Should You Exercise With a Migraine?

There are a whole bunch of great things that happen during a stellar workout: your mood increases, for one. Your sweat-stained tee is a badge of honor of sorts. And if you do it time and time again, results are a pretty great by-product, too. But the last thing you want to deal with during an intense session? A migraine.

Commonly compared to a headache, migraines are severe, throbbing head pain on one or both sides of the head. Often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme light sensitivity, it’s not exactly a fitness fiend’s best friend.

If you’re prone to migraines and like exercise, you could be in an interesting predicament, says Lawrence Newman, MD, director of headache and professor of neurology at NYU Langone Health.

“Exercise is kind of a double-edged sword,” says Newman. “Generally speaking, we want patients with migraines to do things to calm their brain down. And to do that, you have to establish regularity. Regular meal times, regular sleep, and of course—regular exercise.”

Although the meat and potatoes of what your exercise routine entails may vary from your friends’, doctors typically suggest frequent migraine sufferers get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three days a week. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity every week with two days of muscle-strengthening). Science shows that a regular aerobic exercise routine can both reduce frequency and intensity of migraines over time.

“I say double-edged, though, because exercise has been shown to reduce and sometimes bring on headaches,” Newman continues. “It’s certainly a case-by-case basis sort of thing.”

Thinking of powering through your next workout, migraine in tow? Here’s what you need to know:

Everyone is different

Like Newman says, for some, exercise can actually precipitate an attack. You may feel fine walking into the gym and then the rush of blood and endorphins brings on new feelings throughout your body (and subsequently, your head). Listen to your body. If your vision is blurry or you’re feeling nauseous, those are important indicators that you need to take a step away from the squat rack.

Hydration is important

Being properly hydrated is essential for working out, and not just because your body is losing water in the process. If you’re dehydrated, your sweat rate dramatically decreases, which means that your body’s ability to thermoregulate also decreases significantly.

Overheating can definitely trigger migraines, so be extra cautious about your fluid intake on a regular basis. The CDC suggests suggests men drink an average of approximately 3.7 liters (125 ounces) daily, and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that you drink about 500 ml of fluid—which is roughly 17 ounces—two hours before exercise.

Eat something

“Eating an hour and a half before your workout is ideal,” says Newman. “People that go into a workout fasting with low blood sugar, they’re more likely to develop an intense headache. ”

Remember: We’re not talking a huge dinner, here. Think something light that’s going to give your body the fuel it needs to get through the effort (such as half of a bagel with peanut butter, two hard boiled eggs and a piece of toast, or yogurt with granola), and not weigh you down mid-treadmill stride.

Find relief at the drugstore

There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Newman suggests taking Aleve or another anti-inflammatory medication about an hour before exercise to prevent and stave off migraines.

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Exercise and Migraines: What You Should Know if You Get Headaches After Working Out | Cove

Anyone who has googled, “How to stop migraines from happening” has probably read that exercise is good for migraine prevention.

It makes sense: Research shows that exercise is a great way to reduce stress hormones and stimulate endorphin production. Unfortunately, it can also be a migraine trigger—meaning the same movement meant to make you feel better can actually induce head pain.

The idea of doing anything that potentially increases the risk of headaches is unnerving for migraine sufferers, to say the least. But throwing in the towel on fitness all together isn’t the solution. Heart-pumping physical activity is essential for good health, and the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week (or a combination of the two).

To help you better understand the relationship between migraines and exercise, and how to avoid headaches after workouts without compromising your well-being, we talked to Dr. Philip Bain, Cove advisor and migraine expert, to answer some of your most pressing questions.

Unfortunately, yes. While there’s a lot of research suggesting a fitness routine can help mitigate migraines (one migraine study even found that regular exercise is just as effective in reducing the rate of migraines as medication!), some people do get headaches during or after strenuous exercise. According to Dr. Bain, some of the most common triggers include high-intensity activities such as rowing, running, playing tennis, swimming, and weight-lifting.

Well, it depends. There are two main types of headaches that are triggered during or after exercise, Dr. Bain explains. The first, primary exertional headaches (also called benign exertional headaches), have no obvious cause, though doctors believe physical activity can dilate blood vessels in the brain, translating to pain.

