Diamond Author
With all the other changes to your body during pregnancy, it seems most unfair that headaches be added to the mix. However, there are several types of head pain that pregnant women are prone to. Most are benign and easily handled, but one could take both your life and that of your child.
There are eight types of this condition that commonly occur while carrying a child. Seven of them can be treated easily at home or prevented altogether. The seventh, pre-eclampsia, requires immediate medical treatment.
1) Extra Weight: Let's face it; putting twenty or thirty pounds of baby is going to cause pain in more than one region, and the head will take its share. The only thing that can be done before birth is to rest when you feel one coming on.
2) Lack of Sleep: There are several reasons you may find it difficult to get adequate sleep when you are pregnant. During the third trimester, you may feel more like a beached whale when composing yourself for sleep. It is extremely hard to get comfortable. You will also have hormones running through your system that could pitch in and cause a sleepless night. Then there's the baby. You may notice that when you lay down, he or she wakes up and starts doing gymnastics. Our younger daughter was able to kick hard enough to wake my husband up. Not fun.
You can't take most medications or herbs during this time period, as it could adversely affect the child. In order to get enough sleep, you may have to revert to catnaps during the day. Warm milk could also be of benefit.
3) Low Blood Sugar: While the old fashioned reasoning that you are eating for two has been pretty much debunked, you are still providing nourishment to the unborn child. You will require more calories to do so. It is a good idea to eat several small meals during the day in order to keep your sugar levels normal. That will prevent this type of headache in most cases.
4) Migraines: There is some good news. Studies indicate that most women have fewer and sometimes no migraine attacks during this time period. It is thought that the hormones play a key role. However, don't push your luck. Avoid all trigger foods, just in case you are one of the few women that this does not apply for.
5) Posture: How you sit and stand can affect a lot more than you think. Mom was right, good posture is important and not just because it makes you look good. It can relieve strain on your neck and back joints that lead to pain.
6) Pre-eclampsia: This is the scary one, and believe me when you hear the doctor saying it your blood pressure will go even higher. It is basically high blood pressure in pregnancy. It can lead to strokes, heart attacks, organ failure and death, for both you and the child. Doctors are very aggressive in their treatment of this problem because they have to be.
You will probably be put on medications to help prevent some of the bad outcomes and will also likely be put on bed rest. If this doesn't stop the problem, you may have to deliver the baby early. Once the child has been born, your blood pressure usually returns to normal.
7) Stress: This can cause a headache in women who aren't pregnant. Throw that other detail in and you will see a huge increase in stress levels and in the consequences of it. There are several things you can do that don't involve herbs or medications. Deep breathing is one of them, and as you will probably be taught how to breathe during labor, you can use this as practice.
Imaging is another beneficial remedy. You can choose any passage or picture you wish. I use the 23rd Psalm, as it is memorized and it is something that makes me feel at peace. I imagine the still waters, the cool, green pasture and the Shepherd taking care of me. It can and has lowered my blood pressure noticeably when in a high stress situation.
8) Tension: Whether it's the unusual added weight in front or the worry about impending labor, you will probably find yourself holding your muscles stiff. When you do that, it can cause head pain. It's easy to tell you to relax, but it isn't easy to do. A warm bath or shower could be more beneficial and getting someone to massage your neck and shoulders will also help. You could also place an ice pack on the back of your neck.
If you experience an unusual amount of head pain while you are pregnant, talk to your doctor. If you notice other symptoms, such as blurred vision, a fever or swelling in your feet, ankles and hands call the doctor. If the doctor isn't available, go straight to the emergency room. Those are some symptoms of pre-eclampsia and it must be treated quickly.
About this Author
My eBook the Complete Guide to Complementary Remedies, has information from all of my mini books, plus much more. Topics include:
Sprains: Page 33
Colds and Flu: Page 59
Herbs for Male Health: Page 72
Women's Issues Page 83
Our site has information on many topics and my five eBooks about herbal remedies. You can also download my free report, the Top Ten Herbs. It details ten popular herbs, their uses, side effects, precautions and drug interactions. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me: mary@healing-home-remedies.com
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