Is Blowing Your Nose Bad When Pregnant
Pregnancy rhinitis is a common condition that causes nasal congestion. These changes can lead to pregnancy rhinitis, a condition that affects 39 percent of women at some point during their pregnancy. During pregnancy, blood flow to the mucous membranes increases. The nose is full of mucous membranes.
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How Can I Treat A Migraine Attack While Pregnant
For migraine attacks that occur during pregnancy, there are several nonspecific migraine medication options, meaning they were not designed specifically to treat migraine, says Starling.
If a medication is needed, usually my first choice is to start the patient with Tylenol and sometimes combine that with the drug Reglan , she says.
Metoclopramide is typically used as an anti-vomiting medication, but it actually has benefits for stopping the migraine attack itself, and that, in combination with the acetaminophen, can be really helpful, she says.
Sometimes I’ll even add a little bit of Benadryl in there, too, because that can help with providing some sleepiness or sedation. The idea is that the combination can help someone take a nap, and when she wakes up, the migraine attack will hopefully be done, says Starling.
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Are There Safe Medications For People With Chronic Illness During Pregnancy
Some pregnant individuals who have chronic illnesses may face more worries about their medication. The medications you are currently taking for your chronic illness might be bad for the baby, making the situation complicated. But a safe and healthy pregnancy is possible despite your serious condition.
Chronic illnesses are medical conditions that last for a year or more and require ongoing treatment. These include high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, asthma, epilepsy, HIV and mental health disorders. During pregnancy, the risk of infertility, congenital disabilities and premature labor increases with chronic illness.
With chronic illnesses, the list of safe medications during pregnancy can be provided by your doctor. Remember the following:
Always ask your doctor before stopping, continuing or switching your medicines.
The medications you take and the frequency of intake depends on the instructions that your prenatal care provider or the physician who monitors your health condition provides.
Seek your doctors advice before getting pregnant.
The safest way to go about your pregnancy is to prepare yourself and ask your doctor first. Not only will you be advised on the best time to get pregnant, but you can also get a structured medication plan. Planning your pregnancy will keep the risks of complications at a minimum.
Early and regular prenatal care will ensure you and your babys well-being.
Why Does My Head Hurt
Women often experience tension headaches during the first trimester. It’s most likely because of fluctuations in hormones, says Sheena Aurora, M.D., director of the Swedish Headache Center, in Seattle. By the second trimester, she says, the pain subsides because the hormones are steadily high.
Of course, there are many other possible reasons for your throbbing head. Ask yourself, ‘Are my headaches being stimulated by something in my diet?’ says Lillian Schapiro, M.D., an OB-GYN in Atlanta. ‘What medications am I taking? What time of day are they happening? Is there anything I can change?’
In the third trimester, when you’re carrying a lot of additional weight, consider whether poor posture might be a factor in your headaches. The strain on your neck and shoulders could lead to muscle spasms, which can irritate nerves in the back of your head. Or you might develop muscle tightening and spasms from sleeping with your head in an unnatural position.
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What Migraine Medications Are Safe To Take During Pregnancy
The Food and Drug Administration sorts migraine treatments into various safety categories. The FDA classifies both prescription and non-prescription drugs into various categories based on each medications potential to cause birth defects.Please click here to read the FDAs safety guide when taking medications during pregnancy.
As with any treatment plan, its essential that you consult with a doctor before moving forward. If you are a migraine patient and are expecting a child, make an appointment with your physician to discuss the best course of action.
Reviewed for accuracy by the American Migraine Foundations subject matter experts, headache specialists and medical advisers with deep knowledge and training in headache medicine. to read about our editorial board members.
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What Pregnant Women Can Take For Indigestion And Heartburn
Safe to take: Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, Pepcid
Progesterone is at it again, causing heartburn by affecting your smooth muscle cells and relaxing the sphincter between your stomach and esophagus so acid comes up. Before you take Prilosec or another prescription medication while pregnant, try over-the-counter remedies first because they’re the least strong. Also eat smaller and more frequent meals, stop noshing two to three hours before you hit the sack, and steer clear of rich, fried, or spicy foods, which often trigger stomach irritation. Sleeping on an incline can also prevent the contents of your stomach from splashing into your esophagus, causing heartburn.
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Tylenol While Pregnant: Risks & Concerns
While acetaminophen is largely considered the safest pain reliever to take while pregnant, its not without some risks. Emerging research suggests a possible association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and a small increase in the likelihood of asthma, ADHD and autism in children. More recently, a concensus among a group of scientists was published, claiming that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may alter fetal development.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists emphasizing the lack of evidence that proves a direct relationship between the use of acetaminophen during any trimester and fetal developmental issues. Dr. Yamaguchi agrees with the recommendations offered by ACOG and encourages pregnant people to consult their healthcare providers should they have concerns regarding acetaminophen usage.