Another possibility is that elevated blood pressure due to strenuous exercise can cause a headache or migraine. While exact reasoning behind primary exercise headaches is unclear, the good news is that these headaches, though painful, are relatively harmless.

As Dr. Bain mentioned earlier, more strenuous and high-intensity activities like rowing, running, playing tennis, swimming and weight lifting are prone to triggering headaches. However, a recent study found that high-intensity interval training, or HITT, is effective in reducing migraines in addition to moderate continuous exercise.

“My sense is that low to moderate intensity workouts do not precipitate headaches as much as high-intensity workouts, though the study seems to contradict this,” Dr. Bain says.

One reason behind Dr. Bain’s prediction include the fact that HIIT is associated with more significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate—two factors may contribute to head pain. Despite ambiguity on the matter, as with all triggers, the exercise that incites a migraine in one person may not trigger any pain in another. Therefore, it’s best to determine what fitness regime works best for you, personally.

Certain triggers can increase your risk of migraines, so it pays to be aware of them. Working out in extreme conditions—like very hot weather or at high altitudes—can increase your likelihood of getting a migraine, while dehydration and bad fueling are also risk factors.

Some experts believe those who already suffer from migraine headaches or have a close family member with a history of migraines are also at a higher risk for exercise-related headaches.

If you’ve been experiencing headaches after or during moderate or strenuous exercise, taking a medication like naproxen or indomethacin (both NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) before working up a sweat could help keep pain at bay. However, Dr. Bain recommends only going this route after the possibility of secondary exertion headaches has been ruled out.

A category of medication called beta blockers can also help reduce your chances of experiencing a primary exertion headache. Additionally, if planning activity at altitude (such as hiking), Dr. Bain recommends asking your doctor to prescribe a diuretic (a water pill) that can lower your chances of getting a headache.

Surprisingly, no. If you don’t already have a headache, music should have no effect on triggering a migraine.

While primary exertion headaches are frustrating, they’re totally normal and nothing to seriously worry about. A second type of headache associated with physical activity called a secondary exertional headache, however, is a more serious issue, Dr. Bain warns.

Secondary exertion headaches are typically indicative of a larger problem, like meningitis or a brain tumor, Dr. Bain explains. For example, exercise increases your blood pressure and heart rate, making a blood vessel rupture more likely if you’re already in a compromised health condition. In rare cases, exercise-related headaches can also be an unusual sign of heart artery blockages. While rare, these headaches require immediate medical attention.

It can be tricky to differentiate between a primary exertion headache that is essentially innocuous and a secondary exertion headache that can be potentially life-threatening, so Dr. Bain broke down the symptoms of each.

Primary exercise headaches often have a throbbing sensation, are felt on both sides of the head, occur during or after strenuous exercise, and generally, last anywhere from five minutes to 48 hours.

Secondary exercise headaches can mimic symptoms of primary exercise-related headaches, but often include more drastic symptoms like nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness, double vision, and severe neck stiffness. They can also last multiple days—tipping you off that something might be seriously wrong.

If you suspect you have a secondary exertion headache, Dr. Bain recommends seeking medical attention ASAP.

Unfortunately, some pain is inevitable for those who experience exercise-related headaches. However, it’s important to recognize when your condition may pose a serious threat to your health, and when to call a doctor.

If your headaches are new or different than usual, or if they last longer than an hour or two, Dr. Bain recommends talking to a doctor, especially if you’re over 40 years old. More immediate medical attention is required in the case of symptoms like nausea and/or vomiting, and unusual neurological symptoms like double vision, a droopy face, slurred speech, or weakness of an arm or a leg.

“If your headache comes on suddenly, like a clap of thunder, you should go to the emergency room quickly,” Dr. Bain says. “If you have a seizure around the time of your headache, you should seek evaluation as soon as possible.”

Due to the overlap between both primary and secondary exercise headaches, it’s never a bad idea to seek professional advice, Dr. Bain says.

Your doctor can facilitate a scan of your brain tissue via computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or administer another test called a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) that specifically looks at your blood vessels to see if your arteries have torn.

