Pregnancy is good and bad for headaches.
The good news is, migraine headaches are uncommon during pregnancy. Most chronic migraineurs thoroughly enjoy pregnancy because it is one of the few times in their lives when they don’t suffer from migraine headaches.
The bad news is, other types of headaches, particularly tension headaches, can become more common during pregnancy with the musculoskeletal strains, tensions, anxieties, and stresses associated with pregnancy.
You can always use acetaminophen at any time during pregnancy for headache. If you’re less than 20 weeks’ gestation, you can still use ibuprofen or Naprosyn. Other medications like Excedrin Migraine can also be used on a limited basis. A good massage, a relaxing bath, or just a good night’s rest may be the cure for a tension headache.
Sometimes headaches have other causes, like sinus infections or allergies. If you suspect that your sinuses are the problem, try an over-the-counter antihistamine and if this doesn’t work, talk to your doctor.
Some women have caffeine withdrawal headaches, especially in the first trimester. These headaches are all too common if you have recently cut out all caffeine because you’re pregnant. Remember that you can have up to 350 mg of caffeine per day. You may need to add a little bit of caffeine back in order to prevent headaches. Caffeine is also a treatment for some tension headaches as well. Taking your acetaminophen with a serving of caffeine may be just what the doctor ordered.