exercise = headaches

squishprincess
squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
90% of the time i workout or run i end up with a headache. doesn't matter the temperature/heat, i still end up with a pressure headache. i drink a lot of water throughout the day/before working out, so i don't think that's it? and it's not like i don't eat a couple of hours (sometimes even an hour) before working out. it's frustrating, is it normal to get headaches all the time? i read online it can be normal or a sign of dehydration but i really do try to drink enough water so idk. it's annoying & makes me want to stop working out before i'm even finished. what to do?

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    How much water do you drink in a day? It may be beneficial to try to add in some electrolyte packs to see if it's an imbalance. Something like nuun tablets or emergen-c
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    i try to drink around 3-4 16.9 ounce bottles of water, sometimes it varies. but i also drink hot teas a lot too, on most days. also snack on a lot of hydrating fruits/veg etc. but this headache thing has gone on for years as far as i remember. not constantly, but consistently.

    what causes imbalances?
  • lastcaptain888
    lastcaptain888 Posts: 5 Member
    Medical student here. Sounds like you are not drinking enough. The standard recommendation for a healthy person is 64fl oz a day which is about 2 liters of water. If you are doing cardio or any activity in which you lose water via sweat, probably you are volume depleted and that's causing your headaches.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    squishprincess wrote: »
    i try to drink around 3-4 16.9 ounce bottles of water, sometimes it varies. but i also drink hot teas a lot too, on most days. also snack on a lot of hydrating fruits/veg etc. but this headache thing has gone on for years as far as i remember. not constantly, but consistently.

    what causes imbalances?

    Some bodies deplete electolytes faster. But honestly, if this has gone on for years, you should probably be seeing a doctor/endocrinologist/ENT/cardiologist, to get some test done and see if there is an underlying condition.
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
    What kind of exercise? I was getting headaches daily when running outside because I wasn't wearing polarized sunglasses. Just the cheap ones. Once I switched to polarized the headaches outside disappeared instantly.
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    i always run at night to avoid the sun & excess heat cus i have skin issues that react negatively to exposure to sunlight & heat. so i don't think i need sunglasses for running :smile:

    and ah ok. i know, i really should get to a doctor one of these days i already have a lot of indications that i have thyroid issues, lol. but thank you for your input!
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    btw the only exercises i usually do are running/walking and pilates, sometimes crossfit vids, and yoga.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Hydration, blood sugar, stress are my first checks.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Also check to see if you're holding stress/tension in your neck/shoulders/jaw while you run.
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    what can i do to help with blood sugar if that's the issue? or would i need to see if there are any underlying issues from a dr about blood sugar levels and what not.

    also alice, how do i know if i'm holding stress & tension in my upper body? i dont think i am but i might be!
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    For me, it seems I only get exercise induced headaches in the spring/summer, or on very rainy days. I have some mild allergies, and get a lot of pressure build up. Lifting and running can definitely exacerbate this for me, and bam-a headache.

    If you are prone to headaches/migraines anyway, perhaps it's weather related-or related to another trigger-particularly since you mentioned it is consistent, but not constant. Right now I pretty much can get a headache every day. From exercise, from stress, from breathing!
  • fbinsc
    fbinsc Posts: 735 Member
    there is something called exertion headaches. I once pushed myself to run a 6 minute mile which was very aggressive considering my lack of fitness. I developed a severe headache and for about two months every time I tried to run after that I got a debilitating headache. Thought it would never end. The only solution was to rest. If you have been pushing hard that might be what you have.
  • cuckoo_jenibeth
    cuckoo_jenibeth Posts: 1,434 Member
    I have to be very cautious of how I hold my neck/head. I noticed that I tend to lead with my head. This causes a lot of tension on my neck & jaw resulting in terrible headaches. I even tend to sit with my head kind of jutted out (think turtle pushing its head out of its shell). I have to make a conscious effort to relax those muscles.
  • coryrood
    coryrood Posts: 100 Member
    My wife had thisvissue. Increasing her fat intake helped alot.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
    Check blood pressure I get headaches when my blood pressure goes up
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    this is all great input, thanks guys. i guess when i sit back and think about i am prone to headaches in general. and do have seasonal allergies, along with bad posture. i'm racking up points here. oh and let's not forget stress in general, which i try to exercise to help out with, but sometimes i think it is that i push myself too hard and end up causing physical stress as well.

    i guess i need to learn how to relax and make sure i'm not putting too much pressure on my body or my mind. but also, i should get my blood pressure & all that checked anyway, cus i know those issues run in the family so maybe it's about time i get everything checked to make sure.
  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    I literally just went through this, i am back this week from a forced two week break because of exertion headaches.... i thought 3-4 bottles of water a day was enough.. absolutely NOT, esp if youre working out hard, lifting heavy or doing a lot of lower body work like squats and lunges... i would get TERRIBLE almost migrane headaches.

    i took a week off completely to rest and hydrate, have been pushing through 70-90 ounces of water a day now, on days i lift, i make sure ive had at least 65 ounces before i even get to the gym. and ive been headache free so far. look up "Exertion Headaches", seriously.
  • velocitykate
    velocitykate Posts: 20 Member
    If it's been going on for years, the chances of it being something serious are low (although probably worth getting checked anyway). You are probably one of those people who is unlucky enough to get exertion headaches. Have you tried taking painkillers before exercising? It may prevent the headache from getting so bad, or indeed prevent it altogether.
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    yeah it might be a good idea to up my water intake i guess! especially since i'm living in a dryer climate now. and agh. think i am one of those who get frequent exertion headaches. and i forget to take painkillers before most of the time, but i def take one after when it's a little too late. sometimes i take ibuprofen or tylenol before i run actually.

    i'm not doing anything too strenuous when it comes to exercising, but i am prone to heat exhaustion so i don't think it helps at all. gonna see if drinking waters helps lessen the frequency of the headaches.
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  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    squishprincess wrote: »
    what can i do to help with blood sugar if that's the issue? or would i need to see if there are any underlying issues from a dr about blood sugar levels and what not.

    Your symptoms don't fit with hypoglycemia, and if you have undiagnosed type 2 with hyperglycemic-related headaches, they should be worse when not working out (particularly within 1-2 hours post meal).

    But if you are really concerned, get a cheap meter and strips to test when you get headaches. Regardless, you should call tomorrow and schedule an appt. with your dr.
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    midwesterner85 wrote: »
    squishprincess wrote: »
    what can i do to help with blood sugar if that's the issue? or would i need to see if there are any underlying issues from a dr about blood sugar levels and what not.

    Your symptoms don't fit with hypoglycemia, and if you have undiagnosed type 2 with hyperglycemic-related headaches, they should be worse when not working out (particularly within 1-2 hours post meal).

    But if you are really concerned, get a cheap meter and strips to test when you get headaches. Regardless, you should call tomorrow and schedule an appt. with your dr.

    yeah i didn't think so either. i'll get everything checked when i go in for thyroid disease testing.

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