It’s impossible to completely avoid all types of fitness that spark migraine pain, as there’s no real way to predict which exercise routines will negatively affect you. Yet there are precautionary measures you can take to enhance your well-being through exercise without the threat of a headache.

“Staying well hydrated, making sure that you have eaten before exercising—especially food that has a lot of protein in it—and taking it easy the first few days that you are at a higher altitude can lessen the chance that you will get a headache,” Dr. Bain says. “Also, warming up and easing into your exercise routine can help.”

The American Migraine Foundation recommends walking for five minutes at a leisurely pace before jogging or running, stretching, and gently lifting lighter weights before doing more intense resistance training.

Individuals can take other preventive measures, like taking their workout indoors during extreme conditions like hot weather, and properly eating and hydrating post workout.

If you notice headaches consistently with one type of exercise, Dr. Bain recommends switching to another type of workout. For example, if you’ve been exerting bursts of energy with a strenuous exercise regime, it might be time to try a low-impact workout, like swimming or yoga, or aerobic exercise like running or cycling.

As you know, exercise boasts countless benefits that are essential to our well-being. Physical activity releases the body’s natural feel-good hormones (endorphins), minimizes the frequency and intensity of pain, reduces stress, and in many cases, improves sleep. (We don’t have to tell you twice that lowering your stress levels and getting more sleep also reduces migraine frequency.)

It’s possible that one or two specific types of exercise are precipitating your headaches. So if you do experience exertion headaches, Dr. Bain encourages individuals to use trial-and-error—and the guidance of a medical professional!—to find the workout that works for you.

The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon the content provided in this article for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.

Naproxen is an oral medications used to ease pain, swelling, and fever. This drug may raise the chance of heart and blood vessel side effects like heart attack and stroke. If these happen, they can be deadly. The risk of these side effects may be greater if you have heart disease or risks for heart disease. However, the risk may also be raised in people who do not have heart disease or risks for heart disease. The risk of these health problems can happen as soon as the first weeks of using this drug and may be greater with higher doses or with long-term use. This drug may raise the chance of very bad and sometimes deadly stomach or bowel side effects like ulcers or bleeding. The risk is greater in older people. The risk is also greater in people who have had stomach or bowel ulcers or bleeding before. These problems may occur without warning signs. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking this drug, call your doctor right away. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby. You can read more about naproxen’s side effects, warnings, and precautions here. Full prescribing information for naproxen is available here. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit MedWatch: https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Should I Work Out If I Have a Migraine?

If you’ve experienced a migraine, you know it can be downright debilitating. But you might be wondering if it’s a good idea to hit the gym or turn on your favorite YouTube workout video when your symptoms strike. After all, no pain, no gain, right? Wrong. Two experts warn against exercising during a migraine, but they agree that exercise can help prevent migraines in the long run.

What Is a Migraine?

Migraines typically occur on one side of the head and are more severe than a tension headache, said Sara Crystal, MD, neurologist, and headache specialist at the NY Headache Center and Cove medical adviser. She told POPSUGAR that migraines tend to last longer, often can’t be treated by over-the-counter medication, and usually require a personalized treatment plan. Migraines are accompanied by specific symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and light and sound sensitivity. You can also get a migraine with aura, meaning that you experience neurological symptoms like bright spots or stripes of light, loss of vision, and even slurred speech. Pinpointing the exact cause of migraines is difficult, but some triggers include stress, hormones, and certain foods — and many of these triggers differ from person to person.

Here’s a stat for you: three times as many adult women as men suffer from migraines. Why? Dr. Crystal said that hormonal changes play a significant role. “Migraine incidence rises at the onset of menstruation. Menstrual migraine is very common and occurs when estrogen levels drop,” she explained. It’s unknown exactly how estrogen affects migraine, “but we do know that estrogen influences not only the susceptibility to migraine, but also the processing and perception of pain.”

Exercise Can Prevent Migraines

“One of the best ways to prevent migraines is to manage stress in your life,” Dr. Crystal said, noting it’s well-documented that increasing aerobic exercise can help prevent migraines, predictably because it’s helpful with stress relief. “With exercise, it can be a ripple effect. Besides releasing endorphins, which reduce pain, exercise can help reduce stress and improve sleep, which in turn can help reduce headache frequency.”

