How to treat pregnant migraines. Folk and homeopathic remedies. Reasons in different trimesters

19.04.2019

Migraine during gestation is very poorly tolerated, since medications cannot be taken: Ibuprofen, Baralgin, Nurofen, Aspirin and any others. The pain is sometimes severe and unbearable. However, you should not despair, there is a way out. We will talk about this in the article.

Causes of migraines during pregnancy

Migraine headaches are severe headaches, usually on the one hand and of a pulsating nature, which may not last long, and also last several days, and often proceed with nausea, sensitivity to sounds and light. Migraine usually develops in the fairer sex, and often it occurs during the period of bearing a child.

The reasons for the development of pain are as follows:

Stressful situation;
Nervous strain;
Insomnia;
Change of weather;
Food products such as chocolate, cheese, fish products and nuts.

Usually, severe pain in the head bothers a pregnant woman in the first trimester of gestation. But it happens that migraine from time to time reminds of itself during the entire period of pregnancy. Fortunately, sometimes those who experienced pain syndrome before conception forget about this condition during gestation. After all, pain in women usually has a hormonal nature, and develops during ovulation and menstruation. But there are other situations when a woman for the first time finds out what a severe pain in the head is exactly during the carrying of a baby.

If the pain syndrome is combined with darkening in the eyes or, on the contrary, light flashes, nausea, this may be a symptom of spikes in blood pressure and vascular spasms, which negatively affect both the general condition of pregnant women and the development of the baby.

Any vascular pathology affects the blood flow, thereby lowering the child's nutritional level. One way or another, with the development of any such signs, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Pain during pregnancy can also indicate the presence of serious illnesses.:

Intracranial pressure;
Hypertonic disease;
Heart pathology;
Thrombophlebitis;
Kidney disease;

Pain often accompanies preeclampsia (toxicosis in the late stages of gestation). Therefore, pregnant women should pay special attention to their health and consult a doctor, even if it seems that the reason is not serious.

Why are migraines dangerous?

So, what exactly is the danger of migraines to pregnant women? Migraine status is a rather long and severe migraine attack.

This condition proceeds with the following symptoms.:

Severe pain syndrome;
Nausea;
Vomiting;
Light sensitivity;
Eye problems;
Sensitivity to irritants.

At the same time, migraine with aura is diagnosed in about 20% of cases. With the development of migraine status, pain in the head continues for a long time and does not stop even after sleep. Often the pathological condition proceeds with severe vomiting, and it happens spontaneously at any time. Often, pathology is accompanied by vision problems, photopsia, amblyopia. Blurred eyes may persist for a long time.

Treatment and prevention of migraine during pregnancy

Unfortunately, the pathology is difficult to treat; it will not be possible to spontaneously get rid of migraines. Complicated pathology leads to a loss of professionalism and problems at work and in the family. The only correct way to deal with a painful condition will be the timely elimination of seizures and prevention, the purpose of which is to strengthen the central nervous system. To reduce pain and prevent the occurrence of negative consequences, it is necessary to be systematically monitored by a doctor.

The modern list of medications is varied, but it is not recommended to take them during pregnancy. It is important to remember that only a doctor should prescribe treatment.

You can deal with migraines in gentle ways. A hot bath, sleep, a cup of coffee or green tea can help relieve pain. Many women change their daily behavior and thus relieve painful conditions. Particular attention should be paid to the diet. It should be balanced, doctors advise, eat vegetables and fruits, k / m. products. It is necessary to exclude canned food, semi-finished products, instant food, sweets from the menu.

You can drink coffee, but not much. Doctors advise to strengthen the central nervous system with herbal infusions. Mint, chamomile, oregano give a very good effect. You also need to do gymnastics, walk more, swim. All these actions, no doubt, will have a positive effect on the body of a pregnant woman, and she will live great. What to do to make seizures less frequent? You need to change your habits and focus all efforts on improving the functioning of the brain.

Eliminate the activation of your body in order to become more alert. Do not consume a lot of caffeine, alcohol, smoke, eat right.
Fully rest, go to bed no later than 22-00. Doctors say that at this time energy is generated, and from three o'clock in the morning it is consumed.
Eat well, no diets. Be sure to include a vitamin and mineral complex in the diet. Eliminate junk food, mayonnaise.
Get hardened. It will be beneficial. But temperature drops should not be more than 5 ° C.
Avoid stress and not get nervous. To do this, you need to surround yourself with positive things, do what you love.

Finally, it's important not to self-medicate. It is important to always consult your doctor. Medicines can harm the child, and the doctor will tell you how to eliminate migraine attacks without using painkillers.

How to get rid of migraines during pregnancy: folk ways

It is quite acceptable to use alternative medicine, they will not cause such harm to health as improperly selected medicines.

