Migraines During Pregnancy

For those who suffer from migraines they may be alarmed and worried about experiencing one during their pregnancy. Some women do not experience their fist migraine until they are into their pregnancy which can also leave them feeling scared and wondering what they can do to help with their migraines. Migraines are different from regular headaches in the fact they can become so severe they can cause nausea, dizziness and even alter your vision. While there are no definite cures for migraines there are ways to help relieve the pain and even help ward one off once you learn the signals of an oncoming migraine headache.

Most migraine headaches start out very dull so if you begin to feel that dull pain creeping on you can try and ward it off by doing a few simple things. First of all you can begin by taking one regular strength Tylenol. In most healthy pregnancies Tylenol is perfectly safe to take although pregnant women should not take Aspirin. Take the Tylenol and try taking a hot shower or bath. Sometimes the heat of the water and even the beating of the water from the shower on their head or neck can greatly help relieve the migraine. You may also find relief by putting a hot or cold compress on your neck and lying down for a while in a cool, dark room. It is important to try to avoid rooms where the TV is blaring or there are lights coming off and on a lot. If you have small children already see if your spouse, partner or a friend or family member can come to help for a couple of hours if the pain persists or starts to feel severe so you can lay down for a while. Sometimes pregnant women can just take a nap and they will wake up feeling better.

If you begin to experience migraines or persistent headaches it can be helpful to start keeping a diary of when the migraines start to occur. In some cases women can pinpoint them to if they have eaten certain fodds such as chocolate or had drinks with lots of caffeine. Other factors that may bring about migraines include the weather, hormone changes or even just stress. Once you begin to notice what triggers the migraines you can make the necessary changes you need to to avoid future occurrences.

In some cases you may need to talk to your doctor if the migraines get too severe and start to interfere with your life. They may be able to recommend certain relaxation techniques or other relief methods to get you feeling better and back on track.