The cited studies in the concensus arent considered strong scientific evidence since many were done in animals and often at much higher doses than typical, or through self-reports by women who took Tylenol during pregnancy . Much of the criticim of these studies are that they have imperfect controlswhich makes it really hard to separate what factors actually drive the results.
What Otc Medicines To Avoid During Pregnancy
Pregnant women should avoid the following medications: ibuprofen , Bactrim , aspirin, naproxen , and codeine. When choosing medications, avoid all-in-one medications such as cold medicine that treats nasal congestion, fever, and aches and pains with one dose. Instead, treat specific symptoms . This decreases the chance of choosing a medication that might have ingredients that arent safe for you or your baby.
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What Are Some Alternative Pain Relief Options During Pregnancy
Depending on the type and location of the pain, I recommend to start by using ice or alternating ice and heat, says Dr. Plummer, who cautions that you dont put the ice directly on the skin. She recommends wrapping an ice pack in a towel, or using a bag of frozen peas or a product specifically designed for pain.
Some other alternatives that Dr. Plummer recommends include:
- Topical relief creams and oils
- Epsom salt bath, but dont overheat the water
- Massage
- Chiropractor
- Body pillows
When your quality of life is affected, and the natural solutions arent cutting it, then acetaminophen is an acceptable pain relief option during pregnancy.
Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking medication while pregnant. The CDC also recommends the online website MotherToBaby as a helpful resource that provides information about medication risks for pregnant mothers.
Risks For Ill Effects Are Low
If you took acetaminophen during a current or past pregnancy, this might sound pretty scary especially since youve probably always considered this medicine harmless. But while experts agree its important to consider potential risks when taking any over-the-counter or prescription medicines during pregnancy, you shouldnt panic.
“The risk for an individual is low,” says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, chief of the Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Chances are pretty good that if you took acetaminophen during a pregnancy, your baby likely did not, or will not, suffer any ill effects.
The research on this topic is not conclusive. Some information used to inform the consensus statement was gathered from studies on animals, or human studies with significant limitations. More research is needed to confirm that this medicine is truly causing health problems, and to determine at what doses, and at what points during a pregnancy, exposure to acetaminophen might be most harmful.
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Safe Medications During Pregnancy
Dont worry. In case you get sick, there are a number of over-the-counter medications safe for pregnancy. These will not harm your unborn child if you take them. They will also not have adverse effects on your physical health, provided you take them in moderation and under your doctors supervision.
The following is a list of safe medications during pregnancy:
Medications for pain relief: Acetaminophen a.k.a Paracetamol
Is Tylenol safe for pregnancy? Yes, it is an over-the-counter medicine safe for pregnancy. Doctors recommend Tylenol as the safest pain reliever you can take during pregnancy, even in the first trimester. You can take four 500-milligram tablets per day, once every four hours. The maximum dosage allowed is 4000 milligrams. There is no solid evidence of health risks to your offspring with prolonged intake of Tylenol during pregnancy. As much as possible though, regulate your intake per your doctors advice.
Take Tylenol to treat headaches, muscle aches and pains, fever, symptoms of cold or flu, and allergies. Remember to ask your doctor first which of the Tylenol variations you can take as there are Tylenol plain and extra strength.
Safe medicines for digestive issues
- Maalox, Rolaids, and Tums for heartburn or GERD
- Gas-X, Gaviscon, Mylicon for gas pain
- Immodium for diarrhea
Safe over-the-counter medicines for cough and cold
Aside from acetaminophen, the following medicines are safe to take if you are feeling under the weather due to a cold or cough:
When Do Pregnancy Headaches Start
Pregnancy headaches can become more frequent around nine weeks, when hormones and blood volume increase.
But, in general, headaches during pregnancy can start any time and feel like a typical headache you might have had when you weren’t pregnant.
The pain from a pregnancy headache might be concentrated on one side of the head, the sinuses, or both sides of the head, Columbo says.
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What Otc Medicines Are Safe During Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings with it a laundry list of ailments and complaints. Luckily, several over-the-counter remedies are safe to use during pregnancy. Although the following list isnt comprehensive, it should give you a general idea about whats okay to take during pregnancy to relieve common complaints. Again, discuss any medications you take with your doctor.
Pregnancy And Migraine Medications
Pregnancy is a step into the unknown. It can be the most wonderful time in a persons life, but it can also be intimidating. For women living with migraine disease, contemplating pregnancy can be downright frightening.