Here are some methods:

Very sweet tea will quickly and easily eliminate a migraine attack, the pain in the head should go away. The only contraindication applies to those women who have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
A white cabbage leaf tied with a cloth or a scarf to the painful head area will also effectively eliminate severe migraine attacks. A good and affordable remedy for every pregnant woman.
Ice cubes will relieve pain when applied to a painful area. Ice should be put in a film or light material, but in no case should bare ice be applied to the scalp on the skin - it is quite possible to get frostbite.
A cold shower or simply washing with ice water will eliminate the negative symptoms of migraine, since the cold dilates the vessels of the brain, thereby reducing pain.

In particular, care must be taken during the period of bearing a child to medications containing aspirin. Self-administration of medications is by no means allowed. In rare severe cases, the doctor may prescribe Paracetamol.

How to treat migraines during pregnancy (video)

In order not to harm the child, the tactics of treating the pathological condition should be discussed with the attending physician. Observing the doctor's recommendations, you can get rid of the pain in the head and calmly bring the baby to the time of delivery.

Migraine-like pains that bother a woman before pregnancy become more frequent during gestation. Migraine headaches during pregnancy are easy to diagnose and difficult to treat. The use of homeopathic remedies, the use of acupressure, herbs with a healing effect will help.

Definition

Migraine is a disorder of recurrent unilateral headaches. It is more common in women. During the gestation of a new life, the frequency of painful excesses in the mother increases, they can become more intense. Migraine headaches during pregnancy are difficult to treat due to the fact that the drugs taken by the mother cross the placenta and adversely affect the baby.

Disease development mechanisms

The main reason why an attack occurs is considered to be an uneven blood supply to the vessels that carry blood to the brain. At the same time, more blood accumulates in some vessels, and they expand. At the same time, in the other pool, the vessels are narrowed, and the nerve cells lack nutrients.

There are also theories according to which this disease is facilitated by an excess of serotonin in the patient's blood, increased excitability of the trigeminal nerve.

What contributes to the attack

The body of the expectant mother is undergoing significant changes associated with bearing a baby. He becomes vulnerable to the action of various kinds of pathogenic agents. Promotes hemicrania during pregnancy:

hormonal surges;
lack of magnesium ions;
lack of water in the body of a pregnant woman (for example - with vomiting);
change of weather;
nervous stress;
starvation;
overeating;
smoking;
change of climatic zone and time zone.

The presence of toxicosis increases the frequency of onset of painful excess. The immediate cause of an attack can be loud music, an unpleasant smell, being in an unventilated room, lack of sleep and fear.

Manifestations of hemicrania

A typical attack of pain begins in the temple area and gradually spreads in breadth. The pain is throbbing and intense. During an excess, a woman becomes especially sensitive to noise, bright light, and smells.

The pain syndrome lasts for several hours (on average up to 4-5), then gradually disappears. Nausea and vomiting are compulsory companions of migraines. At the very end of the attack, the woman may experience an increased urge to urinate.

Types of migraines

Depending on the initial manifestations of the disease, hemicrania is distinguished:

with an aura;
without aura.

The aura can be in the form of visual, movement, sensory disorders. 20-30 minutes before the development of a full-fledged attack, the patient notes the appearance of periodic bright light flashes in front of the eyes, vision may deteriorate sharply or disappear. This condition lasts from several minutes to half an hour, against its background or at the end, a typical attack develops.

The aura can be manifested by tingling and a decrease in the sensitivity of a part of the body. Gradually, such sensations are transferred up to the face area.

The patient may suddenly feel that a hand, leg or part of the face is no longer obeying her. A woman loses the ability to move her arm, leg, cannot shift her gaze from one object to another.

Help

Each time the doctor is faced with a problem - how to treat a pregnant woman? Migraine treatment during pregnancy is moving in several directions:

help in relieving pain;
correction of the way of life;
change in eating habits.

Pain can be dealt with with massage, herbs, homeopathic remedies, and acupuncture.

The use of medicinal herbs. You can try medicinal herbs to relieve an attack. You need to choose it carefully, since it also crosses the placenta and affects the baby. For expectant mothers, topical application of the cabbage leaf is best suited.

It is kneaded until juice appears and tied to the area of \u200b\u200bdiscomfort. In the case when the leaf is dry, it is replaced by another. For this purpose, you can use fresh cabbage juice.

Mom-to-be can eat ginger root. It has a calming effect on a woman's nervous system, relieves irritability, anxiety, and a sense of fear. In addition, the beneficial substances of this plant are able to increase immunity, suppress the coming nausea, and ease dizziness. It has no negative effect on the fetus.

We must not forget that any plant can be allergic. It manifests itself in the form of rashes on the body, redness of the skin. Sometimes there are severe reactions in the form of a drop in blood pressure, an attack of suffocation.

Before using any plant, you should consult a gynecologist. He will definitely inform you that in no case should you take medications based on viburnum. The substances of this plant are able to increase the tone of the uterus, lower the pressure.

Acupressure. For migraines during pregnancy, acupressure is effective. It is used at any stage of pregnancy. Massage points on the head, arms, legs. There are many nerve endings in the locations of biologically active zones. This allows, as the ancient Chinese believed, to improve the circulation of energy throughout the body, to weaken the manifestations of the disease.

