Anyone else get headaches after working out?
I made a thread about this a while ago, but I can't find it so I'll make a new one. Everytime I work out, I get a headache about an hour or so afterwards. It's not a really bad headache, but being someone who rarely gets headaches, it's annoying. Does this happen to anyone else? FYI: I drink plenty of water before my workout and try to replace exactly how much I lose through sweat. Edit: It doesn't seem to matter how hard I workout. Tonight I ran 1.5 miles at 5.5mph, then did some inclined dumbbell presses with 25lb weights just as a light "getting back into working out" workout. Edit:I've solved my problem It turns out it was nutrition related. Here's what I changed: - I now make sure I eat something 45-60 mintues before my workout; I normally eat a banana and a sandwich. - I eat a banana in the morning - I take a multivitamin - I drink gatorade after my workout (to replace sodium/sugar) - I eat a small meal no later than 60 minutes after my workout followed by another small meal 30-45 minutes later - I make sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day I'm not sure what exactly fixed it, but I don't care. I feel more energized before, during and after my workouts and I feel better in general. I'm still having a head CT scan done just to be safe, but other than that, .
Blood pressure.
Ilyusha Blood pressure. You know...I originally thought the same thing a few months ago, so I took my blood pressure when I started to experience the headaches...122/78 on average.
hootpie You know...I originally thought the same thing a few months ago, so I took my blood pressure when I started to experience the headaches...122/78 on average. Take it before and immediately after your workouts.
Ilyusha Take it before and immediately after your workouts. I'll do that. What should I look for? Normal before and high after? I just took it 3x and I averaged 135/83. Edit: And what should I do to deal with it? Also, thanks for helping me out, these headaches are really starting to bother me.
hootpie I'll do that. What should I look for? Normal before and high after? I just took it 3x and I averaged 135/83. Edit: And what should I do to deal with it? Also, thanks for helping me out, these headaches are really starting to bother me. Well you should take maybe a 2 week log of pre and post workout readings, as well as off day readings, and take your findings to a doctor (schedule an appt ahead of time, etc.). Make sure you visit a doctor, as this can be just about anything, but blood pressure would be my first guess. If you have a family history of a multitude of things, such as heart problems, kidney problems, migraines, general headaches, etc. it could be a reason for your headaches. So take some readings and go to a doctor and take it from there... By the way, your blood pressure is above normal.
Ilyusha Well you should take maybe a 2 week log of pre and post workout readings, as well as off day readings, and take your findings to a doctor (schedule an appt ahead of time, etc.). Make sure you visit a doctor, as this can be just about anything, but blood pressure would be my first guess. If you have a family history of a multitude of things, such as heart problems, kidney problems, migraines, general headaches, etc. it could be a reason for your headaches. So take some readings and go to a doctor and take it from there... By the way, your blood pressure is above normal. I'll do that, the problem is I don't always go to the gym with regularity. Everyone in my family has high blood pressure, but no heart/kidney problems. Nobody in any part of my family has problems with headaches/migraines. I know it's above normal, which is weird. This is the first time I've taken it and it has been high. The other times I had headaches it was never this high.
hootpie I'll do that, the problem is I don't always go to the gym with regularity. Everyone in my family has high blood pressure, but no heart/kidney problems. Nobody in any part of my family has problems with headaches/migraines. I know it's above normal, which is weird. This is the first time I've taken it and it has been high. The other times I had headaches it was never this high. Well, just take the readings when you do go, and also when you don't. Basically every day for 2 weeks, while making sure to mark what time the readings were taken and if you were at the gym or not. A history of high blood pressure can contribute to your elevated blood pressure. I have what is known as white coat hypertension - whenever I have my blood pressure measured at a hospital, it is elevated. Whenever it is measured at home, or anywhere else but a hospital/clinic, it's normal. Pretty lame, but that's the way it is for me..
Ilyusha Well, just take the readings when you do go, and also when you don't. Basically every day for 2 weeks, while making sure to mark what time the readings were taken and if you were at the gym or not. A history of high blood pressure can contribute to your elevated blood pressure. I have what is known as white coat hypertension - whenever I have my blood pressure measured at a hospital, it is elevated. Whenever it is measured at home, or anywhere else but a hospital/clinic, it's normal. Pretty lame, but that's the way it is for me.. That's totally understandable (the white coat hypertension). I have spoken to my doctor about this and he thinks it's nothing, but I think I'm going to have him order a CT scan of my head and possibly an MRI/MRA (whatever the thing is that looks at the blood vessels within your brain). One thing I have noticed is a vein in my right temple that was either never there, or never noticable before I started working out again a few months ago. I can feel my heartbeat in this vein in my temple all of the time and it pounds really hard while I'm exercising. Maybe I just have increased bloodflow to my head?
