Headaches While Pregnant
How To Avoid Headaches While Pregnant
If you are suffering with headaches while pregnant, there are many reasons why this can occur. Most times they are hormonally related. But when a woman becomes pregnant, due to progesterone the blood vessels do not spasm. Instead they relax and this can cause a migraine type headache. Hormones can cause headaches while pregnant but there other medical conditions that are also contributing factors.
Women may not realize the importance of proper nutrition while they are pregnant and may choose to eliminate certain foods from their diets because they think they will gain too much weight. This can result in low blood sugar and it can not only cause a terrible headache but a pregnant woman’s overall health may become affected. It is recommended that women who are expecting carry things like fresh fruits or granola bars to eat throughout the day to avoid headaches and low blood sugar. It is also recommended that women carry water also because dehydration can also cause serious problems.
Headaches while pregnant can also be a result of the environment the woman is in. If she lives in a noisy home or is subjected to things like cigarette smoke or the strong smells of food cooking, this can cause headaches. A pregnant woman should always be in a comfortable, quiet setting with no tension or stress.
When a woman is preparing for a baby she may become overwhelmed and stressed out about the birth. Many times women can be afraid because they do not know what to expect during child birth. Or they may have stress over how to take care of the new baby or that it may become sick. Stress causes headaches in an average person but for a woman who is pregnant, they may become serious. It is recommended that if a pregnant woman is having a stress related headache, she must go to a quiet, dark room and lay down for at least an hour. Pregnant women are not supposed to take drugs like aspirin, so alternative methods have to be used for helping headaches while pregnant.
Women become very tired when they are pregnant. Because of hormonal changes and the overall toll pregnancy takes on a woman’s body, they can become more fatigued than usual. It is so important for a pregnant female to get the proper amount of rest. But everyday life can interfere with rest time. If a pregnant woman does not get the proper rest she can also have headaches. If she simply incorporates more rest into her everyday schedule, the headaches will cease.
If a pregnant woman has had problem with migraines in the past, when she becomes pregnant they are sure to worsen. Women are most affected in the last two trimesters of pregnancy and just about anything can trigger them. It may be hard to pin point the actual reason for the migraine but there are several reason why they can occur. Surprisingly some of the most common reasons are food related. The pregnant woman may be allergic to certain foods and foods that she previously liked before becoming pregnant and not only cause headaches but it can also make the expectant mother become nauseated. Just the smell of some foods or drinks can cause headaches while pregnant and should be avoided.
When a woman becomes pregnant she should discuss all of these things with her doctor. In most cases, headaches while pregnant can be avoided if the mother chooses to follow a healthy diet and keeps properly hydrated. She should also avoid noisy places like bars where she may come in contact with smoke.