Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below OK, I was doing deadlifts today, first set was light so i was fine, I go heavey for the second set so when I get done my head was killing me. There was a sharp pain where my neck meets my head. It was a combination between someone injecting a needle into my neck and someone beeting the back of my head with a club. I continued the rest of my workout through the pain, it hurt the whole time, but it was calming down by the end of my workout. My head still hurts two hours after, but not nearly as bad. What the hell happened to me?
Migrains during lifting
- Thread starter Snatch518
- Start date
scruples
New member
i got headaches for a while... extremely intense, short-lived ones especially while performing leg presses (this was before i began squatting). anyways, i would get a super sharp splitting headache at the end of a set... the pain was so bad that.. well... it really sucked... it went on for a month or so, but then completely subsided and haven't had any problems since... ??
gettinlarger
New member
are you breathing??
Also the squating itselve improves the cardiovascular condition wich could explain why it subsided after one month. If I start squatting after a lay-off, the first weeks I usually get a red stripe mark on my back where the bar has rested (damaged tiny bloodvessles), however after 2 weeks the skin is used to it and it subsides
I have experienced that before in exactly the same way you descibed it,the only exception in my case was that i got that doing pullovers and raised my head slightly and thats when it happened,man instant head ache,very painfull indeed and also that needle feeling in the base of my skull <top of my neck>I presumed i had pinched a nerve ,happened only once but wont forget it LoL
I did squats today, I made sure I was taking HUGE breathes. I got a slight head ache, but not nearly as bad as I previously experienced. I don't understand how/why this is happening. I've been lifting for 5 months and this has just started and I haven't changed anything in my routine and I'm not taking any supplements besides meal replacement shakes. Its something about bench, squats, and deads that just kill me. A mental thing maybe? Errrrrrr.
Here's an article you may find helpful:
There's no question that exercise is good for all of us. Lack of exercise is what's making us a nation (U.S. or Canada, take your pick) of obese people gasping for air at the slightest exertion. A certain amount of exercise is a good idea for people with everything from arthritis to migraines. It's an excellent antidote for mild depression as well.
Exercise causes the body to release endorphins which are its natural painkillers. Got a tension headache? Having a bad day? Feeling blue? Go for a brisk walk and I guarantee you'll feel better.
The flip side, though, is that excessive exertion can cause migraines. In fact, they're sometimes called weightlifters' headaches. Experts claim such exertion as lifting weights can cause muscle spasms in the upper body and those spasms can, in turn, cause headaches.
This isn't a common condition. In a recent study, for instance, a headache in athletes called benign exertional headache was seen in only 1% of participants. We aren't talking here about headaches from too many headers in a soccer player, or the beating a rugby player takes, or post-traumatic headaches from concussions, or other injuries.
"Exertional" headaches are caused by straining, such as when you lift weights. The pain comes on suddenly, then after a bit it settles into a dull ache which lasts from minutes to hours.
One theory is that these headaches happen because the strain elevates the arterial pressure in the head so venous sinuses at the base of the brain dilate. In studies of weightlifters, an athlete lifting the maximum weight he can handle experiences a sharp rise in his blood pressure.
Then there are the more common "effort" headaches caused by excessive aerobic exercise in a variety of sports including running. Hot weather is a factor in many of these headaches. The athlete may have premigraine symptoms, then the headache for a period of hours.
Recent studies have shown that exercise-induced headaches that go away with rest may be a sign of cardiac disease, and that the headaches may be the only symptom at the time. Again, this isn't common, but it is something to be aware of, particularly if you have risk factors for heart disease such as a family history, hypertension, diabetes, or a history of smoking.
Three other exercise-induced headaches are sort of self-explanatory: swimmer's headache from jumping into cold water; goggle headaches from wearing goggles that are too tight (and therefore easily remedied); diver's headache which is possibly due to a build-up of carbon dioxide, gripping the mouthpiece too tightly, or an ear problem; and the so-called footballer's headache which is the one caused by headers in soccer.
Treatment for exercise-induced headaches involves taking measures to avoid the cause and perhaps taking an anti-inflammatory medication such as Indomethacin. Avoiding the cause doesn't mean giving up exercise. This is no excuse to turn into a couch potato. It simply means avoiding that maximum effort or the heaviest weights, or whatever is causing the problem, for enough time to get rid of the headaches, then gradually and cautiously building up to that level again.
