Headaches after excercise

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Kidostud
Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm really struggling with severe headaches after working out with weights. I think it is mostly after exercises which puts some stress on my shoulder and the muscles that connects between my arms and neck (have no idea what they are called...) for eg overhead presses, lateral raises or flies. Usually the next morning I will wake up with tension headaches and very stiff neck muscles. Stretching them doesn't help much and the only thing that helps are strong painkillers, which means I practically drink those daily and I'm sure it can't be good for my health either! Any suggestions?

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  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Are you stretching immediately after working or only the next day? I get the same kinds of headaches after working my shoulders and upper back if I don't spend about ten minutes stretching out at the end of a workout. You might also want to check your form. If your form is off, you might be straining your muscles, which could be leading to those headaches. I find that a heating pad also does wonders for tension headaches in the shoulders.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    I have a chronic, neurological upper back problem, and I get migraines that my doc thinks are often connected to that problem. I also get headaches when doing upper body, but mine don't last the next day, thank God.

    I have to avoid lifting for the trapezius and rhomboids. Can you imagine?! I've come up with a good list of isolation exercises to hit everything else, but it was tough to figure out.

    You might bump the trapezius work down a notch and see if that helps. Try to learn to relax it after you lift, at least. That's easier said than done when it's weak after lifting. Maybe lift traps right before bed?

    In any case, yep, the upper back/neck muscles can cause headaches when they press on things for whatever reason, and lifting can do it.
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
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    I stretch out the muscles and my neck right after my workout and as soon as I start feeling them. It doesn't seem to help, though. The only thing that helps are painkillers and muscle relaxing tablets - which is really not good for the system!
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    Might be a problem with spine, like a disc slightly out of place. Might be also some kind of problems with nerves. Really, could be anything. If this doesn't stops then you should prolly check at doctor. Even if it isn't anything serious you will at least know how and if you can avoid it. Keep stretching and maybe try out some different exercises / variations. Like if you do side rises you could try a machine instead of dumbbells or different position of fingers, etc. Maybe you will find an exercise what does not bring pain, or at least not so much.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    It's because you're not breathing while you're lifting.
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
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    Thanks for the advice. I probably don't drink enough water, as I don't increase my water intake when I'm exercising. I exercise 6 days a week, heavy (heavy for me...) lifting on alternate days and my water intake is usually about 1,5 - 2 liters a day.

    I concentrate really hard on my breathing and make sure that I breath out on the effort, so I'm not sure it can be that.
  • LisaR517
    LisaR517 Posts: 80
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    Yep, I would suggest more H2O, too. A few years ago, I began to notice that if I don't get enough water throughout the day, I get a headache. Once I figured out the cause, I almost never get them now! :) It could very well be that simple.
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
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    Thanks! Going to try drinking more water.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    This isn't uncommon if one is tensing their neck muscles during these exercises. Even when people do crunches, novices or untrained people will pull on their head and put stress on their neck.
    Next time you do shoulders and over head press, focus on the shoulders and try not to tense up your neck and see if that solves the issue.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
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    This isn't uncommon if one is tensing their neck muscles during these exercises. Even when people do crunches, novices or untrained people will pull on their head and put stress on their neck.
    Next time you do shoulders and over head press, focus on the shoulders and try not to tense up your neck and see if that solves the issue.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Thanks! Will try that. I do have a tendency to stiffen up through my neck - even if I do horseriding, I can often feel it afterwards and struggle a lot with tension headaches because stiff muscles in my neck. Eish, will have to work on that!!
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I'm really struggling with severe headaches after working out with weights. I think it is mostly after exercises which puts some stress on my shoulder and the muscles that connects between my arms and neck (have no idea what they are called...) for eg overhead presses, lateral raises or flies. Usually the next morning I will wake up with tension headaches and very stiff neck muscles. Stretching them doesn't help much and the only thing that helps are strong painkillers, which means I practically drink those daily and I'm sure it can't be good for my health either! Any suggestions?

    One of the reason could be that often people hold their breath ( which means you are tensing up ) during the upward motion of their exercise and then expel the air in one big gulp when they hit the low point on the return motion. That causes abrupt changes in BP, which in return causes headaches. This also can happen with people who have high ( even if only slightly ) BP in general. Of course this is just one possible reason for headaches when exercising.
  • Kidostud
    Kidostud Posts: 307 Member
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    Okay, so now I'm drinking water as if there's no tomorrow and have to go to the bathroom every 15 minutes!! I'm doing heavy lifting again this afternoon and going to concentrate on my breathing and try to focus on not stressing the neck muscles and see how it goes.

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