Impact and treatment of migraine during pregnancy

As we well know, migraine This affects a higher percentage of women than men. This is because in many cases this disease is related to hormonal levels and therefore to a woman’s menstruation and fertile cycle.

During the fertility phase, many women with migraines doubt the possibility of pregnancy: will the migraine attacks increase? Will I have to stop taking my medication? How can I control my symptoms? Will they get worse?

These concerns are normal, but it is quite possible to have migraines and have a normal pregnancy and birth. However, it is important to understand how migraine affects pregnancy and how to control attacks.

In most cases, migraine attacks during pregnancy are reduced by up to 80%, with some nuances. In the first trimester, there may be an increase in migraine attacks due to a progressive increase in estrogen levels. This period is the most critical for two reasons: migraine attacks increase in intensity and frequency and the likelihood of using effective treatments decreases. In contrast, high estrogen levels remain stable during the second and third trimester, so since there is no change in levels, most women experience spontaneous improvement. During childbirth, there is a significant drop in estrogen levels, causing a third of women to experience deterioration in the following days during the first week after birth. However, breastfeeding releases other hormones, such as oxytocin, which has analgesic effects and reduces migraine attacks.

Pharmacological treatment: yes or no.

When it comes to medications you can take during pregnancy and breastfeeding, we will always try to avoid them. The first tips are to avoid stress at all costs, maintain a regular sleep and eating schedule, and exercise regularly. If pharmacological treatment is necessary, the only recommended symptomatic treatment is paracetamol. However, if the pain is very intense, anesthetic blocks with lidocaine or infiltration at the level of the occipital nerve can be used. They will relieve pain for several months and help you get through the first trimester. When a woman is breastfeeding, the options are more varied. In terms of symptomatic treatment, in addition to some trypans, they may take anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

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