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Migraines and Pregnancy

The link between migraines and pregnancy has been observed for quite some time now. Women without any prior history of migraines can suddenly find themselves experiencing splitting headaches. Migraines and pregnancy can be quite a difficult ailment to deal with. While pregnancy can contribute to migraines, typical headache cures can’t always be used due to the pregnancy.

Learning how migraines and pregnancy are linked can help in preventing these pains from occurring in the first place. If you do experience migraines while pregnant, you’ll also learn how to safely and effectively deal with them.

Linking Migraines and Pregnancy

Saying pregnancy is a drastic change can be quite the understatement. During this time, your body undergoes physical and chemical and hormonal changes. You can become quite sensitive to food or changes which didn’t give you migraines before. Your body will respond to changes differently now. While hormones can be a likely cause of this change, there are other several factors which contribute to migraines while pregnant.

Here are some common causes of migraines during pregnancy:

* Chocolate
* Dairy products (cheese, etc.)
* Coffee
* Dehydration
* Fatigue
* Stress
* Changes in weather

If you find yourself experiencing migraines during pregnancy, it can be helpful to keep track of when these episodes happened and what you were doing at that time. You can then make the connection between these occurrences and your migraines. Keep a diary or log to help you out with this. Check if the items above correspond with migraine attacks or headaches.

Remedies For Migraines And Pregnancy

For migraines and pregnancy, prevention of these headaches is always better than going for medication. Some of the best ways to avoid getting migraines are getting enough rest, eating right and regularly and drinking plenty of fluids. If you’ve kept a log of the likely culprits of migraines, you can also work to avoid these triggers or activities.

When these migraines occur, you should be ready as well to combat them. You can do this without taking medication. If you experience migraines, you should sit or lie down and rest. You may experience relief from applying cold packs to your head or affected areas such as the temples or the back of the neck.

Breathing exercises and relaxation techniques can also help. They can help circulate the blood better to lessen headaches and pains. Light exercise can be good for migraines as well. A soft and relaxing massage can also help, therapeutic or whole body massages however are not always advised.

Aspirin and other NSAID (not steroidal anti ?inflammatory drugs) may have side effects for pregnant women. Try to avoid these as much as possible. Acetaminophen, beta blockers and some anti-depressants are relatively low risk for pregnant women. All medication however should be doctor recommended during pregnancy.

Consult with your doctor for other remedies as well as ask about the therapies you are considering taking. Knowing more about migraines and pregnancy can help you have an easier and safer time during pregnancy.

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What Causes Migraines?

What causes migraines still remains a mystery. Although we now know that several events can cause migraines, it is still uncertain why they do so. Migraines can be very painful and debilitating. Often they interrupt our daily functions and cause serious problems.

What Causes Migraines

While the root cause of migraines remains unknown, there have been many factors that have associated with migraines. These are usually external factors such as changes in weather, stress and foods. Internal causes such as hormonal imbalance and problems have also been known causes of migraines.

Migraines occur when blood vessels in the brain become inflamed or enlarged. This is due to irritation in the brain stem. The inflammation itself causes the pain and the throbbing sensation we often associate with migraine attacks.

The pain felt by migraines is often a throbbing sensation around the head or can also be pain located on one side. The pain can last for several hours, subsiding a little and peaking in different intervals. Migraines can also be accompanied by aura. This is when people start to see jagged lines or waves or colors in their field of vision. Some attacks also result in partial visual impairment or even loss of motor functions.

Food rich in tyrmaines is a likely culprit of what causes migraines. These foods are those that have been aged or fermented. Cheese, hams and other cured meat have been documented to trigger migraine headaches in many people. Chocolate and caffeine are also likely factors as to what causes migraines. While you can limit yourself to about 2 servings of these kinds of foods, it may be best to avoid them. Go for fresh options and fresh ingredients, and avoid preservatives and artificial flavoring such as MSG.

Stress, hunger, fatigue and dehydration are also causes of migraines. This is why changes in lifestyle to avoid stress and unhealthy habits help in avoiding getting migraines. Eat right, and drink plenty of water. Get regular rest and avoid staying up late at night.

Hormonal changes such as those naturally occurring in old age as well as pregnancy can also cause migraines. In these cases you can consult your doctor on what steps to take to avoid migraines.

Getting Help For Migraines

As we understand more about what causes migraines, we can also learn for ourselves how to avoid these triggers. You can make a log of the different times you had migraine attacks and what you were eating at that time. This way you can determine what caused the migraine.

A lifestyle change along with taking different medication can be your best defense against migraines. You can ask your doctor about preventive medicine such as anti-seizure and anti-depressants, this kind of medicine has been shown to be effective in preventing migraines.

Migraine medication such as aspirin and ibuprofen has also been very effective in treating migraines. They are used most often when the migraine attacks already occur.

Learn for yourself what causes migraines in your case so you can be better prepared to manage and altogether avoid getting these attacks.

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