Severe headaches during pregnancy, diagnosis and treatment methods

Even the normal course of physiological pregnancy is a significant burden on a woman's body, but in case of genital or extragenital load grows at times, which may be accompanied by a wide variety of symptoms, including headache.Even normal changes often border on pathological conditions, because the organism adapts to the third cycle of circulation, as well as to the intensification of metabolic processes.Not surprisingly, in such a situation, favorable conditions are created for exacerbation of existing or emerging new diseases.One of the often occurring symptoms even in the physiological course of pregnancy is a headache.In most cases, it accompanies hormonal changes in the body and stops worrying after the first trimester of pregnancy, but it should be remembered that the headache can also be a manifestation of a number of diseases for which appropriate treatment is needed.

Contents:

1. changes occurring with the body of a woman with the onset of pregnancy
2. Hypertension
3. Preeclampsia and eclampsia
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4. migraine and osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
5. glaucoma as a cause of headache
6. Drug-free ways to eliminate headaches and preventionIts occurrence

Changes in the body of a woman during pregnancy

With the development of pregnancy, changes occur in the functioning of the practitionerEszki all systems of the body, which often creates suitable conditions for the development of various diseases.On the part of the endocrine system, these changes concern the production of many hormones, and not only sex hormones.Thyroid hormones, adrenal, pituitary, pancreatic produced a significantly greater volume than normal and even a slight breach dynamic equilibrium coordinated operation of the glands can lead to pathological states.

There are changes in the central nervous system.There are periodic alternations of processes of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex, the same phenomena occur with the autonomic nervous system.

The volume of circulating blood increases steadily, corresponding changes occur with the excretory function of the kidneys.

In accordance with the increased need for oxygen, there is also a restructuring in the respiratory system.Providing the necessary amount of oxygen is achieved by expanding the chest, and as a result, an increase in the excursion of the diaphragm, as well as by increasing the frequency of respiratory movements.

Thus, in a fully healthy woman due to the compensatory capabilities of the body, the pregnancy develops without any disturbances, if initially there was a certain disease, or a propensity to it, there is a possibility of its development - for example, it can be hypertension or frequent episodes of migraine.

On why there are severe headaches in pregnancy IB features of their treatment - Video:

Hypertension during pregnancy

One of the most visible manifestations of hypertension - a headache, it is with such a complaint often patients come, Suffering from this disease.In the vast majority of cases, when the normal values ​​of blood pressure reach the headache ceases to bother.

The disease can both worsen during pregnancy and appear for the first time - this contributes to a number of changes in a woman's body:

• increase in circulating blood volume,
• heart rate,
• change in vascular tone.

diagnosis is quite simple and is to collect complaints and blood pressure measurement, but with the treatment of pregnant women with hypertension, all is not so simple.During pregnancy, the use of such effective drugs as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists is impossible, most experts failed to agree on beta-blockers and diuretics, given the insufficient number of studies( as well as the large number of drugs in this group),Including those relating to the delayed consequences of the use of a given drug.

The first-line drug in the treatment of hypertension in pregnant women is methyldopa.

No experimental data have been obtained on the adverse effects on the fetus of this preparation, both in the short-term and long-term use.In case of ineffectiveness, or in detecting methyldopa intolerance, labetalol is prescribed.

Headache in preeclampsia and eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a combination of hypertension, edema and the presence of proteinuria, provided that previously the pressure was normal, and this pathological condition occurred later than 20 weeks.In connection with the increase in blood pressure, this condition is also often accompanied by a severe headache.Treatment of preeclampsia directly depends on the degree of severity - so, an easy variant of this disease often does not heal at all, assign a bed rest and observe the condition, if necessary, use symptomatic drugs( the same analgesics for headache).

Severe degree of preeclampsia, which is accompanied by a significant increase in the figures of blood pressure, requires medical treatment in a hospital.Various drugs are used, sometimes including those capable of damaging the fetus, since in such situations the life and health of a woman is placed above the life and health of the fetus.Applied drugs such as hydralazine and labetalol, with their ineffectiveness or intolerance - nifedipine.

