When you enjoy the benefits of weightlifting --- such as a toned, strong body and better weight control --- it's tough to let anything throw your workouts off track. But that's exactly what can happen if you're dreading your next fitness session because you're prone to exercise-induced headaches. These headaches begin shortly after you begin lifting weights and can last a few seconds or several hours or days.
Types of Exercise-induced Headaches
Exercise-induced headaches are among three types of exertional headaches; the other two are brought on by coughs or sex. Exercise-induced headaches may be either primary or secondary. Primary exercise headaches are brought on purely by exercise and are not related to an underlying health problem. It's possible that the exertion from physical activity dilates blood vessels inside the skull, which leads to these headaches, notes MayoClinic.com. A secondary exercise headache may be related to a medical condition such as high blood pressure, spinal defect, bleeding or a tumor in your brain, or coronary artery disease.
Risk Factors
Men are four times more likely to suffer from exertional headaches than women, according to Roger Cady, associate director of the Headache Care Center in Springfield, Missouri, in an interview with Clinical Neurology News. The mean age of onset of these headaches is 55, with people older than 40 being twice as likely to suffer from them as younger exercisers. However, primary exertional headaches are more common in people under 24. In addition to weightlifting, types of activity that make you more susceptible to these headaches include running, tennis, scuba diving, boxing, football and soccer. Dehydration, low blood sugar, a family history and exercising in hot weather or at high altitudes are also likely triggers.
Symptoms
When an exercise-induced headache strikes, you may develop throbbing pain on one or both sides of your head. The latter is more common and is referred to as bilateral pain. The pain will likely have a severe pounding quality and can develop anywhere in your head. If you suffer from secondary exercise headaches, you may have additional symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, double vision, stiffness in your neck or even loss of consciousness. A primary headache lasts between five and 48 minutes, while the secondary type can last several days.
Prevention
When you experience an exercise-related headache for the first time, consult your doctor. If an underlying medical problem is ruled out, you may find these tips alleviate your symptoms: Drink about two glasses of water and have a snack of complex carbohydrates and protein at least 30 minutes before exercising. Take an anti-inflammatory before your weightlifting sessions, advises Harvard Medical School. Don't try to lift weights that are too heavy and reduce the number of repetitions you do. Experiment with the time you take between sets and remember to exhale when you're contracting a muscle and inhale when you relax. Don't hold your breath.
References
- Clinical Neurology News: Exertional Headache: Uncommon, Usually Benign, But Worrisome; Maury Breecher
- The Health Report; Exercise Headaches; Aug. 18, 1997
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise Headaches; Mayo Clinic Staff; Feb. 20, 2010
- Harvard Health Publications: Headache: When To Worry, What To Do
- Go Ask Alice!; Nausea from Weightlifting; Dec. 22, 2009
- NetWellness; Overheating and Headaches During Exercise; University of Cincinnati; Carolyn Nickol; Feb. 8, 2005
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