so I developed this pounding headache that start every time I try to train. for instance if you put the weight you could lift for 8 reps the head would feel like it is about to explode on the 6th. it is annoying as hell. aspirin seemed to help the first three weeks but i seem to need more of it each workout.
the strength gains are very good lately so i don’t want to stop my training all that much tho i’m getting a little bit scared of some dumb ass blood vessel exploding in my brain … (that would leave a mark).
any ideas how i could get rid of this condition? I’m doing neck exercises and stuff tho they dont seem to help allot. thinking of starting some extra cardio. oh and the blood pressure not so bad either - 145/85 straight after an intense training session.
Go get a massage or see a chiropractor. I had the same problem a few months back and it turned out to be severely tightened neck muscles that were constantly in spasm.
And if you’re sleeping on your stomach, stop immediately.
[quote]Doug Adams wrote:
Go get a massage or see a chiropractor. I had the same problem a few months back and it turned out to be severely tightened neck muscles that were constantly in spasm.
And if you’re sleeping on your stomach, stop immediately.[/quote]
have to drink 2 tabs of aspirin before training today coz it still hurts a bit. this is the first time it is lasting for a few days.
no reason so stop training tho right? as this is probably not some weak blood vessel in the middle if the brain. i suppose a good warmup should make it safer just in case …
I used to get really bad exertion headaches which would lead to migraines etc it was very annoying debilitating. My Dr. had be quit training (was not down for long) and get a CT scan just to make sure, after that we looked at a bunch of different things from dehydration to blood sugar.
Once all else failed I researched a drug called Inderal LA, discussed with the Dr. and decided to give it try. All I can say for myself is that it has been a lifesaver… I no longer have the exertion headaches on any noticeable level and it has also downgraded the severity and frequency of my migraines…
Have you considered going to see a chiro? I have mine and when things get too tight (muscles) and I start getting headaches, its usually time for me to see him. Because we get unbalanced from weight training (muscles attach to bone) getting realigned ever so often helps relieve the tension in the muscles. I normally work with a masso as well
my budget is very tight… schedule not much better either
is there a way to relax the muscles by yourself? dunno maybe the vibrating massager thing can help tho i don’t trust it but still… (maybe some weed can help too )
what does the doctor do exactly? any special exercises or is it all massage and stuff? i did have some lower back problems but physiotherapy took care of that tho this is quite different.
[quote]sabaz wrote:
pull-ups actually hurt the most … next is bench …
have to drink 2 tabs of aspirin before training today coz it still hurts a bit. this is the first time it is lasting for a few days.
no reason so stop training tho right? as this is probably not some weak blood vessel in the middle if the brain. i suppose a good warmup should make it safer just in case …[/quote]
Fuck yea it’s a reason to stop training! At least for a few weeks. Have you seen a chiro? I know it’s fun to bash them but this is a case where it might be worth it.
Well, seeing a chiro would be good, it is most likely tight neck muscles/traps that are spasming, as mentioned above. Stretch your neck and traps often, gently at first, on your own. But get to a chiro ASAP.
Also, I’ve read recently on this site, somewhere, that cardio can actually work to loosen and relax blood vessels by its work on the parasympathetic nervous system. I think JB said that somewhere, but I was skimming, so I dunno. So some light cardio might be in order. But you should stop training at least for a couple days as well, if they’re as bad as you say.
Last monday during a set of deadlifts the same thing happened to me. This first instance of the exertion headache was really extreme and I had to end my deadlift session early because of it. The remainder of the week, anytime I would start to train or do anything physical, the headache would start up again, so I took the remainder of the week off.
Today I wanted to start training hard again so I took two ibuprofen in the morning and one before training and my head didn’t hurt at all during my ME Deadlifts. I’ve googled exertion headaches and read that non steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help, but I’ve also read that they can possibly interfere with muscle growth so I’m not sure if it is the best thing to do, but I’d give ibuprofen a try and see if that helps you at all.
