Headache is a very unpleasant and strong symptom. It causes a lot of inconveniences and reduces the quality of life. Such a symptom can occur for primary and secondary reasons during pregnancy. The primary ones are not associated with diseases, and the secondary ones are a symptom of the disease.
Headaches during pregnancy are most often primary. It can be migraine, tension pain, or cluster pain. Secondary headaches are less common. They can be symptoms of very serious health problems: stroke, aneurysm, tumor, hemorrhage, and so on.
When Does Headache Start in Pregnancy?
Headache during pregnancy occurs in the first month. It can manifest itself immediately after conception, hold on to the first trimester and go to the second trimester. The occurrence of pain in the third trimester can be caused by pressure problems. The duration of pain is different for everyone. It all depends on the health and lifestyle of the pregnant woman.
EXACT WEEKS IT MAY HAPPENÂ
Headaches in pregnant women may appear in the first week of pregnancy. This kind of pain will not last long most of the time. Pain may appear at 5 weeks. Severe headaches are observed from the 11th to the 18th week.
Headaches are observed a little less frequently in the second trimester. Headaches may reappear from 26 to 30 weeks. There is a possibility of pressure problems if they are present.
When will it end?
The first pains in the head area disappear after the 5th week of pregnancy. Pain ceases to disturb the pregnant woman by about the 18th week and up to the 26th week. Pain should be completely gone after 30 weeks.
The sooner the cause of the pain is identified, the faster it goes away. Women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy complain the least about pain in the head.
How Does it Feel?
The features and nature of headaches completely depend on their etiology. How a woman in a position will feel pain depends on her sensitivity. Each person has a pain threshold. The pain can be pulling, sharp, pressing, tense, or otherwise. It all depends on its cause.
Acute
Sharp pain is characterized by intensity and suddenness of appearance. It can be throbbing, long-lasting, and painful. Such pain occurs with a migraine. Eyes can hurt and performance is greatly reduced.
Mild
A mild headache is sometimes the result of meteorological dependence, lack of sleep, or overwork of a pregnant woman. It is not expressed by strong pain sensations. Most often, this pain of tension is characteristic of the first trimester of pregnancy.
A headache that becomes constant may be a sign of a more serious condition.
Prevention methods
Preventive measures can be taken to ensure that there are a few health problems as possible during pregnancy. Headaches are a common consequence of circulatory and vascular problems. You can eliminate a lot of problems if you take care of their health in advance.
Prevention can sometimes be a very effective way to deal with many of the symptoms of pregnancy. You need to know about your predisposition to certain health problems to use it correctly.
Adequate physical activity
This is the best and easiest way to prevent frequent headaches. Swimming, walking, yoga, and gymnastics are excellent ways to prevent and strengthen physical fitness. The work of the circulatory and lymphatic systems improves, fluid stagnation is eliminated and muscles are toned. Mobility is the best way to prevent headaches in advance.
Plentiful drink
Water has healing and healing properties. Drinking plenty of water from the first weeks of pregnancy will help control the balance in the body. Dehydration and low fluid levels in the body often lead to headaches.
Water can improve the quality of blood, saturates it with oxygen, and enriches and cleanses the body. Vessels work better and help reduce the risk of headaches.
Good sleep
A pregnant woman will suffer from headaches with a high degree of probability if she constantly does not sleep well. Try to keep a sleep schedule. Go to bed before 23:00. Sleep until natural awakening. Don’t break the routine. Try to rest as much as possible during the day.
Why Does Headache Occur in Pregnancy
Headaches during pregnancy appear as a result of the body’s adaptation to a change in hormonal levels. A symptom may be a sign of an illness that has been aggravated due to the position of the woman.
The intensity and nature of pain are affected by high levels of estrogen, thrombosis, sleep disturbances, osteochondrosis, and other diseases. These factors may be the main causes of headaches. Any chronic diseases are aggravated during pregnancy and their symptoms are more pronounced.
More serious causes of headaches during pregnancy can be diseases such as a brain aneurysm, tumor, or stroke. Headache may be an indirect symptom of an ectopic pregnancy.
Remedies
You need to seek help from a doctor if you are already faced with the problem of severe headaches. This is especially true if the pain is severe and lasts for a long time. The doctor will help to understand the problem and suggest several ways to solve the problem. These will be conservative measures or medication. You can’t stand a severe headache. Consider the main means of protection against pain:
Painkillers
Modern pharmaceuticals have a rich selection of antispasmodics approved for pregnant women. Painkillers that can be taken for severe headaches during the gestation period can only be prescribed by a doctor. Treat any medication with caution. Do not abuse and use painkillers only in emergencies.
Orthopedic pillow
If you have problems with your neck or constant pain in your back and head, then you can use an orthopedic pillow. It should be made of highly sensitive ergonomic materials that can adapt to the shape of the body. You can buy a pillow with a cooling hydrogel or other high-tech materials.
Warm directional shower
A warm shower can help with a headache. A jet of water must be directed directly to the head or part of it that hurts the most. A shower should be taken from 15 to 30 minutes. It will relax the body, dilate blood vessels and relieve discomfort. Such a remedy will only help in the case of primary causes of headaches.
WHEN TO CONTACT A DOCTOR?
Prolonged headaches can serve as a reason for contacting a doctor. They should not become part of your pregnancy. Pain is an acceptable symptom if it is of short duration or due to variable causes: weather, fatigue, pressure.
A serious reason for going to the doctor can be a sharp and very severe pain in the head. This is a clear symptom of an aneurysm or stroke. immediate medical intervention is required in this case.
What Not to Do
Some rules should be followed in order not to aggravate the situation with headaches. They will help to maintain the best possible well-being without health consequences. Sometimes doing nothing is better than acting rashly. Especially if you are prone to self-medication or the use of non-traditional methods of treatment. Any actions with your body during the gestation period must be agreed upon with the doctor.
Take painkillers right away
The intake of any drugs during the gestation period must be strictly justified. You should not take medication if the headache is tolerable and short-lived.
Don’t be in the stuffy room
It is better to immediately provide the body with access to fresh air when pain occurs. Leave the stuffy space immediately. This will keep the situation from getting worse.
Provoke the pain
Do not listen to loud music or use noisy appliances. Do not eat salty or highly sugary foods. It is not recommended to drink coffee, strong tea, or energy drinks.