Elizabeth Barchi, MD, clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Health and expert in sports medicine, agreed. She said that working out regularly can potentially help with chronic daily headaches too, not just migraines, though exercise can cause headaches due to intense exertion and increased blood pressure. It’s generally a good idea to start with light cardio, she advised, and build your heart rate from there. But “getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and regular exercise can help reduce chronic headaches if you’re someone who’s susceptible to them,” she noted. “Especially tension headaches.”

Should I Work Out If I Have a Migraine?

No. “As a general rule of thumb, don’t exercise if you’re in the middle of a migraine, as it can make the pain worse,” Dr. Crystal said. “However, when you are symptom-free, exercise can be effective at preventing future migraines.” Dr. Barchi stressed the importance of rest if you’re going through a migraine. Don’t head to the gym; instead, try to treat it, she said. Avoid excessive physical activity that could exacerbate the pain.

Other Preventative Measures and Treatment For Migraines

Prevention and treatment look different for everyone, but if over-the-counter pain medication doesn’t work for you, Dr. Crystal said that some of the common preventive tactics include blood-pressure-lowering medications like beta blockers, anti-seizure medications such as gabapentin and topiramate, and antidepressants. In terms of treatment, Botox is effective for patients with chronic migraine, she said. “It is a series of injections to the forehead, temples, back of the head and shoulders, given in the office. Insurance companies typically require that patients fail at least two of the standard oral preventive medications mentioned above before paying for the treatment.” The FDA also approved a first-of-its-kind monthly injection in May 2018, which works to block calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a molecule involved in migraine attacks.

At the first sign of a migraine, Dr. Crystal recommends taking medication like a triptan, if prescribed to you, and to use an anti-nausea medication if needed. Anti-inflammatories can be used in conjunction with triptans, she said. Of course, consult your doctor for the best treatment plan for you, and tend to your symptoms before trying to get your workout on. The treadmill and Class FitSugar can wait until tomorrow.

Can Exercise Make a Headache Go Away?

Working out with a headache can put a damper on your day.

Image Credit: piranka/E+/GettyImages

Headaches can be painful, throbbing experiences that derail your to-do list and make you feel irritable. And if you’re super conscious about what you put in your body, you might wonder whether working out with a headache can provide an alternative to popping some pain medication.

The answer depends on the kind of headache.

Tip

In some cases, gentle exercise can help loosen your muscles and alleviate a mild headache. But if your headache persists, grows more severe or if you’re prone to migraines, it’s best to take a break from the gym and rest up.

Read more: How to Ease Muscle Soreness After a Workout

How Exercise Affects Headaches

Headaches can either feel like either a sharp pain, dull ache or throbbing across specific regions of the head or in an isolated area, and they’re categorized into several different types, including cluster headaches, migraines or tension headaches, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Some people can also experience chronic daily headaches, cough headaches or exercise headaches. They’re largely individual and can be caused by numerous factors like alcohol, stress, lack of sleep or skipped meals. Exercise can also trigger a headache in some individuals, according to Peter Abaci, MD, who specializes in pain treatment.

“Physical exertion from aerobic activity or even weight-lifting can precipitate a throbbing type headache, in some cases, that typically calms down after several minutes or a few hours,” Dr. Abaci says. “If the headache persists for much longer than that, then consulting with your physician as a next step is recommended.”

Generally, though, it’s safe to exercise with a mild headache, Dr. Abaci says. In some cases, exercise can even help alleviate headache symptoms by loosening the tension in your muscles and reducing the pain or eliminating the ache completely.

Read more: How to Relieve a Headache in 10 Minutes

Exercise and Migraines

If you’re prone to migraines, though, you’ll want to avoid exercising with a headache, Dr. Abaci says. Migraines are generally longer lasting (4 to 72 hours) and extremely painful, accompanied by symptoms like nausea, light sensitivity or increased thirst, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Especially for migraine-prone people that don’t hit the gym regularly, exercise is a common migraine trigger, according to a September 2018 study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain. Exercising with a migraine can also be potentially dangerous, as these headaches typically cause sensitivity or fatigue, placing you at higher risk of injury.

