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Headaches and Pregnancy

There are a few side effects that come hand in hand with being pregnant.  Here we look at headaches and pregnancy.

The increase in frequency of headaches while pregnant is considered to be due to additional blood flow and changes to your hormones. Other factors, such increased stress levels and excess caffeine, also contribute.

1 in 5 women will have headaches during pregnancy with the majority experiencing a reduction in headaches in the last few months. Often they return after the baby has arrived.

Cold packs, soothing, sleep and darkened rooms are all methods of treatment for headaches, without taking drugs.

Tension can cause headaches.  If this is the case you can apply cold compresses to the back of your neck. Ensuring you have a healthy diet, possibly across a lot of smaller meals during the day can also help.

If you have a sinus headache, apply warm compresses to your head in such places as the front of your face on either side of the nose, in the middle of the forehead, and on the temples. These areas are occupied by the sinuses.

You can do exercises to help you reduce stress, like imagining you are in a tranquil place. You can experiment with different methods to try to reduce your stress levels but if these do not work you can get in touch with your doctor or a therapist as it can be helpful to have someone to talk to.

Contact your doctor prior to consuming any medication, even over the counter ones like ibuprofen and aspirin.  Acetaminophen can be safe to take while pregnant, although it is still better to consult your doctor first.

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