Eclampsia can be considered a further progression of preeclampsia.This disease is characterized by an increase in blood pressure to dangerous for both the mother and the fetus values, as well as convulsions, which are accompanied by loss of consciousness, provided that there is no other pathology of the brain( epilepsy, hemorrhages).

A seizure disorder with eclampsia is usually preceded by a severe headache.In this case, the only reliable way to treat this disease is the delivery, including early.

Headaches for osteochondrosis and migraine in pregnancy

Migraine is a chronic neurological disease with an incompletely clarified pathogenesis, the main manifestation of which is a severe headache, which in most cases is localized in one half of the head.

For each patient, the frequency and duration of the seizures is individual, as well as the often provoking factors do not coincide: they can be:

• food
• and weather change
• physical or neural overstrain

Illness in different patients, the onset of pregnancy also affects differently - in some cases, the frequency and duration of seizures decrease, in others to the exact opposite.Since the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood, the treatment is exceptionally symptomatic.Each patient with migraine during his life chooses the most effective in the specific case of drugs, but pregnancy makes the application of many of them extremely undesirable.

For arresting an attack in the first two trimester of pregnancy, it is better to confine to paracetamol or ibuprofen( in the third trimester, the reception of these drugs is undesirable).

Osteochondrosis is a combination of dystrophic disorders in articular cartilages( more often in intervertebral discs).Headache is a frequent symptom of the disease when it is localized in the cervical spine.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is also characterized by pain in the shoulders and hands, patients can also complain of dizziness and noise in the head.

For maximum effectiveness, treatment of osteochondrosis should be comprehensive, and include medication( mainly for relief of pain attacks), physical therapy, physiotherapy methods and massage.

Glaucoma during pregnancy

Glaucoma is a rather large group of eye diseases, the main manifestation of which is a periodic or permanent increase in intraocular pressure, resulting in the appearance of defects in the field of vision characteristic for these diseases, different degrees of visual acuity reduction, and further- atrophy of the optic nerve.

The disease can develop at almost any age and often begins with an acute attack of glaucoma, which is manifested by pain in the affected eye, which spreads to the corresponding half of the head, nausea, weakness.This disease is often confused with others, for example with migraine, which can lead to serious consequences for the eyesight, since the treatment should be administered in the first hours after the onset of the disease, otherwise an acute impairment of the blood circulation can lead to irreversible loss of vision.

In most cases, medical treatment aimed at reducing intraocular pressure( with a return to normal values ​​of pressure figures, there is also a headache).During pregnancy, you can use most of the drugs used to treat glaucoma, because they are used locally, and in most cases do not have a systemic effect, which means no threat to the fetus.

Treatment of glaucoma should be permanent, as the loss of vision in this disease is irreversible, and the drugs only slow the progression of the disease.

Preventing the occurrence of a headache, as well as non-medicamentous remedies for its elimination

In case the occurrence of a headache is not caused by any serious disease, try to eliminate this unpleasant phenomenon with the help of non-medicament means.To get rid of pain, you can try to use massage, aromatherapy( note that not all essential oils should be used during pregnancy) and acupuncture.And although the scientific effectiveness of these methods is not proven, but the placebo effect and relaxation during the procedure can relieve headaches without the use of any medications.

To prevent the onset of a headache, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination before pregnancy, as well as the necessary treatment for the diagnosed diseases.Reduce the likelihood of such a symptom can also be adhered to the appropriate diet, avoiding mental and physical stress, adhering to the normal regime of the day, regular walks in the fresh air are also recommended.

Headache during pregnancy can be a relatively harmless manifestation of fatigue, but sometimes it is a symptom of a serious disease requiring immediate treatment.If such a symptom arises, it is advisable to consult a specialist and go through the necessary studies in order to detect the possible development of the disease in time.

Self-medication during pregnancy threatens not only the woman, but also the fetus, therefore, before taking medication it is necessary to consult with a specialist.