If your headache worsens with exercise, dial down the intensity or take a rest day all together. However, if your headache comes on during your work out, take a break and perform some slow, deep-breathing exercises (see below), Dr. Abaci says. Drink plenty of water and, if necessary, take an over-the-counter pain medicine to help reduce the symptoms.

The Best Way to Exercise With a Headache

However, if what you’re experiencing is a mild headache and you still want to hit the gym, consider taking some preventative measures beforehand. Give yourself an extended warm-up to help prevent a surge of blood flow toward certain regions of your head and neck, says Dr. Abaci.

Loosening up your neck and shoulder muscles with gentle, dynamic stretches can also help decrease the chances of your muscles getting overly-tensed. (Think: shoulder rolls and gentle side-to-side neck stretches.)

Make sure you’re well hydrated before your sweat session and limit alcohol intake, especially the night before. Dehydration, which is generally worsened by alcohol, can contribute to exertion-induced headaches, so if you’ve had anything to drink the night before, take it easy in the gym.

Read more: Can You Work Out Hungover? (Asking for a Friend)

Breathing Exercises for Headaches

While it’s not a guarantee, deep breathing exercises can help manage or alleviate headache pain, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF). If you feel a headache coming on, the foundation recommends trying this simple deep breathing exercise:

1. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your abdomen, right under your ribs.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose and pull your breath down toward your stomach, pushing your abdomen out, filling your lungs completely.
3. Exhale slowly, pulling your stomach in toward your spine and actively think about relaxing.

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercises can also help alleviate headache symptoms, according to the AMF. PMR involves actively tensing and then relaxing different muscles across the body. Over time, practicing PMR can help you identify and release tense muscles that may contribute to headache.

Even just visualizing relaxing scenes can help manage pain, according to the AMF. Testing and practicing these various relaxation methods can help you find the best techniques for you, which you can then use whenever headache strikes.

What Causes Headaches During Exercise?

Self magazine recently interviewed Ilan Danan, MD, sports neurologist and pain management specialist at the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, about exercise-induced headaches.

“These kinds of headaches are common, to the point where most athletes get them at some stage, even if they’re only for a few minutes,” said Danan.

In fact, as Self reports, a study published in Cephalalgia: An International Journal of Headache of about 1,800 people from Norway found that approximately 12% of participants had experienced an exercise headache at least once in their life. Exercise headaches typically mean pulsating pain that occurs on both sides of your head and can last anywhere from five minutes to 48 hours, according to a review of headache types published in the journal Current Pain and Headache Reports.

But when it comes to understanding why exercise may induce these headaches, Danan suggests there are plenty of unknowns.

“To be honest, we don’t have a good answer for exactly why they’re happening, but there are some solid theories based on the physiological responses you’re experiencing as a result of exercise,” Danan told Self.  

He asks people to think about it this way: when exercising, your heart rate increases and oxygen demands increase on your muscles and brain, which causes blood vessels to dilate for the increased circulation.

“That sudden shift might increase pressure in the blood vessels in your brain,” said Danan. “And a short-term headache can result while it does.”

To combat this, Danan suggests focusing on your breathing technique while exercising, especially during strength training.

“People have a tendency to unconsciously hold their breath during effort, like when you’re doing core work, for example,” said Danan. “This can increase your intracranial pressure, and the body’s response is a headache. It’s that tightness that causes a dull ache.”

Click here to read the complete story from Self.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Exercise During Pregnancy: What’s Safe?

Exercise Tips for Migraines and Headaches

Do Yoga, Walk, or Swim to Ease Migraine and Headache Symptoms

Although exercise can trigger migraines and/or headaches in some people, a regular exercise routine can actually help reduce the overall number of migraines and/or headaches you experience, as well as the frequency of your symptoms.

As part of a comprehensive treatment plan for migraines and headaches, exercise can help you manage migraines and headaches safely and effectively. But what exercises are most beneficial for dealing with migraines and headaches? This article highlights the benefits of exercise as well as exercise tips for managing migraines and headaches.

More In-depth Migraine and Headache Treatment Articles

How Often Should You Exercise with Migraines and/or Headaches?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (eg, walking) and 2 or more days a week of muscle-strengthening exercises (eg, light weight lifting) each week.¹ But it’s important to work in flexibility exercises, such as yoga, into your routine, too.