my brother had similar things happen to him. He used to run a lot, he did two marathons but ended up with bad headaches afterwards, one time even going to the hospital. Then he started noticing his heart race and headaches after normal everyday runs. Then, he would notice his heart racing doing menial household chores around his house. It took the news of a major league baseball players death in his 30's of a heart attack for him to see a doctor. A couple actually because the first one said everything was fine. It turns out he had a birth defect in his heart where he was born with a small hole between the chambers in the heart. Usually, if they don't catch this within 6 months of birth, it will be a huge problem at about 40 or 50. Because he ran so much and stressed his body, it made the hole bigger and blood was passing through, this meant one half of his heart had to pump harder than the rest and was considerably bigger. Luckily his body is still young and he had to have open heart surgery. The doctors closed up the hole and now he's better than new. Moral of the story, it might not be your head at all.
777 my brother had similar things happen to him. He used to run a lot, he did two marathons but ended up with bad headaches afterwards, one time even going to the hospital. Then he started noticing his heart race and headaches after normal everyday runs. Then, he would notice his heart racing doing menial household chores around his house. It took the news of a major league baseball players death in his 30's of a heart attack for him to see a doctor. A couple actually because the first one said everything was fine. It turns out he had a birth defect in his heart where he was born with a small hole between the chambers in the heart. Usually, if they don't catch this within 6 months of birth, it will be a huge problem at about 40 or 50. Because he ran so much and stressed his body, it made the hole bigger and blood was passing through, this meant one half of his heart had to pump harder than the rest and was considerably bigger. Luckily his body is still young and he had to have open heart surgery. The doctors closed up the hole and now he's better than new. Moral of the story, it might not be your head at all. Wow...I certainly hope that's not the case for me. I'm glad everything turned out ok with him. I'm actually on hold right now waiting to speak with my doctor. I'm going to ask him to have all the necessary tests run.
Anyone else?
I worked out again today (around 5:30pm) for about an hour. I did some shoulder exercises today using the "high weight, low rep" method. I was doing fine for the majority of my workout and never really felt as though I was going to get a headache. I did take one tylenol before the workout, so that might be why. About 3 hours after my workout I started to get a headache again. The headaches are usually preceeded by a pulsating in my head, which lasts from before the headache to well after. I've checked my blood pressure throughout the day and it's been around 130/80 all the time. My doctor is scheduling a CT scan for me, so we can see if there's something going on in my head. I sure hope not .
What helped me with migranes/headaches in general was to drink a lot more water.
kingrukus What helped me with migranes/headaches in general was to drink a lot more water. How much were you drinking and how much more did you add? Right now I drink about 4 water bottles a day (16.9oz each). I'll usually drink one or two in the morning/afternoon, one during my workout (to replace water I lose), and one or two after that.
Whenever I went to a chiropractor for neck problems, I started getting headaches during the workouts. Usually chest workouts or any pushing motion. Somehow it just worked itself out I guess.
hootpie How much were you drinking and how much more did you add? Right now I drink about 4 water bottles a day (16.9oz each). I'll usually drink one or two in the morning/afternoon, one during my workout (to replace water I lose), and one or two after that. I was hardly drinking any water...about 2 500ml bottles a day (1L)...i stepped up to about 8 500ml bottles (4L) and that helped things.
I'll try increasing my water intake on days that I workout because I do tend to sweat a lot. I'll see if that helps. I don't think it's an issue of dehydration because my urine is always clear.
I've been doing a lot of reading and came up with some things that others might find useful (especially if they search for this in the future). Post-exercise headaches are sometimes called "exertional headaches" and can be caused by nothing more than blood pressure rising/intracranial pressure increasing. It can also be caused by a lack of sodium in the body and/or dehydration. Of course, the headaches could also be the sign of something else, so it's always best to consult a physician to be safe. Apparently the best way to fight these types of headaches are to stay hydrated very well and eat within 1 hour after your exercise. It helps to eat something with sodium in it after your workout as well (i.e. crackers). A combination of carbs, sodium, protein and water post-workout is the best. I'm guessing something like tuna-fish spread over saltine crackers would work best. I'm going to try this myself to see if it gets rid of these headaches I've been getting. If not, I'm going to go see a neurologist to make sure nothing is wrong. I'll update this thread for anyone who is interested.
I've solved my problem It turns out it was nutrition related. Here's what I changed: - I now make sure I eat something 45-60 mintues before my workout; I normally eat a banana and a sandwich. - I eat a banana in the morning - I take a multivitamin - I drink gatorade after my workout (to replace sodium/sugar) - I eat a small meal no later than 60 minutes after my workout followed by another small meal 30-45 minutes later - I make sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day I'm not sure what exactly fixed it, but I don't care. I feel more energized before, during and after my workouts and I feel better in general.
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