The main points for massage:

Find the occipital protuberance. Massage the point under it 1 cm above the hairline in the fossa at the edge of the muscle (slide your fingers along the neck muscle up to the back of the head, slide outwards along it and get to this point).
They pass along the skin of the forehead, lift the hair upward, opening the angle of their growth along the edges of the forehead. Find a depression 1-1.5 cm from the corner of the forehead towards the temporal cavity along the edge of the hair.
Then a point is found above the center of the eyebrow in the cavity of the frontal bone.
They pass to the bridge of the nose and massage the point above its center between the eyebrows.
After that, slide your fingers to the outer end of the eyebrow. Another point is located at its very edge.
Between the thumb and forefinger, at the apex of the angle with the fingers apart.
Near the outer ankle. In the center of the fossa opposite its middle.
On the forearm, in the place where the pulse is palpable.

Massage is carried out by pressing on the active zone. The pressing force is gradually increased, withstanding the pressure for up to 30 seconds.

Using aroma oils

How to treat a migraine in a pregnant woman? From the 5th month of pregnancy, you can use aromatic oils. Tea tree oil and lavender oil have analgesic effects.

They are used for acupressure, vaporization in an aroma lamp, compresses. Before use, a mixture is prepared - 1 drop of essential oil is diluted in 2 drops of a base (olive oil is often used). With this mixture, acupressure is carried out, the tissue is moistened and applied to the sore spot in the form of a compress. A cellophane pad is applied over the soaked napkin, then a natural fabric folded several times and tied around the head. Keep the compress for up to half an hour or an hour.

How to treat migraines during pregnancy with homeopathic remedies?

Treatment of migraine in a pregnant woman is carried out using homeopathic remedies. It is better to use individually selected drugs that are suitable for a particular patient. If this is not possible, you can try complex tools. Most often it is a traumel. It is used in the form of tablets, ointments and injections. It is safer to use acupressure ointment during this period.

Using pills. What if all of the above methods were unsuccessful? I have to drink chemical drugs. Better to use products that include paracetamol or ibuprofen. They also cross the placenta and affect the baby. However, if there is no other way out, in a single case, you can take these drugs.

There are complex anti-migraine drugs (sumamigren, amitriptan, amigrenin) with several points of application for pain. They include an anesthetic, caffeine, a drug that can remove vascular muscle spasm. However, sumamigren is not used during pregnancy.

It should be remembered that self-medication is contraindicated during this period. Before taking any migraine medication, mommy should:

ask your doctor what you can take;
study the instructions for the tablets well;
check the expiration date;
take any chemical when absolutely necessary.

It must be remembered that it is easier to prevent an attack than to fight a headache later.

What to do during an attack

If an attack occurs, you must:

remove tight hairpins, hats;
lie down comfortably;
dim bright lights;
turn off loud music;
try to relax.

It is of great importance to be confident that this temporary phenomenon and suffering can be overcome.

Prevention of seizures

To prevent the onset of an exacerbation of the disease, you need to make adjustments to your lifestyle, change your eating habits.

You need to acquire daily healthy habits:

dress in things made from natural fabrics;
avoid overheating and hypothermia;
do not read lying down;
walking in the fresh air before bedtime;
ventilate the bedroom;
do not self-medicate;
do not take long flights.

In everyday life, try not to come into contact with factors that can trigger an attack.

Healthy foods. Nutrition correction has a strong effect:

exclusion of semi-finished products from the diet;
smoked products - sausages, fish;
limiting the intake of foods rich in caffeine - tea, coffee, cola, energy;
dark chocolate;
hard cheeses with a high fat content;
it is better to completely eliminate alcohol (red wine, beer, vodka);
do not prepare food from frozen foods.

You need to accustom yourself to cook only from fresh ingredients.

Every person who has treated a migraine knows how difficult it is. Migraine and pregnancy are a bad combination. However, the expectant mother must be sure that there is no such problem that cannot be dealt with. There must be loving close people near her. This is what will help her cope with the disease.

Migraine is a common form of headache during pregnancy. Its provocateurs can be various disorders of the vascular system, lack of rest, hormonal imbalance, stress, poor nutrition and many other factors. Migraine is characterized by throbbing and severe headache, as well as visual disturbances and nausea. Such discomfort greatly impairs a woman's well-being and does not in the best way affect pregnancy. But the biggest difficulty in this situation is the fact that all migraine remedies during pregnancy are contraindicated. To understand this issue, let's find out what causes migraines during pregnancy, how to treat this ailment and how a headache can affect the fetus.

Headache can be different and occurs for many reasons. Migraine is just one of the types of headache and is a consequence of neurological disorders of a chronic nature.

Migraine is paroxysmal. The next paroxysm (attack) is preceded by certain symptoms (aura), and then intense pain begins in one point of the head, more often in the area of \u200b\u200bthe temples or forehead. The pain is accompanied by a strong sensitivity of the senses to light, aroma, and noise. Occasionally, an attack can cause vomiting, dizziness, and fainting.

