Exercise is sometimes funny; physical activity is recommended for almost everyone to reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic illness, but sometimes the exertion itself can cause unpleasant sensations. In addition to sore muscles, some people develop a variety of distressing symptoms, including headaches. Learning what specifically has cause your exercise-induced headache can help you treat and even prevent the problem more easily.
Causes
The root cause of some types of exercise headaches remains a mystery, though MayoClinic.com theorizes that the dilation of the blood vessels in your skull during physical exertion could cause pain in some people. Isometric exercises, those in which you push against gravity, is a common cause of exercise-induced headaches. The straining of your body associated with wrestling and weightlifting can cause a throbbing headache that calms down somewhat after you have stopped the activity. A lingering ache can last for longer periods of time.
Exercise itself may not be the cause of other types of headaches you experience when working out, but related factors come into play to cause the pain. Low blood sugar and dehydration are two conditions you are likely to experience if you do not eat before running, for example, or if you fail to keep hydrated during your workout. A drop in blood sugar levels and dehydration can both leave you feeling weak, tired and headachey.
Types
Exercise-induced headaches are divided into two main categories called primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches is a "normal" sort of pain; throbbing pain is equally distributed on both sides of your head and occurs either while you are exercising or directly after your workout. If you have a history of migraines during exercise, your headaches are included in the primary group.
Secondary headaches are more dangerous and can indicate serious medical conditions like bleeding in the brain. Secondary headaches may feel the same as primary exercise-induced headaches but often come on suddenly; blurred or double vision and vomiting may also accompany a secondary headache.
Treatment
Primary exercise headaches that are predictable -- you know you are going to get one when you participate in a certain activity -- are treated before the fact with anti-inflammatory medications. If you only develop a headache during certain sports, like running or swimming, treatment can include altering your routine to determine if your headaches continue.
Secondary headaches can be unpredictable and should be treated immediately by a medical care provider. Alert your doctor or head to the emergency room when severe headache and nausea occur together during exercise, particularly when the onset is very sudden.
Prevention
In addition to taking medications preventatively, stabilize your blood sugar levels before exercising to avoid developing a headache. Eating a small, carbohydrate-laden snack elevates your glucose levels to give you energy long enough to exercise without experiencing a sugar crash and accompanying headache. Drink water before, during and after a workout to prevent dehydration.
