do for expectant mothers becomes very relevant. It is important to remember that expectant mothers should not drink many medications, so many of them prefer to relieve pain with folk remedies.

How to treat migraine? What can a future mother take to quickly get rid of a headache? Treatment of migraine in pregnancy is discussed below:

Sweet black tea effectively relieves headaches, but with such a remedy, you must be extremely careful during pregnancy in the early stages, as strong sweet tea can provoke a miscarriage.
Cabbage leaf compress. Remove a leaf from a head of cabbage, scald it with boiling water, cool it, and then apply it to the part of the head in which the pain is concentrated.
Ice compress. In ancient times, pain was fought with the help of ice - it was applied to the sore spot for several minutes.
Aromatherapy. It is effective to take aromatic air baths based on essential oils of lavender, lemon balm, mint. In this way, migraine attacks in pregnant women can be treated, but it is important that the woman is not allergic to the types of herbs used.

What is migraine during pregnancy and how to treat the disease?

Pregnancy is a special period for a woman. Becoming a mother is the dream of many of the fair sex, but all the positive attitude in a matter of minutes can be spoiled by it - a migraine. Severe headache unsettling; in this state, the only desire is for everything to stop.

What it is?

This disease is one of the most not fully studied phenomena by specialists. Doctors are still trying to find out the cause of its occurrence, but so far they have only come to the conclusion that the disease is caused by a genetic factor and women suffer most from it.

So, migraine is a chronic disease characterized by recurring severe headaches and a number of other symptoms, including increased sensitivity to light, sounds and smells.

Watch a video about what a migraine is:

Features of migraine in pregnant women

Every pregnant woman experiences migraines differently. For some, pain is barely noticeable, someone is not at all susceptible to illness, but mainly, due to hormonal changes in the body, headaches overcome expectant mothers.

According to doctors, a migraine is not dangerous for a child, but it causes inconvenience to a woman who, because of her position, is contraindicated in any medication. At the same time, depending on the course of painful sensations, headaches can be accompanied by darkening in the eyes, nausea, and sharp jumps in blood pressure.

So why is migraine dangerous during pregnancy?

Wild headaches, causing a nervous state in the mother, which is transmitted to the baby.
Sharp contractions of blood vessels that affect the full supply of growing crumbs with oxygen and nutrients.
A woman can incorrectly identify her symptoms, decide that it is, for example, severe toxicosis, and start the wrong treatment, thereby harming both herself and her child.
Frequent vomiting and severe exhaustion of the expectant mother can cause fetal development to stop and even miscarriage.

With regard to serious complications, it is worth fearing the development of a migraine stroke. It is accompanied by prolonged bouts of pain, and in especially strong manifestations - neurological disorders leading to paralysis of the facial nerve.

Causes during pregnancy

Doctors, not fully realizing the causes of prolonged headaches in pregnant women, tend to two main ones:

A number of changes occur in the body of the future mother, among which changes in the hormonal background play an important role. The nervous system becomes more vulnerable to any stimuli and reacts to them with a headache.
The load on the kidneys and the cardiovascular system increases.

In addition, there are a number of side factors that collectively affect the health of the pregnant woman:

It is important to remember that mostly girls are prone to migraines in the early stages of the situation, however, there are exceptions and seizures appear in the last trimester. The reason for this is most often preeclampsia, hypertension, excess weight and stress on the spine.

Main symptoms

Severe throbbing pain in one part of the head (most often in the temporal lobe or in the forehead, above the eyebrows). But it is also possible that during an attack the pain can “move” up to the back of the head.
Any physical activity responds with wild pain.
Increased sensitivity to any sounds, light, smells.
Nausea and vomiting.
Before an attack, vision may be disturbed (dots begin to jump before the eyes, there is a feeling of a ZD effect, fog appears and even hallucinations in the form of flicker), hearing (sound perception changes) This phenomenon is detected both 5 minutes before the onset of a headache, and for a whole hour . The symptom has the scientific name aura.
A migraine can last for several hours or several days (usually no more than 3).
The blood pressure rises.

Is treatment with pills acceptable?

How to treat migraine during pregnancy? Preparing to become a mother, the girl first studies what will be allowed her in a future new state. And, of course, everyone is aware that the use of the main layer of medicinal chemicals is prohibited. But what if a woman is in a position, and the headache is so overpowered that she can’t cope without pills?

Experts have long conducted a series of experiments and identified a list of those medicines that, at a certain minimum dose, will not cause much harm to the baby, but will help mommy. Paracetamol and preparations based on it include efferalgan, panadol, acetaminophen. These drugs are allowed to be taken at all stages of pregnancy.

As for other drugs, here their use should be approached very carefully, after consulting with your doctor in advance! Yes, popular for headaches aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen tablets, allowed to be used only in the second trimester! Failure to comply with this warning may lead to the risk of a number of malformations in the fetus (if you take these drugs in the first trimester) or even premature birth (in the third trimester).