The disease can occur when favorable conditions appear for it, for example, after overheating in the sun, taking hormonal pills, with a nervous shock or chronic fatigue.

Migraine is inherited. Medical experience shows that the risk of migraine headaches increases by 70% if the mother has the disease.

Migraine refers to a chronic disease, therefore, requires complex treatment, which consists of taking painkillers during an attack and drugs that stabilize the general state of health. If a woman is in a position, the most gentle treatment is selected so as not to harm the baby. Therefore, if a woman suffers from migraine during pregnancy, only a doctor should decide how to treat the next attack.

A possible complication of the disease is migraine stroke, which is accompanied by serious neurological disorders (paralysis of the facial nerve) and frequent prolonged bouts of pain.

During pregnancy, repeated seizures can harm the baby as the woman suffers from dehydration and oxygen deficiency. In addition, frequent vomiting and severe exhaustion of a woman can provoke a miscarriage or stop the development of the fetus.

Causes of migraine during pregnancy

Scientists and doctors have not yet established what triggers the development of migraines. But studies and long-term observations prove that this disease affects people between the ages of 18 and 30, and 70% of them are women. Therefore, the incidence of migraines during pregnancy is about 20%.

Pregnancy is considered a migraine provocateur for two reasons. On the one hand, against the background of a change in the hormonal status, the nervous system becomes vulnerable to any external stimuli. On the other hand, increased stress on the kidneys and increased blood volume directly affect the cardiovascular system. Therefore, such conditions make a woman prone to migraine attacks.

There are a number of other reasons for the development of a migraine attack:

Severe lack of night rest.
Decreased blood sugar concentration.
Fluid deficiency.
Meteosensitivity.
A radical change in the daily routine without preparation.
Reaction to environmental stimuli - unpleasant odor, stuffiness in the room, loud music.
Abuse of caffeinated products.
Low pressure.
High stress conditions.

Migraine headaches can result from poor functioning of internal organs. So with pancreatitis or liver damage, headache attacks can constantly occur without any precursors and just disappear instantly.

Another cause of migraine is general intoxication. For example, acute respiratory viral infections, poisoning, chronic infections constantly fill the body with toxins, which leads to constantly recurring head pain.

Migraine is a constant companion of diabetes mellitus. Therefore, this diagnosis should also be ruled out when migraine occurs during gestation.

Migraine attacks during pregnancy can result from other dangerous illnesses such as meningitis, glaucoma, brain tumors, and sinusitis. Therefore, if any severe head pain occurs, it is very important to see a doctor.

Most migraines appear in the first half of pregnancy. But there are exceptions when the attack may appear later. This can be caused by stress on the spine, preeclampsia, hypertension and excess weight.

Migraine Symptoms During Pregnancy

The main symptom of migraine is a severe pain syndrome in the head area, which resembles intense throbbing, a feeling of squeezing, tingling, and thumping. The pain can be localized in the frontotemporal part, or "migrate" along the head towards the occiput. The site of pain can constantly change from attack to attack.

The frequency of migraine pains is different. Some women may have 1-2 attacks during their entire pregnancy, while others may have 3-4 attacks per week. Pain syndrome can last from 3 hours to several days with short periods of relief.

The next migraine attack is preceded by certain symptoms, which are called the migraine aura. It can be a change in smell, flickering before the eyes, irritability, loss of energy, loss of appetite.

If a woman has experienced migraine attacks before pregnancy, then after conception, the frequency and intensity of migraines in early pregnancy can increase dramatically. But closer to the middle of pregnancy, the disease weakens.

You can distinguish a migraine from another type of headache by the following signs:

The pain is concentrated in one point (forehead, supraocular part, temple, occiput).
The pain is accompanied by bouts of nausea, salivation, intolerance to light and loud sounds.
With any physical activity, the migraine intensifies.
The pain resembles a throbbing.
Analgesics do not help relieve pain.
The attack is preceded by a migraine aura.
The pain completely reduces daily activities.
Parents also have migraine attacks.

A migraine attack always occurs in three phases:

The first phase starts 20-60 minutes before the attack. A woman's mood disappears for no reason, she becomes lethargic, lifeless, she wants to sleep, the feeling of fullness in her head slowly grows, pain appears.
The second phase is the peak of the headache. A woman has a strong throbbing in the temples, vomiting appears, the skin on the face turns pale, and swelling of the eyelids may occur. Such a long and severe migraine during pregnancy requires urgent hospitalization.
The third phase falls on the decline of the headache. The woman becomes upset, exhausted, drowsy. Rarely, at this stage, the migraine attack may recur. At the same time, a weakened woman's body can be subject to complications such as cerebral hypoxia, convulsions, dehydration.

