Headaches can occur in anyone. Often, a magic painkiller pill can save you from it, which after a short period of time begins its active action and relieves this ailment, allowing a person to join the usual rhythm of life. Many people have at hand a remedy that has already been tested by their own experience in order to quickly relieve themselves of discomfort. But such pleasure is not given to everyone. Breastfeeding mothers should take into account not only their own condition, but also their newborn baby. Therefore, she cannot use any medicine to relieve pain, since almost all pharmacological agents tend to penetrate into breast milk and, accordingly, into the baby’s body. No one thinks about what headache remedy is acceptable for use during breastfeeding, until it begins to manifest itself. Therefore, every woman should know what a nursing mother can do for a headache, so as not to harm the baby.
Causes of illness with hepatitis B
There are a large number of causes of headaches in nursing mothers. Experts can name more than 200 different options.
- In most cases, the cause is lack of sleep, overwork, stress, and fatigue. Caring for a child at any stage takes a lot of strength and energy. A caring mother should get up at night at any time at the first call of the baby. Often, such a headache goes away almost immediately as soon as the mother gets enough sleep and rest, but sometimes this does not happen often.
- Migraine can also occur from stress, overwork and lack of sleep. Among other things, it also torments people who suffer from problems with the regulation of blood vessel tone and against the background of nervous diseases.
- Another cause of headaches is high blood pressure and hypertension. With such problems, it is best to immediately contact a specialist so as not to take things to extremes.
- The cause of a headache, which is accompanied by vomiting, nausea and pain in the abdomen, may be poisoning. In this case, it is necessary to act as quickly as possible. It is urgent to cleanse your stomach with a solution of potassium permanganate, drink activated carbon and drink as much drinking water as possible.
- Headache can be a symptom of a wide range of infections or diseases.
The most common are colds, acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections. It is worth paying attention to other diseases, such as mastitis or lactostasis.
Alternative methods to combat headaches
There are many alternative treatments for headaches in breastfeeding women who do not want to take medications. These include various traditional medicine recipes and oriental methods of treating pain. Let's look at the most popular and effective ones.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used since ancient times to treat all kinds of diseases and different types of pain. Ancient China is considered the birthplace of this method. Special thin needles are inserted into reflex points of the body, which allows you to get rid of pain.
According to recent clinical studies, acupuncture causes the synthesis of opioid substances in the human brain (endorphins), due to which headaches go away. It must be said that today acupuncture is even considered as an alternative to anesthesia for minor surgical interventions.
Acupuncture is an excellent alternative to pain medications
Massage
Massage can be an effective way to treat headaches, and is also absolutely safe for a nursing mother. You can use not only regular massage, but also self-massage. Acupressure massage of the neck and occipital area works well. At the same time, try to breathe deeply and evenly. Cluster pain (muscle tension) responds very well to massage treatment.
Aromatherapy
This type of treatment belongs to herbal medicine. You can simply smell essential oils, or you can apply them to the main massage points of the body. Lavender, mint and ginger oils are more effective in relieving headaches.
Rules for treatment during lactation
If you want to get rid of headaches during lactation, you must follow the general rules of treatment:
- First you need to try to relieve pain without using medications.
- If massage, fresh air and healthy sleep could not cope with the discomfort, then you should choose one of the special medications, but one that will be allowed during breastfeeding and is safe for the baby. It is better to consult a specialist.
- Carefully study the instructions before use, especially about possible contraindications.
- Sometimes you have to skip one or two feedings.
Only through a responsible approach to this problem can you get rid of it quickly, effectively and safely.
It must be remembered that headaches do not appear just like that, out of nowhere. The appearance of this symptom is a signal that the body is on the verge of exhaustion, so it is very important to establish the cause as quickly as possible and take appropriate measures.
Remember that headaches do not arise out of nowhere. This syndrome is a signal that your body is already on the verge of exhaustion. In this case, it is imperative to identify the exact cause of the pain and take drastic measures.
Symptoms and types of headaches in a nursing mother
There are many reasons for such symptoms in breastfeeding women. But you can’t rush to the first aid kit. After all, everything that the mother takes goes to the newborn through breast milk. Dizziness appears during hepatitis B, which often happens against the background of epidural anesthesia.
Tension headaches
Women, creating comfortable conditions for the child, close the windows and create greenhouse conditions. This is another mistake that causes similar symptoms in a nursing mother.
The normal rest regime has been disrupted. Sleepless nights, endless awakenings. This does not give the brain the opportunity to rest properly. After such nights, characteristic symptoms appear in the morning.
Interesting: Dizziness at 31 weeks and later in pregnancy
Migraine
Pathology occurs not only in women who are breastfeeding. Pregnant women complain of headaches. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, lack of oxygen, stress are just some of the factors that provoke migraine attacks.
A severe headache appears suddenly and may not go away for several days. It increases in bright light, the baby's cry, sudden movements, and during breastfeeding. This aggravates the physical and emotional state of the young mother. The hand habitually reaches for the first aid kit for emergency help. We must not forget that a pill that is safe for the mother is harmful to the child.
Headache due to high blood pressure
Sudden changes in blood pressure are a symptom that appears after an overload of the body associated with the birth of a child. When breastfeeding, if your blood pressure rises, this can be accompanied not only by headaches. The condition is accompanied by shortness of breath, tachycardia, and nausea.