Analgin, baralgin, spazmalgon, citramon, tempalgin - it is strictly forbidden to take a pregnant woman!

Sumatriptan, a directly anti-migraine drug, is allowed to drink only on the recommendation of the attending physician, and then only if the benefit of its use for the mother outweighs the possible risk to the fetus. It is possible that the doctor, looking at the patient's condition, will prescribe beta-blockers for her. Here you have to be very careful. From this category of drugs only metoprolol and atenolol are allowed for treatment in pregnant women.

Based on this, it is clear that with drugs during pregnancy you need to be extremely careful and you should not risk it again.

How to get rid of the disease folk remedies?

Folk remedies are especially good in early pregnancy. Great Alternative to Pills – Acupuncture. Safe and, importantly, a really helpful migraine remedy. All this is due to needles that block the passage of nerve impulses along painful paths. Several sessions will help restore the disturbed work of the vascular system and remove the headache for a long time. Allowed in the first trimester.

If the needles scare the future mother, then the good old "grandmother's" recipes will come in handy.

This is how you can treat migraine early.

Prevention

Migraine can be prevented. To do this, you need to remove provoking factors and make your daily routine healthier:

no stress, unpleasant communication and unloved activities;
walks in the open air;
good sleep for at least 7 hours;
yoga;
complete nutrition with the exception of foods that cause headaches (citrus fruits, chocolate).

Women who are plagued by migraines are concerned about the question: will this disease go away with childbirth? Doctors reassure: what closer to an hour the birth of a baby, the less often the seizures. This is explained by the restructuring of the body, which by the second half of the term gets used to the changes that began in it with the birth of a tiny life in a girl, and now he is already learning to cope with the problem. So the main thing is to survive the first trimester, then it will be easier.

Migraine during pregnancy causes a number of inconveniences. The ban on a number of drugs seems to put the expectant mother in a difficult position, but there is an alternative to pills. These are folk recipes, and massage, and alternative medicine. But the main thing is prevention. Knowing all this, you can make your pregnancy easy and wait for the birth of the baby in good health and a positive attitude. Now you know what to do if you have a migraine.

How can a pregnant woman deal with a migraine?

After conception, biochemical processes are launched in the woman's body, which are aimed at preparing her body for bearing the fetus, childbirth. These reactions affect the general condition of the expectant mother, increase her susceptibility to external factors. Migraine during pregnancy can develop even in those people who have never suffered from manifestations of a neurological disease. Often there is an opposite effect, and exacerbations stop before delivery or their frequency is reduced. In many ways, these points depend on the specifics of the situation, but there are a number of universal points that must be taken into account.

Why does migraine occur during pregnancy?

During the period of bearing a baby, a woman's body is subjected to serious stress. In the first half of the term, hormonal changes contribute to this. Jumps in the level of female sex hormones affect the state of blood vessels. The result is an excessive load on the heart, nervous system.

You will learn about the causes of cephalalgia in the first trimester of expectation of a child here.

In the second half of pregnancy, the blood channels suffer due to stress, increased emotional perception, meteosensitivity, and weight gain. Another irritant is tissue swelling. The kidneys do not have time to remove water from the body. Fluid accumulates in organs, including the brain, leading to cephalalgia.

Migraine in pregnant women can be triggered by external factors:

stressful situations, excitement, experiences;
chronic fatigue due to maintaining the usual level of activity, despite the physical condition;
hypertension, increased intracranial pressure;
injuries of the cranium, which caused malfunctions of blood vessels, the formation of edema, tumors, hematomas;
lack of sleep or its excess;
unfavorable environmental conditions - lack of fresh air, inhalation of tobacco smoke, work in noisy production, irregular use of a computer or gadgets.

Learn more about other causes and treatments for migraine with aura here.

A serious danger is the rapid weight gain. Doctors do not recommend during pregnancy to eat whatever you want, or to abuse portions. The diet should be based on the principles proper nutrition, individual characteristics of women.

Is a migraine dangerous for an unborn child?

Unpleasant sensations caused by a neurological disease will lie down to be eliminated. This is equally true in early pregnancy and a few weeks before delivery. Pain on the background of pathology is very strong. It harms the woman herself, threatens her child. Only by taking the necessary actions for treatment, it is possible to minimize the possible Negative consequences ailment.

By themselves, the manifestations of migraine during pregnancy do not pose a danger to the fetus. The risks are associated with improper treatment of the condition or ignoring it. In the first case, the use of inappropriate drugs can cause side effects, impaired intrauterine development of the child. Refusal of therapy and attempts to endure provoke a change in the hormonal background in the expectant mother. Negative emotions trigger reactions that disrupt the work of blood vessels. The fetus is deficient in oxygen, nutrients, antibodies, and other important substances coming from the mother. The result can be: miscarriage, premature or complicated birth, malformations in the baby.