Migraine in pregnancy: drug treatment

It is almost impossible to eliminate migraine headaches with conventional analgesics. To alleviate the condition, ergotamines are mainly used. But the treatment of migraine in women in the position is very limited, because many of this group of drugs are toxic to the fetus, especially in the first 2-3 months. They can affect the development of chromosomal abnormalities, cause uterine contraction and miscarriage, and provoke bleeding.

Migraine pills during pregnancy

With a mild migraine attack, pregnant women are prescribed the simplest and most conditionally safe analgesic, for example, Citramon or Paracetamol in low doses.

If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with a migraine status (attacks are repeated more than 15 times a month), she is prescribed antidepressants and beta-blockers. Some of them are allowed during gestation and do not have a negative effect on the fetus. These include Labetalol, Amitriptyline, Propranolol and Fluoxetine.

Acupuncture for migraines during pregnancy

Acupuncture is a safe and effective remedy for migraine during pregnancy. The placement of the needles brings quick relief from the next attack by blocking the passage of nerve impulses along painful pathways. At the same time, there is no need to take harmful analgesic drugs.

This method is allowed in the first trimester, but a consultation with a gynecologist and a neurologist is required before the procedure. If there are no contraindications, then several courses of acupuncture in the period between attacks will help restore the disturbed work of the vascular system and achieve a stable remission in a woman.

Treatment of migraine during pregnancy with folk remedies

What should a woman do in a position if medications are contraindicated and the pain is very severe? In this situation, you can use one of the safe folk methods. They can help improve your well-being before visiting your doctor.

A mug of hot and very sweet tea will help to increase the glucose level and bring the vascular tone back to normal. But here it is important to understand that in the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus, this method is contraindicated.
For centuries, headaches have been relieved with the help of the cabbage leaf. You need to attach it to the sore spot and fix it with a handkerchief.
Ice helps to reduce pulsation. You need to wrap it in a bag and a soft cloth and apply it to the painful area for a couple of minutes. Ice itself should not be applied, since the scalp can be frostbitten.
A decoction of dill seeds has an analgesic effect. You need 1.5 tsp. brew seeds in 250 ml of boiling water for 2 hours and then drink the infusion.
Massage helps to stop a migraine attack. It is not necessary to call a professional massage therapist; you can ask someone close to you to massage your head, neck area, temples. This will improve blood circulation and double the oxygen supply to the brain. All massage movements should be gentle, circular, not abrupt.
Staying in the fresh air also helps to normalize blood pressure and reduce pain. But when the migraine is active, it can be very difficult to go outside. To solve such a dilemma, intensive and regular airing of the room, a suitable air conditioner mode or relaxation on the balcony or veranda will help.
An herbal relaxation pillow can help prevent another migraine attack. To do it, you need to take part of the bay leaf, part of the cherry leaves and part of the eucalyptus, and then fill the pillowcase with the herbal mixture and sew it up. You can rest on a pillow for 3-4 hours a day.
Another great anti-migraine recipe is thyme compress. You need to pour a handful of herbs with a small amount of boiling water to make a gruel. Then you need to wrap the grass in a clean cloth and apply it to your forehead and temples.
You can improve your well-being with lavender tea. It is very easy to prepare it: pour 10 g of inflorescences with a glass of boiling water and let the tea brew for 15 minutes.

Migraine headaches during pregnancy: what to do to prevent seizures

Migraines are often provoked by external factors, so it is quite possible to reduce the frequency of pain occurrence if you adjust your lifestyle. It is important to exclude all factors that can irritate the nerve center and badly affect the vascular system.

So, instructions on how to get rid of migraines during pregnancy:

Isolate yourself from psychological discomfort - eliminate stress, unpleasant communication, unloved activities.
Together with your doctor, make a list of foods that can provoke migraine attacks (these are, as a rule, citrus fruits, coffee, cocoa.)
Get plenty of rest, be outdoors enough, and avoid noisy places with bright lights.
Be sure to go through the diagnostics of the cardiovascular system (this can be done during pregnancy).
Learn to recognize the aura in order to calm down and relax in advance. This will reduce the intensity of the pain attack.
Discover yoga. Relaxation exercises perfectly help to restore the nervous system.
Do not neglect doctor visits. Always check with your gynecologist what you can get from migraines during pregnancy and what is prohibited.
With an increase in migraine-like headache, a pregnant woman needs to immediately take action: put out the bright light, turn off the TV and other sound sources, ventilate the room from smells of food, tobacco smoke, perfume, sit comfortably on the bed and relax.

Love yourself and enjoy your pregnancy. After all, positive energy is the best prevention of any headache and other diseases.

Video "Treatment of migraine during pregnancy"

Migraine headaches are experienced by those who, by the nature of their activities, are associated with mental work. Some people have been awarded hemicrania by their parents. This condition is very common in families where for several generations they have suffered from terrible headaches. Migraine headaches during pregnancy are troublesome. After all, bearing a child is already a test for the body, and you also have to endure a headache, since conventional migraine drugs have a lot of contraindications and can harm the fetus.

