Headaches while exercising can be alarming, especially when you've never experienced headaches in the past. Some of these headaches are harmless and preventable; however, the headache may also signify a serious medical condition that needs immediate treatment. If you continue to feel head pain during exercising, consult with your physician.
Causes
An exercise headache has primary and secondary causes. The cause of primary exercise headaches is unknown, but it's possible that the dilating of blood vessels inside the skull causes the pain. A secondary cause of headaches while exercising can be from a brain tumor or injury. If working out is new to you, you may temporarily experience headaches until you build an exercise routine. People who recently began an exercise regimen or more likely to experience exercise headaches.
Identification
A primary exercise headache can be identified by throbbing on both sides of the head that last five minutes to 48 hours and are more common in men in their 20s. Both sexes are equally affected by secondary exercise headaches and most occur in patients over the age of 40. If you experience headaches while exercising because of a brain tumor or injury, you may feel intense sharp pains although you never experienced headaches before. A brain tumor is possible if during the headache you also become confused, develop blurred vision, have difficulties communicating or become uncoordinated.
Prevention
Keep yourself well hydrated during exercising and eat a light snack about a half hour before you begin exercising to see if this helps with your headaches. If you have primary exercise headaches, stretching and doing light aerobics prior to your main workout can help prevent headaches. Avoid exercising in hot temperatures and at high altitudes. If you are prone to primary exercise headaches, these can typically be prevented with anti-inflammatory drugs or blood pressure medication. Treating the underlying cause of your secondary exercise headache is the only way to experience relief.
Considerations
If a brain tumor or head trauma is left untreated, the results can be life threatening. Be prepared to discuss your symptoms and family history in regards to migraines, tumors and cardiovascular problems. There are several tests that may be conducted to find the reason you're experiencing these new exercise headaches, such as magnetic resonance imaging-- an MRI -- or computerized tomography -- a CAT scan. In some cases a spinal tap may be necessary for diagnosis.
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