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What Medications Are Effective For Migraine Headaches?
Question: My wife is 20 weeks pregnant. She is having a severe migraine headache. Is there something she can take for relief?
Brief Answer:
Needs a blood pressure and urine check first
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Though she may have a history of migraines before pregnancy, women 20 weeks or over, who present with severe headache, have to be evaluated for preeclampsia.
This is a medical condition that occurs in pregnancy that is associated with high blood pressure and the presence of protein on urine testing.
She would need a blood pressure check and urine check by her doctor, unfortunately, before considering taking medication.
Most women do not have this but it must be considered and ruled out first.
If both of these are normal and pre eclampsia is not present, then paracetamol is the drug of choice. In addition to medication- relaxation, sleep, massage are also used.
If Paracetamol is not helpful then other medication such as aspirin or Ibuprofen these can be harmful in the 3rd trimester but very intermittent use in the 2nd is okay after speaking to her doctor.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
Needs a blood pressure and urine check first
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Though she may have a history of migraines before pregnancy, women 20 weeks or over, who present with severe headache, have to be evaluated for preeclampsia.
This is a medical condition that occurs in pregnancy that is associated with high blood pressure and the presence of protein on urine testing.
She would need a blood pressure check and urine check by her doctor, unfortunately, before considering taking medication.
Most women do not have this but it must be considered and ruled out first.
If both of these are normal and pre eclampsia is not present, then paracetamol is the drug of choice. In addition to medication- relaxation, sleep, massage are also used.
If Paracetamol is not helpful then other medication such as aspirin or Ibuprofen these can be harmful in the 3rd trimester but very intermittent use in the 2nd is okay after speaking to her doctor.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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