Starting a couple weeks ago, whenever I perform dumbbell bench presses I get this nasty pain in the right-lower-back section of my head/upper neck. The pain gradually increases after each rep and after a while it builds up to the point where I feel like my head is going to explode. It’s weird, I can safely perform barbell bench presses and all my other exercises, this strictly occurs with DB bench presses. I’m going to replace the exercise with something different, but should I see a doctor or anything? Any help is greatly appreciated.
[quote]Mandrake wrote:
Hey, can anyone explain this?
Starting a couple weeks ago, whenever I perform dumbbell bench presses I get this nasty pain in the right-lower-back section of my head/upper neck. The pain gradually increases after each rep and after a while it builds up to the point where I feel like my head is going to explode. It’s weird, I can safely perform barbell bench presses and all my other exercises, this strictly occurs with DB bench presses. I’m going to replace the exercise with something different, but should I see a doctor or anything? Any help is greatly appreciated.[/quote]
I had the same problem with chins a while back.
For me, it was a combination of clenching my jaw and straining my neck in an odd way as I approached the bar.
I would be hesitant to attribute both of our issues to the same thing but you described it in the exact way I experienced the pain.
Make sure you are loose and warmed up before doing the exercise. Be especially conscious of how you tense your neck/jaw. Keep them relaxed throughout.
Also, like the poster above said, you might be straining to look at the weights.
If it’s any consolation, mine went away after a while. I just had to train myself not to tense my neck.
Thanks for the replies. It probably is a problem with my technique as I definately was looking upwards towards the weights. Just for clarification though, what position should I be keeping my head in during the lift?
[quote]Mandrake wrote:
Thanks for the replies. It probably is a problem with my technique as I definately was looking upwards towards the weights. Just for clarification though, what position should I be keeping my head in during the lift?[/quote]
neutral, flat against the bench and mouth mostly closed- look straight up
[quote]Mandrake wrote:
Hey, can anyone explain this?
Starting a couple weeks ago, whenever I perform dumbbell bench presses I get this nasty pain in the right-lower-back section of my head/upper neck. The pain gradually increases after each rep and after a while it builds up to the point where I feel like my head is going to explode. It’s weird, I can safely perform barbell bench presses and all my other exercises, this strictly occurs with DB bench presses. I’m going to replace the exercise with something different, but should I see a doctor or anything? Any help is greatly appreciated.[/quote]
Did you stretch and hear a pop anywhere in your spine recently? I got some crazy fucked up headaches once because a disc in my cervical spine was out of place from a bad stretch.
Chiropractic helped me. A friend had the same problem and he rested for a month and a half and they went away.
This might sound dumb, you might want to have your blood pressure checked. If your pushing your head into the bench or tweeking your neck then it should be easy to tell why that happening.