Osteochondrosis can provoke hypertension. A nursing woman is forced to remain in one position for a long time, carrying the baby in her arms without transferring him to the crib so that the baby does not wake up. This places a static load on the spine, provoking the appearance of this disease, which is accompanied by frequent, severe headaches.
What head remedies can you take while breastfeeding?
Headache during lactation greatly disturbs the already new and unusual rhythm of life, so it is very important to get rid of this problem as soon as possible, and for this you need to take some medications.
It is very important that these drugs do not harm the breastfeeding process and the baby, so there is a list of permitted and prohibited drugs during lactation.
Some mothers, out of habit, drink the drug “No-Spa” for headaches, but it is more aimed at relieving spasms and pain in the stomach, so its effectiveness for headaches is unknown.
Approved medications
- Paracetamol. Provides an analgesic effect after 1-2 hours.
- Ibuprofen. Relieves not only headaches, but also fever. However, it has many side effects.
- Efferalgan. It affects the centers of pain receptors and works to lower the temperature.
- Panadol. Can relieve pain of mild to moderate intensity.
- Moment. Analgesic similar to analgin. It fights pain and fever more effectively, but has more contraindications.
- Sumamigrain. It relieves migraines within 20-30 minutes, but has strong side effects.
Prohibited drugs
The following medications should not be used while breastfeeding:
- Analgin - despite the fact that this remedy is quite effective, it is prohibited to use it when feeding due to its toxicity.
- Any analgesics that end in “gin” (Pentalgin, Sedalgin).
- Citramon - despite its popularity and prevalence, it contains substances harmful to the baby.
- Acetylsalicylic acid or Aspirin is also prohibited due to its destructive effect on the child’s brain and liver.
- Any painkillers that contain caffeine or codeine.
- Drugs that contain ergotamine, which can cause vomiting and convulsions in an infant.
Drug therapy
The components contained in medications can provoke allergic reactions, intoxication, and stomach problems in newborns. And potent chemical compounds delay the psychophysical development of the child. In addition, such products reduce the production of mother's milk.
It is necessary to treat headaches during breastfeeding with painkillers after using other, safer remedies. If alternative methods are ineffective, Paracetamol, Citramon, Ibuprofen, No-shpu are usually prescribed.
Nursing mothers should not use medications containing codeine, barbituric acid: Aspirin, Analgin, Sedalgin. Such medications have a negative effect on the child, causing serious complications.
Paracetamol
Paracetamol is a common remedy for headaches during breastfeeding. Because the painkiller is effective in reducing fever, doctors often prescribe the drug for fever. The medicine eliminates cramps caused by colds.
The substance is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, the highest concentration is reached after 30 minutes. The half-life of the components is 5 hours, after this time you can feed the child.
The daily dosage of the medicine should not exceed 4 tablets. If the dosage is exceeded, nausea, abdominal pain, and allergic reactions develop. The pills cannot be used for liver pathologies.
Ibuprofen
For headaches, this pain reliever can be used while breastfeeding. The analgesic compound has analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The active substance of the drug reaches its highest concentration 40 minutes after administration.
Note! After taking Ibuprofen, feeding the baby is allowed after 3 hours.
The medication is safe, it does not harm the organs and systems of the child’s body. A woman should not exceed the daily dosage of 400 mg. When used correctly, there are no side effects.
No-shpa
Headache during hepatitis can be eliminated with No-shpa. The active substance relaxes smooth muscles, eliminating spasms. Doctors advise taking pills as a one-time relief.
The medicine is indicated for tension pain resulting from overwork. There is no therapeutic effect for migraines, pressure surges, or viral infections. The advantage of the medication is the absence of a negative effect on the functioning of the heart muscle.
When taking pills for a short time, it is recommended to switch to a mixture, stimulating lactation. If a long course is prescribed, feeding should be stopped.
Citramon
The drug can be used for headaches during breastfeeding only after consulting a doctor. The active substance of the drug is acetylsalicylic acid, which reduces blood clotting and damages the organs of the digestive system. When taking pills uncontrolled, gastritis and ulcers develop.
The composition also includes caffeine and paracetamol, which have stimulating activity. With prolonged treatment, a sleep disorder develops. Doctors do not recommend using Citramon during pregnancy and lactation; it is better to replace the drug with a safer one.
Features of taking pills
If there is a need to use any medication during the lactation period, you must follow certain rules:
- Take the pill during feeding or immediately after it. This will prevent chemicals from getting into the milk.
- Express the remaining milk.
- Start feeding the baby from the other breast an hour after pumping.
It is better to choose drugs whose active components are quickly evacuated from the body. When using potent medications, a woman should stop lactation for a short time while continuing to express milk. During this period, you need to feed the baby with formula. You should contact a specialist for help in choosing the right product.
Alternative Treatments
Recommendation. Don’t rush to stuff yourself with pills and medications, because before starting treatment, you can just try to get a good night’s sleep, calm down and relax. Also, for headaches, sweet, hot and strong tea will be a good help.
Naturally, it is necessary to monitor the strength of the tea and the amount of sugar, as they can cause an allergic reaction. However, you should not expect negative consequences from a single dose of moderate strength and amount of sugar, and to reduce the risk of allergies, it is best to drink tea immediately after feeding.
Walks in the fresh air are great, especially since they can be combined with walks with your child. You can also apply cold compresses to your head at home or take a warm shower; sometimes a contrast shower can help. Sleeping in a cool room will be one of the best options for relieving headaches, but this is not always possible.