While the CDC’s exercise recommendation is good goal to set, you should listen to your body. If you can’t exercise for 150 minutes every week, that’s okay: You know your body best.

And because sometimes exercise can actually trigger a migraine or headache, look out for the warning signs of migraines and headaches when you’re working out. If you start to feel a migraine or headache come on, stop exercising.

As always, talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program, and if you experience new pain or more intense migraines and/or headaches during or after exercise, call your doctor right away.

Exercise Benefits for Migraines and Headaches
Below are some of the benefits of exercise for migraines and headaches. Exercise can:

• boost your mood and feeling of well—being
• decrease your sensitivity to pain because exercise releases endorphins-the
• feel-food hormones
• made in the brain
• promote a healthy sleep pattern (helps you fall asleep and stay asleep), which also lowers stress levels
• reduce the severity of migraine and headache symptoms as well as the frequency of attacks

Exercises to Do for Migraines and Headaches
Here are some exercise ideas that can help you manage migraines and headaches.

• Biking, swimming, and walking are great ways to fit in aerobic exercise and help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and headaches.
• Meditation exercises, deep breathing, and other relaxation techniques can ease your mind-and your pain-by helping you focus on the present moment as well as helping you foster a positive attitude.
• Yoga poses and other types of stretching can help reduce muscle tightness and tension in the head, neck, and shoulders. This is important because when these muscles are tight, and it can make migraine and headache symptoms worse. Yoga helps loosens these muscles as well as helps you reduce stress.

Exercise Tips for Migraines and Headaches
To help manage migraines and headaches, you can also integrate the tips below into your overall exercise plan.

Have a healthy posture: Poor posture can put extra stress on head, neck, and shoulder muscles, which can lead to a migraine or tension headache. Maintaining a healthy posture—including when you work out—can reduce the frequency of migraines and headaches. Your shoulders should be back, ears should be in line with your shoulders, and the top of your head (called the “crown”) should be pointing toward the ceiling.

Limit high-impact exercise: When you have migraines and/or headaches, intense exercise, such as running, can aggravate head pain and other symptoms.

Make a date with yourself: Be sure to pencil in your workout sessions so you don’t forget. Doing this helps you stay committed and focused on your exercise goals.

Warm-up and cool down: Warm-up exercises prepare your body for physical activity, while stretching after exercise signals your body to cool down. For every workout, aim to warm-up for 10 minutes and cool down for 10 minutes.

Researchers know that regular exercise can reduce your need for migraine and headache medications, but they’re still exploring the full benefits of exercise for migraines and headaches. ^2,3

Because exercise is such an important part of living a full, healthy life with migraines and/or headaches, talk to your doctor about beginning an exercise plan that can help you manage migraine- and headache related- pain.

Updated on: 11/19/15

Headache After Workout: 5 Causes & Treatments

“People have a tendency to unconsciously hold their breath during effort, like when you’re doing core work, for example,” he says. “This can increase your intracranial pressure, and the body’s response is a headache.” It’s that tightness that causes a dull ache.

How to prevent and treat it: Pay attention to your breath during any exercise—specifically, make sure you are not holding it throughout the move, says Dr. Danan. The standard recommendation during strength training is to “exhale on the effort,” which means exhale during the strenuous part and inhale on the easy phase.

3. Improper form can cause a workout headache.

There are also a few ways that people commonly tense their muscles or hold positions that could contribute to exercise-induced headaches, he adds. For example, cranking your neck up when you deadlift (say, to look in the mirror) or rounding your shoulders when you row can cause your neck, traps, and muscles around your shoulders to tense up, which can trigger a headache, Dr. Danan explains. “A headache might be coming from being out of alignment in some way.”

How to prevent and treat it: If your headache came on while or after you were trying out a new exercise for the first time—say, something that popped up on your Instagram feed—your form may be a little off, messing with your body alignment, tensing up your muscles, and bringing on the pain.

You may want to take a quick video or use a mirror to see whether you’re doing it right—or best of all, ask a trainer to double-check your form, Dr. Danan suggests (or take a look at legit sources like SELF to check out how the moves should be done safely. )

“Go slower and get your form down; make sure your technique is there,” says Dr. Danan.

