During pregnancy, understandably women want to look after their health and be very cautious about medications that they take during their pregnancy. For this reason migraine during pregnancy can cause a problem and concern as to how to treat it, whether through over-the counter medicines, natural remedies or prescription drugs. Migraine is no ordinary headache.
It is a neurological condition involving the blood vessels to the brain.
The blood vessels in the brain constrict and dilate, causing a spasm. This is accompanied with a throbbing headache, often restricted to one side of the head.
A person may then experience nausea and vomiting. For some migraine sufferers they also experience a visual disturbance known as an aura.
This presents itself as flashing or zigzag lights in front of the eye or sometimes a blind spot which can be very disorientating.
Women are around three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men.
This is due to the fluctuations in hormones in the body, in particular the female hormone estrogen. Many women experience a migraine attack just before or just after their period.
An estimated 15 to 20 percent of women experience migraine during pregnancy. For some women their attacks become more severe, but for others they diminish towards the end of the first trimester.
For some women they suffer their first migraine when pregnant. There seems no explanation for this, but medical experts agree that migraine during pregnancy has no dangers to the developing baby during a migraine attack.
There is little you can do in the way of taking medications for migraines during pregnancy. Although some over-the-counter pain relief medications are safe, but you need to check with your pharmacist. If taken, they need to be taken according to the directions to be safe.
However some types of relief from migraine during pregnancy can be harmful to the developing baby and any medication or treatment during pregnancy should be approved by a health care professional first.
This also includes women who suffer from migraines and are wishing to conceive. There are certain prescription migraine medications that have been confirmed as a cause of birth defects, including retardation, malformations and possible stillbirth.
Non Medical Relief
For women suffering with migraine during pregnancy, there are some non-medicinal treatments that can be tried to help during an attack and prevent one.
For those who regularly suffer with migraines, they will be all too familiar with not only the pain of a migraine, but the other symptoms associated with it.
They will also be aware that certain triggers can cause a migraine. These include certain foods, in particular, coffee, cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits and foods containing monosodium glutamate and artificial sweeteners.
Stress and certain types of light can trigger a migraine. Avoiding these triggers can significantly reduce the occurrence of a migraine.
So if you are experiencing a migraine for the first time during pregnancy, it is well worth keeping a diary of when you have your attacks.
You may well be eating certain foods you would not normally eat during your pregnancy. This change in routine can be a cause of migraine in pregnancy as well as your fluctuating hormone levels.
Treating Migraine Without Medication
There are several techniques in treating a migraine during pregnancy without medication. This could be something as simple as using a cold compress or eye mask to relieve the headache. As can a cool shower.
Migraines can be brought on by tension, so a head and neck massage to relieve stress is another safe treatment for migraine during pregnancy.
Migraines can often be due to dehydration as well as low blood sugar levels. So it is important that if you suffer migraine during pregnancy to drink plenty of water and eat at regular intervals. Getting enough rest is also important as is the right amount of gentle exercise while pregnant to maintain all round good health.
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