How to be, how to treat migraines during pregnancy? Let's make a reservation right away, enduring pain is not the best option. It is important to figure out whether these are really symptoms of a migraine attack, what caused the appearance of the disease, what methods of treating migraine in pregnant women exist. In addition, you should establish the process of proper nutrition, as well as devote enough time to rest.

Some of the patients suffering from migraine attacks, after becoming pregnant, stop complaining of pain in the head. This is due to changing hormonal levels. But not everyone is so lucky: most women, even in the early stages of pregnancy, already face headaches. It is necessary to understand what caused it, only then the attending physician will be able to prescribe the appropriate treatment. The reasons that provoke the onset of pain in the head in pregnant women are the same as in other patients suffering from migraine. Most often, a genetic predisposition becomes the culprit of the disease, but certain factors become the trigger:

constant excitement, experienced stress, being in a stressful situation. Pregnancy is always an exciting event, it is she who can provoke the onset of seizures;
great physical or emotional stress at work or in the family. Pregnancy makes a woman vulnerable. If before conception she could work on an equal basis with men, then, carrying a baby, she should beware of excitement and stress. But this is not always possible. Many employers do not want their employees to go on maternity leave, so you have to work with full dedication, and this will certainly affect your health;
food can cause not only allergies, but also a migraine attack, therefore, during pregnancy, it is important to monitor the correct composition of the menu. Even if you really want a chocolate bar, it is better to eat some domestic fruit (for example, an apple);
pregnancy suggests that a woman will not drink alcohol, but some make an exception and drink wine, and it also refers to provocateurs of migraine attacks;
in many patients, there is a link between headache and changing weather conditions. You can't get away from meteorological dependence, but in order for the pain to go away, treatment will be required.

Symptoms of the disease

A headache attack does not always indicate hemicrania, so you should be aware of its main symptoms. Migraine during pregnancy is characterized by the same symptoms as in other patients:

Soreness in only one hemisphere of the brain.
Throbbing sensation in the part of the head where the attack began.
Attempts to soothe pain with physical exercise or work lead to the opposite result - the pain only intensifies.
The irritation and intensification of the attack are caused by external factors - light, sound, odors.
The attack may be accompanied by nausea, but usually there is relief after vomiting.
Some pregnant women may experience an aura before pain. The aura can manifest itself as visual disturbances, speech problems, or tactile symptoms in the limbs. The appearance of an aura precedes the appearance of pain, but sometimes occurs in conjunction with an attack. In rare cases, a migraine attack is not observed after the aura.
The duration of the attack is from an hour to 2-3 days.

If you are worried about a migraine during pregnancy, you must inform your doctor about it. Any severe headache in a pregnant woman should be evaluated. There are other diseases that are well disguised as migraine pain, the task of the doctor and the patient is not to miss them and to start treatment on time. For example, a pregnant woman's condition, accompanied by swelling and severe headache, may indicate eclampsia. At the same time, the patient's blood pressure greatly increases, and convulsions begin. Eclampsia is very dangerous, it is she who in many cases leads to the death of the fetus or pregnant woman. Therefore, it is better to entrust the treatment of migraine during pregnancy to a specialist.

We are treated without medication

Medicines not only benefit the patient, but also harm the body, especially for pregnant women. What to do in this case? You can try to be treated with folk methods, but you should be careful about your well-being. If it worsens or severe long-term pain, it is still better to visit a doctor.

Cold action. You can apply a wet cold compress to your forehead or use an ice pack. Only a patient who has previously treated a migraine attack already knows what helps him: a cold shower for the head or an ice bag. Under the influence of cold, the vessels of the head become toned and return to normal, so the pain begins to pass. But such hardening procedures for the head should not be lengthy, because you can catch a cold. When applying an ice pack or a bottle of water frozen in the freezer, it is advisable to wrap it in a terry towel.
Strong sweetened tea helps many to get rid of the onset of an attack. But during the 1st trimester of pregnancy, you should not very often resort to this method of improving well-being.
Common cabbage leaves are used for headaches. It also helps with migraine attacks. To do this, knead it well or scald it with boiling water, and then tie it to the forehead with a woolen scarf. In this recipe, not only the cabbage leaf works, but also the fact that the vessels are well tightened with a bandage. Therefore, even if there is no cabbage, you can simply tie your head tighter.
Decoction of herbs. Instead of tea, it is better to use sedative preparations, which include mint, lemon balm, chamomile. This collection has practically no contraindications, therefore it is successfully used to treat seizures in pregnant women.

Relaxation technique

Relaxation is a great way to relieve headaches. You can try meditation or yoga. These methods do not pose a threat to the health of the unborn child and pregnant woman. As a preventive measure, you can sign up for an acupuncture session.

Aromatherapy has become very popular. It is used to treat all categories of citizens: from children to the elderly. Pregnant women are also recommended to undergo a course of aromatherapy, but individual intolerance to essential oils should be taken into account. If there is no allergy, then relaxing aromatherapy sessions can be done even at home. It is enough to buy a bottle of your favorite essential oil (for example, mint, lemon, rose, eucalyptus, basil, rosemary) and an aroma lamp. The inhalation procedure does not last long - 15–20 minutes. After going through several sessions, a person begins to feel an improvement in his condition, an increase in efficiency is observed, and headaches pass.

