Headaches During Pregnancy

The headaches you experience can get BETTER in pregnancy, because the progesterone causes the blood vessels to relax and not spasm, which is often a cause of bad headaches. If you do suffer from increased headaches during pregnancy, you may be particularly sensitive to your hormones or have had headache problems before your pregnancy. Pregnancy headaches are most commonly the result of hormonal changes, fatigue, tension, hunger or physical and emotional stress.

Elementary, My Dear Watson
Engage in some deductive reasoning and figure out the cause of your headaches. Headaches are set off by many factors. Since one particular factor may be causing your headaches, finding out the root of that cause may eliminate your problem.

Potential Ways to Treat Your Headaches

  • Some headaches are triggered by low blood sugar. You can prevent any bouts of decreased blood sugar by not missing meals and carrying high-energy snacks with you.
  • Drink plenty of water - dehydration can cause headaches.
  • Whenever possible, avoid loud music, noisy restaurants, packed parties and crowded department stores.
  • Ensure your environment is healthy. An overheated, smoke-filled unventilated room can trigger some people's headaches. Also, make sure that your home and workspace have adequate natural lighting.
  • Try going out for a brisk walk.
  • Rest (but not too much, sometimes too much rest can worsen your overall symptoms)!
  • Meditation and yoga are two ways to help you relax and decrease the effects of tension headaches.
  • Try lying down in a dark quiet room with your feet up for ten to 15 minutes.
  • Acupuncture, biofeedback and massage have been show to bring some relief from a headache.
  • Alternating hot and cold compresses to the aching area for ten minutes can alleviate some of your pain.
  • Cut a lemon into wedges and suck the juice out of the wedges.
  • It's a good idea to avoid taking any kind of drugs while pregnant. However, if your practitioner recommends it, a paracetemol is OK but limit the number you take.

Back to top

Having trouble with headaches? Talk about it with other pregnant women in our Discomforts forum.

Login to comment
(1 Comments)

Post a comment

teresaD
i keep getting these really painful headaches and i dont know what to do about them. i can\'t take any pain killers because of the pregnancy and none of the natural remedies seem to be working. i called my doctor and she wants me to come in and have my blood pressure checked to make sure it is not too high and i don\'t have preeclampsia. so now i\'m really worried and this is causing another headache. maybe they are all stress headaches. i wish i knew what to do about them.
13 years ago