Headache Hell
Monday, November 23, 2009
12 weeks, 1 day pregnant
Pound, pound, pound. For the last week or so, my headaches have been out of control.
Headaches are a common preggo symptom, because of all of the extra blood whooshing around in there — and the hormones, which are to blame for everything. I used to get migraines occasionally before I got pregnant, so apparently this just means I’m more at risk for headaches now.
I’ve been taking Tylenol when I absolutely positively can’t stand it any longer, but for the most part I’ve been trying to cope without anything. That’s not too bad when I’m at home, because I can lie down in the dark and close my eyes …
… but at the office? Way different story.
When I woke up this morning to another headache, I did some research to see what can be done to ward these off when I’m at work:
- Close your eyes and put your feet up for 15 minutes
- Put an icepack or cold compress on the back of your neck for 20 minutes
- Take a lunchtime yoga class, meditate, or do some breathing exercises
- Keep eating: the low blood sugar that results from skipping meals can trigger a headache
- Go slow if you’re giving up a caffeine habit
- Avoid hot, stuffy places, and dress in layers so you can start peeling them off before overheating leads to a headache
- Take fresh-air breaks a couple of times a day (or at least open a window)
- Take breaks from fluorescent lighting and strong odors as frequently as you can
- If you’re extra-sensitive to loud noises you can make it a point to avoid the worst offenders
- Try not to slouch, slump, or bend over doing close work for long stretches of time
I think I’m going to try the close-my-eyes-for-15 minutes thing today. I may hide behind my door.
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