Massage treatment

Massage procedures have a beneficial effect on the general condition of a person. There are techniques that help relieve people of migraines. They are very easy to master and perform at the first symptoms of an attack. There are several main points massaging to relieve migraines:

On the forehead - in the middle between the eyebrows.
There is a temporal depression on the head.
On the bridge of the nose - in the recesses near the eye sockets.
On the feet - between the thumb and the adjacent toe.

Massage technique:

The named points are massaged with the pads of the fingers for 10 s - 10 approaches.
You do not need to press hard, moderate pressing is enough.
Movements should be circular, with periodic pressure on the point.
To end the session, you should gradually slow down the circular movements - until they stop completely.

Acceptable drugs

How to treat migraines during pregnancy if most medications have contraindications? You can use only those drugs that are not dangerous for pregnant women. For example, paracetamol or its analogs - Efferalgan, Panadol. Drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen can be used only for a certain period of pregnancy - in the 2nd trimester. Towards the end of the term, they can provoke bleeding, and in the early stages they can cause a malformation of the baby. You should not relieve the attack with analgin, citramone, spazmalgon. They are prohibited during pregnancy, like many combined headache remedies.

Special medications for the treatment of migraines are prohibited for use by pregnant women. In an extremely severe case of a migraine attack, the doctor may prescribe sumatriptan, but he must assess the possible risk to the fetus.

Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, beta-blockers during pregnancy can only be prescribed by a doctor for special indications. Many of these drugs are contraindicated in pregnant women, so do not self-medicate headaches.

Chronic pain syndrome caused by neurovascular disorders and can significantly complicate the course of pregnancy is called migraine. Migraine is one of the causes of disability in women and impaired fetal development. This article will help the reader to distinguish migraine from other types of headaches, understand the causes of pathology and choose an effective and safe treatment.

Attacks while carrying a child

Migraine is a severe one-sided headache of a vascular nature, accompanied by various neurological disorders.

The disease is hereditary and can develop both with the onset of pregnancy and outside of it.

For a number of women, pregnancy is an independent triggering factor for the development of migraine.

Distinctive signs of the disease are the presence of an "aura" and a kind of painful attack.

Aura - these are unpleasant sensations that arise before a headache: a sudden deterioration in well-being, nausea, disturbances in touch, vision and taste. The aura lasts from 5 minutes to several hours, after which it inevitably turns into a painful attack. In rare cases, the aura is absent.

Migraine attack - This is a severe pain syndrome of a pulsating or pressing character in one area of \u200b\u200bthe head (forehead, back of the head or crown of the head). The woman describes the sensation as "hard squeezing." The location of the painful focus may vary.

An attack of pain takes place in three phases (rise, peak and decline) and leads to a significant decrease in working capacity, taking from 5 minutes to 3-4 days and causing insomnia, loss of appetite, and the inability to perform simple hygiene procedures.

Reasons in different trimesters

Before you figure out how to treat migraines in pregnant women, you need to determine why it occurs. There are both common causes and causes that are specific to each trimester.

Common reasons:

the presence of migraine in the next of kin;
hypothermia;
stress;
arterial hypertension;
chronic fatigue syndrome;
the presence of a vascular or neurological disease of the brain (neurosis, epilepsy);
sharp weight loss or rapid weight gain;
diabetes.

IMPORTANT! Migraine can be a harbinger of a number of dangerous diseases: glaucoma, brain tumors, encephalitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In a number of women, migraines appear long before development of pathological conditions that threaten life - preeclampsia and eclampsia, therefore, even with a single and short-term episode of pain, you should consult a doctor.

At different stages of pregnancy, the causes of the onset of migraines can be different. For example, in the early stages, the head may ache due to a sharp change in hormonal levels.

In the first trimester:

toxicosis;
a sharp change in hormonal status (an increase in the level of progesterone and estrogen);
swelling or latent dehydration;
risk of miscarriage;
increased production of red blood cells and increased iron consumption;
the development of a deficiency of vitamins of group B.

In the second trimester:

exacerbation of chronic diseases (pyelonephritis);
worsening of the course of diabetes mellitus, hypo- and hyperglycemia;
iron-deficiency anemia;
chronic poisoning by toxins contained in food, cosmetics and medicines.

In the third trimester:

meteosensitivity;
dropsy;
placental insufficiency;
pathology of the placenta;
overweight;
emotional sensitivity;
pressure on the spine and pelvic vessels by an enlarged uterus.

REFERENCE. Some women who have had migraines associated with the onset of menstruation can completely get rid of attacks during pregnancy.

Before delivery, the seizures may worsen.

