New aches, pains and sources of discomfort are a common part of pregnancy. As your body changes physically and hormonally, existing sources of pain will often subside only to replaced by new ones. However, women who suffer from migraines will often feel some relief when pregnant as the frequency and severity of migraine symptoms will decrease. This is good news for women who are plagued with migraines but it isn’t a hard and fast rule. Some women will experience a reduction in migraine symptoms while others will continue to suffer from migraines regardless of whether they are pregnant or not. Here is a brief overview of pregnancy migraines, examining the causes, concerns and potential treatment options available to sufferers.

Causes

The reason for migraines in any shape or form is still not fully understood. Many causes have been theorized, such as a swelling of major arteries in the brain, to overly excited brain cells that secrete a chemical which triggers the pain response, to genetic predispositions. However, what is known is that migraines are often initiated via certain triggers, such as foods, smells, sounds or light. Nevertheless, women who suffer from migraines before their pregnancy often have their migraine frequency and symptoms altered due to the increase of estrogen in the blood stream. While estrogen does not cause or mitigate migraines, the influx of this hormone does alter migraine patterns. For instance, the severity of symptoms will differ during pregnancy in addition to a change in migraine triggers. Finally, preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication, can often trigger migraines in pregnant women who have no prior history of migraines. A doctor can test you to determine from where your migraines originate.

 

Triggers

Migraine triggers for pregnant women often differ from triggers for non pregnant women. Commonly reported triggers include stress, lack of sleep, consuming foods with MSG, chocolate, caffeine and consuming products with artificial sweeteners. Talk to your doctor if you are uncertain about your migraine triggers. It is also beneficial to journal your experiences with migraines throughout your pregnancy in order to document your triggers and symptoms to the best of your abilities. Referring back to your journal will help you avoid migraines throughout pregnancy.

Symptoms

Pregnancy migraine symptoms are very similar to normal migraines, though often reduced in intensity.  The intensity ultimately depends on the individual. Common symptoms include a sharp, intense pain localized in one particular spot of the head, sensitivity to light and sound, visual distortions, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Treatments

Administering medication for migraines during pregnancy is a tricky proposition as many painkillers and analgesics that are routinely given to migraine sufferers are not safe to consume during pregnancy. Acetaminophen is a common painkiller that is generally safe to use during pregnancy for migraines. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) should be avoided during pregnancy for treating migraines as these products, typically aspirin and other over the counter painkillers, may cause bleeding and increase the risk of miscarriage in addition to not being sufficiently tested to ensure no other pregnancy complications arise. Ergotamine and triptans should only be recommended by a doctor as both medications have not been closely studied to determine their effect on pregnancy. Narcotic painkillers, like morphine, should never be used during pregnancy as harm to the fetus is almost guaranteed.

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