I always assumed I would not have children. Motherhood and pregnancy seemed like an unthinkable undertaking to someone experiencing daily migraine since the age of four. But very suddenly, after 26 years of perfecting various migraine strategies and medications, I won my personal migraine battle. This was so life-changing for me that after a month without daily migraines I noticed flowers were beautiful for the first time. Four years later, I got up the courage to become pregnant. In truth, I was practically paralyzed with fear.
Last month, in an article on breastfeeding and migraine medications, I pointed out that our culture puts a lot of pressure on breastfeeding mothers to avoid medications. The stigma and cultural pressures are even more prevalent for expectant mothers. Studies have demonstrated that not just pregnant women, but also their healthcare providers tend to overestimate the risks associated with using medications during pregnancy.
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL STRATEGIES
HOW THE FDA RATES THE SAFETY OF MEDICATIONS FOR USE IN PREGNANCY
When contemplating the use of a medication during pregnancy it is important to understand the code the FDA uses to rate the safety of medication during pregnancy. The FDA pregnancy categories 5 are as follows:
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What Lifestyle Changes Can I Make While Im Pregnant To Improve Migraine
Lifestyle measures and behavioral treatment options are important for everyone with migraine, but even more so if youre pregnant, because we want to avoid medications as much as possible, says Starling.
One thing I always discuss with people are the SEEDS for success in migraine management, which is a mnemonic that reminds people of things they can do to improve migraine, she says.
- S stands for good sleep hygiene. That means going to sleep around the same time and waking up around the same time every day, says Starling.
- E is exercising, and she recommends about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three days a week.
- E stands for eating regular meals, so not fasting or skipping meals, says Starling. This is really important: Try to eat multiple small meals throughout the day.
- D is short for dehydration, or preventing dehydration, by drinking lots of water throughout the day, says Starling.
- S stands for stress response or stress management. Not stress reduction necessarily, but more managing the way that you respond to stress, she says.
There are also some behavioral treatment options that have proven to be beneficial in evidence-based, randomized, controlled trials. These include biofeedback training, cognitive behavioral therapy training, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques, says Starling.
Consult A Doctor Before Taking Any Pain Meds
Pregnancy and discomfort often go hand in hand. But when discomfort progresses to pain, many expectant women wonder what medications they can safely use for relief. Luckily, safe painkiller options exist, but as with everything else during pregnancy, diligence is necessary. So, discuss all medications that you takeincluding over-the-counter drugswith your OB-GYN.
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What Causes Headaches During Pregnancy
Headaches during the first trimester are commonly caused by pregnancy hormonal changes, as well as increased blood volume and circulation.
Women who are used to regularly consuming caffeine before becoming pregnant but quit due to pregnancy may also have short-term caffeine withdrawal headaches.
Other causes of headaches during pregnancy may include:
Which Medications Are Safe During Pregnancy
Wondering which medications are safe for pregnant women to take? From Advil to Tylenol, Tums to Pepto, heres your cheatsheet when it comes to the most common conditions you may need to treat while you’re expecting.
Getting sick when you’re pregnant can be scary enough without having to stress about whether popping pills that might ease your symptoms will harm your growing baby. “One of the biggest things my pregnant patients are afraid of is ingesting something that may cause birth defects or negatively impact the baby’s development,” says Alane Park, M.D., mother of two sons and co-author of The Mommy Docs’ Ultimate Guide To Pregnancy and Birth. “The truth is that most medications are actually deemed fairly okay. While you want to minimize drug use as much as possible, the consequences of not taking a medication on the health of the mother and baby usually outweigh any potential risks.”
To get relief and feel more at ease throughout your pregnancy, check out Dr. Park’s recommendations for safe medications while pregnant.
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What Alternative Therapies Are Considered Safe During Pregnancy
Some alternative therapies have been shown to be safe and effective for pregnant women to relieve some of the uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy. Talk it over with your doctor first before using any of them. And remember, Natural doesnt always equal safe when youre pregnant.
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Nausea in early pregnancy:Acupuncture, acupressure, ginger root , and vitamin B6 work well. Sipping the thick syrup from inside a can of peaches, pears, mixed fruits, pineapples, or orange slices may also help.
Backache: Chiropractic manipulation holds the best track record. Another option is massage but it is important to make sure your massage therapist is adequately trained in pre-natal massage.
Turning a breech baby: Exercise and hypnosis may help.
Pain relief in labor: Epidurals are most effective, but immersion in a warm bath can also relieve tension. Relaxation and breathing techniques, emotional support, and self-hypnosis are widely used in labor. Acupuncture can also work for some women.
