Headaches from...

WD

WD

Cathlete
I was wondering if anyone else gets headaches when doing certain upperbody workouts. Everytime I start S&H I get horrible headaches for about 3 weeks. Then if I continue it tapers off. I have this happen with PS and PH also. I tried doing S&H twice a week without the shoulder work the second time. That did not work. So I tried doing lower 2 times and just the Bi's and Tri's the second time that did not work either. Now I am trying once a week for all the upper workout. I still have the headache. It starts in my neck then turns to what feels like a full blown migraine. Which I am suscptible to. Then I am sucking down aspirn and Imitrex. I would love to be able to progress with the upper body work without the pain. Anyone else that can offer help, I would appreciate it. BTW the upper Pyramids do not do this to me, I am baffled.
Diane Sue
 
Diane Sue,
I am a migraine sufferer and have found a similar problem only the headaches are sporadic and don't only happen with weight lifting. Sometimes I go a month without having any. I too end up taking Imitrex and aspirin! I talked to my doctor about it and she felt it had to do with a level of exertion. She also said headaches and exercising are pretty common amongst migraine sufferers (you never know what will do it to you!). I know for sure it's not a dehydration problem and it drives me crazy that exercising can give me a migraine!! So sorry I can't offer advice, but just wanted to let you know you're not the only one!

Best regards!
 
I wonder if it has anything to do with blood pressure fluctuations. I know that migraines are suspected to be vascular in origin.

Maybe the hard exertion with possible "Valsalva maneuver"- holding the breath or pushing hard against the breath for more power- triggers a feedback loop. I am just guessing here.

What I do is exhale forcibly (inhaling in between, of course) about 4-5 times during each six-count phase (be it concentric the way it is on the videos or reverse, eccentric).

Maybe others have some suggestions. I got migraines, about ten of them, during sixth grade. Then they stopped. Some people said mine might have been associated with hormones.

I'm 44 now and haven't had another yet.
 
My lactose-intolerant friend. It appears that we have alot in common.

In my early forties I experienced alot of problems with migraine headaches. I was getting 5 or 6 of them a week. I think my hormone fluxuations had alot to do with it.

One of my triggers was exercise. I found that if I warmed up aerobically for about half an hour before doing high intensity or weights, the frequency of my migraines was significantly lower. In addition, I realized that I was holding my breath while doing weights. I focused on maintaining my breathing and again the frequency of my migraines dropped. Good hydration also helped me avoid triggering a migraine. I would recommend lowering your weights and slowly working up without staining. Do not be afraid to do this. Straining may be contributing to the problem by raising your pressure. Over time I have built up significant strength. I am stronger in my fifties than I have been at any other time in my life.

In addition you may want to look for food triggers. Mine include citrus fruits, peanuts, turkey, red wine, MSG, crab, yogurt. Things that had not effected me when I was younger began bothering me in my forties.

Also, you may want to begin charting your headaches. Mine became worse near my periods or when I was not getting enough sleep.

Hope this helps,

Rhonda
 
Hi WD,
I have frequent migraines...about 4 or 5 a month, but mine is mostly weather related. This horrible rainy, stormy weather lately here in Indiana, has been terrible for my head. How has it been in OK?
But it also seems that I will get a migraine when I do Imax. I haven't figured out the connection yet, if it is the jumps and the tucks or what? ME will give me a headache if I don't lower the weight on the bicep curls. That section is way too fast for me with the weight Cathe is using. I don't know if it is a mental thing or not that makes me uptight when I get to that part, but if I keep a heavier weight, I get the migraine.
Do you suppose you could lower the weight you are using on that particular exercise and see if that will help? :D

I'm to the point that OTC medication doesn't work anymore. I have to take the high dollar $17 a pill Maxalt or Axert. They really zap my energy level up to a day later.

I'm so sorry to hear about your headaches. From one chronic sufferer to you, I feel your pain.
 
Thanks for the help. It helps knowing others experiences. I will try watching my breathing. It may be that this time I also raised my weights. After doing the intensity series for so long I felt that what I was lifting before seemed a little easier than usual. I Should probably have not jumped right in the first time with higher weights for everything. When I do that and get the headaches then I question whether the extra intensity was worth it. I do not usually have a problem with cardio though. I have had migraines off and on since I was ten. I recently did realize that peanut butter triggers them for me. I know a lot of the foods that do. If I get one that seems to be lasting days. I look at what I have been eating that was different or eating a larger amount of.
Diane SUe
 
Thanks that was interesting. Maybe a longer warm up could help and going at it more slowly. I get up early and just dive right in to an intense workout all of the time.
Diane Sue
 
Interesting article. I get migraines, only about once a year. Luckily, exercise is not a trigger for me. Flashes of light are my trigger!!! Very weird I know. I hate getting my picture taken with a flash!
 
I am not a migraine sufferer, but I have alot of friends who are and I really, really feel for you. This may have nothing to do with it, but I know my mom has problems when she has a pinched nerve in her neck. She has to go the chiropractor and get an adjustment and then she is better. She doesn't workout, so her headaches aren't related to that.

Kim
 
I get migraines from flashing lights. I used to hate going to the discos in the 70's because the disco ball lights would give me a migraine. I also read an article about migraines and C-spine difficulties in my chiropractors office. When the patients were adjusted their migraines decreased.I know having my back adjusted has helped me tremendously.
Sharon
 
I too am a migraine sufferer, but my headaches are not as frequent as yours. I would talk to a physical therapist. He/She might be able to isolate whether a specific movement triggers your migraines or not.

The fact that the pyramids don't trigger migraines might mean that your muscles need to be cooled down gradually by the use of lighter weights, rather than lifting as heavy as you can and then stopping.

Another issue is blood pressure. If you don't breathe throughout the lift, it raises your blood pressure. That might be what triggers your migraines.
 
Hi Diane Sue,
I know this is stupid but make sure you aren't holding your breath during lifting and not realizing you are holding it. That'll really make the blood pressure shoot up and may trigger a headache. I saw dehydration mentioned earlier and that definitely causes headaches for me.
You look incredible by the way!
Good luck in finding out what's causing your headaches.
 
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