[quote]nbruno181 wrote:
Last monday during a set of deadlifts the same thing happened to me. This first instance of the exertion headache was really extreme and I had to end my deadlift session early because of it. The remainder of the week, anytime I would start to train or do anything physical, the headache would start up again, so I took the remainder of the week off.
Today I wanted to start training hard again so I took two ibuprofen in the morning and one before training and my head didn’t hurt at all during my ME Deadlifts. I’ve googled exertion headaches and read that non steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help, but I’ve also read that they can possibly interfere with muscle growth so I’m not sure if it is the best thing to do, but I’d give ibuprofen a try and see if that helps you at all.[/quote]
It’s good advice. Though I would add Ibuprofin and REST is really good.
The other thing is, Sabaz, this may not be an exertion headache because when I had them I COULD NOT train. It wasn’t even a question because the pain was so debilitating. So if you are even considering it, my hunch is that it could be something different. There could be varying degrees of this problem, I have no idea. But it’s definitely something to take seriously.
damn aspirin is not helping anymore … energy is down to 0% too. must be overtraining so fun is over for this week. or until the energy is back
i can remember having these head aches a long time before. like in 6th grade, i was running the 3km distance and it hit one side of my head … so i continued running as there was only 1,5km left and it hit the other side. then i was in trouble (barley walking for an hour but still finished ha ha … wish i haven’t done that) it lasted for a month.
each time i do pull ups without any kind of warmup i get that pounding headache ever since.
sleep isn’t helping anymore, aspirin is useless and i’m sleepy all day long with a mild head ache all the time. guess it’s time to see a doc.
oh and the vibrating massager thing seems to add a little tiny bit of relief.
never done any real cardio in my life so that could be a reason, and it probably is.
any chance of getting prescribed some weak steroids for this condition? ha ha joking …
[quote]sabaz wrote:
my budget is very tight… schedule not much better either
is there a way to relax the muscles by yourself? dunno maybe the vibrating massager thing can help tho i don’t trust it but still… (maybe some weed can help too )
what does the doctor do exactly? any special exercises or is it all massage and stuff? i did have some lower back problems but physiotherapy took care of that tho this is quite different.[/quote]
Everybody is different but paying 40$ to see a chiro or a sports physio is worth it to get rid of nasty headaches. Anti-inflammatories will not get rid of the problem, it will mask it for a while.
Can you massage yourself, depends on which muscles are bunched up togeter.
Money may be tight but can you afford to feel the way you feel?? Go see someone, nasty headaches like yours are simply not normal
i don’t give a damn how i feel actually, what bothers me is if this is life threatening, i can lift till i pass out from a broken vessel but that is unnecessary is it?
hot shower while massaging the traps, some sleeping with no pillow and self massage is helping. stretches, and allot of rest combined with sleep seem to be helping too.
thanks for the tips they are working well. a very hot long shower seems to have a very good effect in relaxing the right muscles, specially if applied to the area around the neck
the hard part is staying away from the wights while feeling almost good enough to lift.
[quote]sabaz wrote:
so I developed this pounding headache that start every time I try to train. for instance if you put the weight you could lift for 8 reps the head would feel like it is about to explode on the 6th. it is annoying as hell. aspirin seemed to help the first three weeks but i seem to need more of it each workout.
the strength gains are very good lately so i don’t want to stop my training all that much tho i’m getting a little bit scared of some dumb ass blood vessel exploding in my brain … (that would leave a mark).
any ideas how i could get rid of this condition? I’m doing neck exercises and stuff tho they dont seem to help allot. thinking of starting some extra cardio. oh and the blood pressure not so bad either - 145/85 straight after an intense training session.[/quote]
I know exactly what is happening. This happened to me also:
Ok, it is due to you not breathing properly on an exercise. This may not be for every one, but you could of done it before. This caused oxygen depravation while you was working out and it is causing a headache whenever you strain with a weight.
To fix it you need to take a week off training and ice pack the base of your head/neck.
Then when you go back make sure you breathe correctly when you train.
)