Symptoms

A migraine attack is characterized by the following symptoms:

pain is located at one point (often forehead, supraorbital part, occiput);
accompanied by severe nausea, chills, hypersensitivity to light and noise;
nature of pain pulsating, bursting;
any physical activity leads to increase discomfort;
characteristically increased pressure and body temperature.

Treatment

REFERENCE. Many medicines should not be taken by a pregnant woman, so at the first bout of pain, you should see a doctor.

What should a pregnant woman do in this case? Often, for the spontaneous disappearance of migraines, it is enough to treat exacerbated chronic diseases. Since migraine is a consequence of vascular pathology, taking a course of vasodilators, decongestants and antiemetic drugs (for example, metoclopramide) is often sufficient to prevent attacks.

The first steps to be taken are:

establish the correct mode of sleep and wakefulness;
eliminate weight lifting and stress;
remove tight clothes from the wardrobe;
minimize the use of pills;
if necessary, do not refuse hospitalization.

As a rule, after childbirth, the migraine recedes and the woman no longer bothers.

How to relieve pain in pregnant women?

There are several ways to deal with migraines while carrying a baby. Both drug therapy and the use of traditional and alternative medicine may be appropriate.

Medications

How to treat migraines in pregnant women? Before using any medication, you should consult your doctor.

Important! In the early stages, the doctor may prohibit taking medications for the treatment of migraines.

Pregnant girls can be prescribed drugs from the following groups:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs... They have a quick analgesic effect lasting up to 4-6 hours. The drugs in this group that are allowed during pregnancy include ibuprofen, paracetamol and diclofenac.
Beta-blockers (metoprolol, bisoprolol) act by reducing the heart rate and lowering pressure, which not only reduces pain, but also further prevents migraines.
Antidepressants (fluoxetine) have mild sedative and anti-anxiety effects, helping to prevent depression and fatigue. Taking fluoxetine is indicated for emotionally unstable women, in short courses and without abrupt withdrawal.
Vitamins and minerals (Magnesium B6, B vitamins and magnesium sulfate) work by restoring the nervous system. Magnesium sulfate also has decongestant and anticonvulsant effects.

REFERENCE. Paracetamol can only be taken from 13-14 weeks. Common anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, nimesulide, celecoxib) are absolutely contraindicated at any time.

Folk remedies

Lemon infusion: pour 20-30 grams of fresh lemon with a glass of boiling water and cool slightly. Drink hot. The drink helps to reduce blood pressure.
Essential oils. Mix the oils of orange, lavender, mint and lemon balm in equal concentrations (3-5 drops each) and rub over the painful area of \u200b\u200bthe head until you feel warm.
Onion. Cut a fresh large onion in half and attach the cut side to the pain site for 20-30 minutes.
Medicinal pillow. Sew a small pillow from a loose fabric and fill it with dry leaves of cherry, oregano, chamomile, eucalyptus, raspberry. Use 2-3 hours a day.
Thyme compress. Pour 30-40 grams of dry thyme with 200 ml of boiling water. As it cools down to a comfortable, but high temperature, moisten several layers of gauze with the resulting infusion and apply to the painful area. The compress is changed every 15 minutes.
Lavender foot bath. 20-30 g of lavender leaves are added to a bowl of hot water. The woman immerses her feet in water for 10-15 minutes. Relaxing baths can be repeated daily.

Massage

How to get rid of headache attacks with massage? You just need to adhere to simple rules.

During pregnancy, you can do a short, relaxing massage of stroking and rubbing. Tapping and kneading are not carried out. Massage any part of the body from the bottom up, slowly and no more than 15 minutes.

A pregnant woman can self-massage the scalp with a large massage comb. To do this, sit in a comfortable chair, lower your head and comb your hair with slow, slightly pressing movements from bottom to top (from the back of the head to the forehead). This massage stimulates blood circulation and promotes relaxation.

Is it dangerous for the unborn child

Migraine is a condition that threatens not only the health of the woman, but also the fetus.

Even a short-term single attack can provoke complications of pregnancy at any time:

From the side of the fetus:

oxygen starvation;
depression of the nervous system and heart function;
placental abruption;
premature birth or miscarriage;
low birth weight;
subsequently - a violation of physical development, a tendency to infection, weak immunity.

From the mother's side:

hypertensive crisis;
preeclampsia and eclampsia (dangerous seizures);
hypoxia of the brain;
dehydration.

IMPORTANT! The most serious complication of migraine is migraine stroke, during which the integrity of the vessel that feeds a specific part of the brain is disrupted. A stroke can occur in any trimester and during the first attack. The consequences of this condition are paralysis, paresis, loss of vision and other serious complications.

How to relieve headaches

To relieve headaches, you can do the following:

Get rid of tight clothes;
Provide access to fresh air;
Drink a glass of hot, very sweet tea (often helps relieve an attack);
Massage the painful area of \u200b\u200bthe head with your fingers;
Inhale lemon or lavender essential oils for 10-15 minutes;
Make hot baths for hands and feet;
Observe bed rest until the pain disappears.

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