All 3 patients had two additional atherosclerotic or nonatherosclerotic risk factors for stroke, suggesting that vertebral artery hypoplasia combined with other conventional risk factors may provide an optimal background for brainstem ischemia.
Category B anti-headache medications include Tylenol (acetaminophen); Reglan (metoclopramide), which is used for nausea but also may relieve a mild headache; and over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) only during the first and second trimesters.
If you'd like to try biofeedback to treat headaches during pregnancy, ask your health care provider for a referral to a biofeedback therapist. Keep in mind that most pregnant women can safely take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to treat occasional headaches. Your health care provider might recommend other medications as well. Make sure you have the OK from your health care provider before taking any medication, including herbal treatments. Headaches during pregnancy are common. However, if you develop a severe headache or a headache that doesn't go away, call your health care provider. Severe headaches can be a sign of a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys (preeclampsia).