4. Dehydration can trigger a workout headache.

It’s not always what you’re doing during your workout that can lead to an exercise headache. Factors before you begin to work out can play a role, too.

The biggest culprit is often dehydration, New York–based family practice physician and personal trainer Michele Reed, D.O., C.P.T., tells SELF. Some people may start to drink water once they begin exercising, but that means they could be kicking off a workout session already slightly dehydrated. Fun fact: When your brain gets dehydrated, it can actually swell a bit, and exertion can make it worse.

Fatigue is another headache trigger, and it can often pair with dehydration, especially after late nights out that involve more alcohol and less sleep than you’re used to, Dr. Reed says.

How to prevent and treat it: Pinpointing the cause of an exercise headache—especially when considering factors not involving your workout—takes time, but putting together data can help speed up the process, says Dr. Reed. She suggests keeping a small notebook handy and jotting down all the information about your workout, including nonexercise factors (think: how much sleep you got, what and how much you ate or drank before exercise, what kind of pain you felt with the headache, and when it came on). That way, Dr. Reed advises, you can start to track the variables.

Notice pain comes on when you skimp on fluid beforehand? Be sure not to ignore your thirst—thirst is a simple rule to hydrate enough. The American College of Sports Medicine also recommends consuming 16 to 20 ounces of fluid at least four hours before exercise, and to drink when you’re thirsty during your workout.

If your dehydration is due to a hangover and coupled with lack of sleep, you’re better off taking a rest day, says Dr. Reed. “In that case, you’re better off not exercising at all that day. Just drink a ton of water and take a nap instead,” she says.

5. Stress can cause a headache during or after your workout.

If you are well hydrated and caught up on sleep, a headache brought on by your workout might be due to stress, Dr. Reed says. Being stressed means that you have higher cortisol levels, according to the Mayo Clinic, and since exercise can drive it up even more, that can increase your chances of getting a headache when you work out.

90,000 9 causes of headaches during exercise.

Physicians have found that 85% of people suffer from headaches in everyday life, and 15% of them feel similar discomfort when playing sports. Therefore, we propose to analyze all the causes of headache in order to get rid of it once and for all.


“Headache during sport activities: how to stop it?”
Now Summary in English is inside! Enjoy BroccoliVibes around the world!

Running has become an incredibly popular sport in recent years.We all want to be healthy and feel great, full of strength and positive emotions, as well as run races, reach new heights and enjoy our success. However, sometimes on the way to the cherished goal we are in for a completely unpleasant surprise in the form of a headache. It can be so strong that it can knock us out of the way and cloud our running euphoria. What to do? Stop, get off or continue the fight for the medal, overcoming the pain?

We remind you that we are not doctors, and this is only personal experience, but we hope it will be useful to you!

First: Don’t panic!

Second: Remember that a headache is a sign that something is wrong with your body.And in no case should this be neglected!

The fact is that a headache can occur both after long runs and after a short workout, both during and after sports. It is worst when it manifests itself during competition. The headache may not go away for several hours or even days. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.

Let’s single out a few symptoms:

1. Painful sensations in the neck and occiput, cervical spasm, which can turn into acute pain.
2. Pulsating pain in the temporal lobe.
3. Feeling of pressure, squeezing.
4. Noise and pain in the ears
5. Dizziness

Now let’s look at the causes of the headache:

