dolor de cabeza en el embarazo
Headaches During Pregnancy: Causes And Treatment
Headaches are one of the most common discomforts experienced during pregnancy. Headaches may occur at any time during your pregnancy, but they tend to be most common during the first and third trimesters.
What causes headaches during pregnancy?
During the first trimester, your body experiences a surge of hormones and an increase in blood volume. These two changes can cause more frequent headaches. These headaches may be further aggravated by stress, poor posture or changes in your vision.
Other causes of headaches during pregnancy may involve one or more of the following:
- Lack of sleep
- Low blood sugar
- Dehydration
- Caffeine withdrawal
- Stress (due to many changes)
Women who have regular migraine headaches may discover that they experience fewer migraines during pregnancy; however, some women may encounter the same number or even more migraine headaches. If you are pregnant, it is important to talk to your health care provider about any medications that you may be taking for headaches.
Headaches during the third trimester tend to be related more often to poor posture and tension from carrying extra weight. Headaches during the third trimester may also be caused by a condition called preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy.
What can you do to treat headaches during pregnancy?
The best way to deal with headaches is to avoid them altogether.
Avoiding tension headaches is easiest when you follow these tips:
- Practice good posture (especially during the third trimester)
- Get plenty of rest and relaxation
- Exercise
- Eat well-balanced meals
- Apply cold or heat packs to your head
If you are not able to prevent headaches, there are still steps you can take to help them go away. During pregnancy, you want to try and relieve your headache by natural means if possible. Pain relief medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen are not recommended in most pregnancies; however, acetaminophen may be recommended by your health care provider.
You may want to try to relieve your headache with one or more of the following natural remedies:
If you have a sinus headache, apply a warm compress around your eyes and nose
If you have a tension headache, apply a cold compress or ice pack at the base of your neck
Maintain your blood sugar by eating smaller, more frequent meals – this may also help prevent future headaches
Get a massage – massaging your shoulders and neck is an effective way to relieve pain
Rest in a dark room and practice deep breathing
Take a warm shower or bath
Applying heat or cold to the sides of the head, the eyes, or along the back of the neck is one of the best ways to reduce or relieve the pain associated with a headache. Heating pads and cold packs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most require using a microwave or the freezer first. Another draw back with some of these is that the heat or cold subsides as time goes on.
You may also reduce the likelihood of migraine headaches by avoiding common triggers of migraine headaches.
Potential triggers include:
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Yogurt
- Aged cheese
- Peanuts
- Breads with fresh yeast
- Preserved meats
- Sour cream
When should you contact your health care provider?
Unfortunately, headaches are a normal part of pregnancy; however, you should be able to experience some relief.
Contact your health care provider:
- Before taking any medications
- If you do not experience any relief from the remedies above
- Your headaches get worse or more persistent
You experience headaches that are different than normal
Your headaches are accompanied by blurry vision, sudden weight gain, pain in the upper right abdomen, and swelling in the hands and face.
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