A warning is in order, though, because of the danger of heart disease, a tumor in the back of the brain, or an aneurysm being the real cause of the headaches. Seek help if you have the following:
- a sudden, powerful pain during exercise, - a headache that just gets nothing but worse, - you're over 50 years old, - along with the headache you have numbness and tingling in your limbs, a weakness on one side of your body, and/or visual problems.
As with most of the topics I write about on this page, you should let common sense be your guide. However, don't let the fact that it's "just a headache" keep you from seeing your doctor and insisting he take your headaches seriously. It may be excessive exertion, but it may also be a warning symptom that you should pay attention to.
There's no question that exercise is good for all of us. Lack of exercise is what's making us a nation (U.S. or Canada, take your pick) of obese people gasping for air at the slightest exertion. A certain amount of exercise is a good idea for people with everything from arthritis to migraines. It's an excellent antidote for mild depression as well.
Exercise causes the body to release endorphins which are its natural painkillers. Got a tension headache? Having a bad day? Feeling blue? Go for a brisk walk and I guarantee you'll feel better.
The flip side, though, is that excessive exertion can cause migraines. In fact, they're sometimes called weightlifters' headaches. Experts claim such exertion as lifting weights can cause muscle spasms in the upper body and those spasms can, in turn, cause headaches.
This isn't a common condition. In a recent study, for instance, a headache in athletes called benign exertional headache was seen in only 1% of participants. We aren't talking here about headaches from too many headers in a soccer player, or the beating a rugby player takes, or post-traumatic headaches from concussions, or other injuries.
"Exertional" headaches are caused by straining, such as when you lift weights. The pain comes on suddenly, then after a bit it settles into a dull ache which lasts from minutes to hours.
One theory is that these headaches happen because the strain elevates the arterial pressure in the head so venous sinuses at the base of the brain dilate. In studies of weightlifters, an athlete lifting the maximum weight he can handle experiences a sharp rise in his blood pressure.
Then there are the more common "effort" headaches caused by excessive aerobic exercise in a variety of sports including running. Hot weather is a factor in many of these headaches. The athlete may have premigraine symptoms, then the headache for a period of hours.
Recent studies have shown that exercise-induced headaches that go away with rest may be a sign of cardiac disease, and that the headaches may be the only symptom at the time. Again, this isn't common, but it is something to be aware of, particularly if you have risk factors for heart disease such as a family history, hypertension, diabetes, or a history of smoking.
Three other exercise-induced headaches are sort of self-explanatory: swimmer's headache from jumping into cold water; goggle headaches from wearing goggles that are too tight (and therefore easily remedied); diver's headache which is possibly due to a build-up of carbon dioxide, gripping the mouthpiece too tightly, or an ear problem; and the so-called footballer's headache which is the one caused by headers in soccer.
Treatment for exercise-induced headaches involves taking measures to avoid the cause and perhaps taking an anti-inflammatory medication such as Indomethacin. Avoiding the cause doesn't mean giving up exercise. This is no excuse to turn into a couch potato. It simply means avoiding that maximum effort or the heaviest weights, or whatever is causing the problem, for enough time to get rid of the headaches, then gradually and cautiously building up to that level again.
A warning is in order, though, because of the danger of heart disease, a tumor in the back of the brain, or an aneurysm being the real cause of the headaches. Seek help if you have the following:
- a sudden, powerful pain during exercise, - a headache that just gets nothing but worse, - you're over 50 years old, - along with the headache you have numbness and tingling in your limbs, a weakness on one side of your body, and/or visual problems.
As with most of the topics I write about on this page, you should let common sense be your guide. However, don't let the fact that it's "just a headache" keep you from seeing your doctor and insisting he take your headaches seriously. It may be excessive exertion, but it may also be a warning symptom that you should pay attention to.
I forgot to mention there snatch have you had you blood pressure taken lately.When i was boxing last year i got regular headaches,i saw the doc and he gave me some propandolol to try .It worked supposed to help blood pressure probs when exercising.I was having a bad time ,it wasnt that often i needed them,now i dont take them at all,my blood pressure has always been normal,slightly low>I guess my diet back then was a bit miserable.See your doc to be sure
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