1. Muscle tension. The reason may be incorrect running technique, due to which a certain muscle group is overstrained more. Any physical activity is stress for the body. The muscles in the neck work as well as the muscles in the legs when running.And if you have osteochondrosis, then during and after training, most often there is pain in the neck, which can go to the head. With excessive exertion, muscle spasm may appear, as a result of which, you may feel pain in the back of the head.
2. Emotional and physical stress. If you are depressed or emotionally intense, lack of oxygen or high air temperatures contribute to dehydration, which can lead to a headache.
3. Overpressure. With any physical activity, blood pressure rises. The medical norm is 120/80, in reality, almost all of them have minor deviations. At the same time, it is generally accepted to consider an increase by no more than 25 mm Hg, provided that within a short period it returned to its normal values, at which you feel good. High blood pressure can cause pain in the back of the head.In this case, nosebleeds are also possible. And if you react to changing weather, then doubly worried! With surges in atmospheric pressure, headaches occur more often than usual. The norm is 760 mm Hg. Even with small deviations in one direction or the other, the state of the weather-dependent may worsen. And if there is a deviation from the norm by more than 8 mm Hg, a completely healthy person may have a headache.
4. Vascular changes . During exercise, blood flow increases, which makes your heart beat faster.The brain needs to be provided with the necessary amount of oxygen, but when running, salt deposits do not allow this to be done fully: the vessels begin to expand and press on the nerve endings. As a result, pressing or throbbing pain occurs. Darkening of the eyes, dizziness, ringing in the ears and the same “marathon wall” are also possible.
5. Sugar drop. Electrolyte imbalance. The main electrolytes in the human body are potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium. Imbalance and low blood glucose while running also trigger headaches.
6. Sinusitis , and other diseases associated with inflammation of the frontal sinuses and the appearance of purulent fluid. During jumping and tilting, pain in the forehead and nose, as well as dizziness, may occur. Unpleasant sensations can also be after training.
7. Ear disease. If you have ear problems, pain may appear in the back of the head, crown of the head and throat. Ears may also be blocked.
8. Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. With this disease, the arteries become inelastic, they are unable to expand and narrow. An increase or decrease in the force of blood flow causes a dull pain in the back of the head.
9. Vegetovascular dystonia. Disruption of the functioning of the autonomic and central nervous systems contributes to the onset of headache. If during training your head is below chest level, then there is a throbbing pain, dizzy, ringing in your ears.

Girls, just don’t panic! It is completely normal for a headache to occur one-time with heavy exertion or not often.This means that you are just overstrained and need to rest.

But there are signs that you should not ignore and consult a doctor:

1. The onset of signs of impaired consciousness, mental disorders
2. Rapid onset of pain (fractions of a second) of an intense nature
3. Onset of nausea and vomiting
4. Numbness of half of the face and trunk

To minimize the risk of headache during exercise, you must remember that you can not load your body with physical activity immediately after:

1. Stressful situations, strong emotional experiences
2. Eating.
3. Excessive fatigue
4. Alcohol hangover
5. Smoking
6. Prolonged stay in the cold. A sharp warming up leads to temperature changes in the body, as a result of which there is a deterioration in the well-being of the body as a whole.

Important to know !!!

In 90% of cases, if you have not been involved in sports for a long time, then at the first training sessions you may get a headache.

Now let’s look at what to do before training:

1. Warm up before jogging.It stimulates the heart rate and gives time to the vessels to prepare for further activity.
2. Drink more liquids! Before jogging (at least 200 ml) and after it, it is imperative to drink water to avoid dehydration. Water helps to saturate the cells of the body with oxygen. The amount of water depends on the intensity and duration of the workout.
3. It is important to breathe correctly! Improper breathing while running often causes headaches. If the brain does not receive enough oxygen, then blood pressure rises, and as a result, headaches develop.
4. Eat foods rich in potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium before or after running. This normalizes the electrolyte balance.
5. If your blood sugar is below normal, then before a long run (workout), be sure to eat something from carbohydrates. Forget about calories and take a chocolate bar with you!
6. Special exercises for this area, as well as acupressure, will help with muscle strain, neck spasms.
7. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken, eg ibuprofen, citramone, analgin.But do not forget to consult a specialist before use!

If the head hurts after training:

1. Remember if you forgot to hesitate after a run !!!
2. Relax and rest after your workout.
3. Take a warm sea salt bath.
4. Drink herbal teas, but not just tea!
5. Massage of the head and neck is very helpful.

Pay special attention that it is not recommended to drink coffee and tea neither before nor after training, and especially after the race.Leave it to your fan friends! Drink water, or better yet, brew the mint.

And if you led an inactive lifestyle, and then you were suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of races with friends, then you need to approach this issue more carefully! With an inactive lifestyle, the human body becomes a place of accumulation of toxins. During physical exertion, these substances begin to enter the bloodstream, which can lead to pain. According to statistics, overweight people are more likely to suffer from headaches.In this case, it is necessary to revise the training plan, starting from 20 minutes, slowly increasing the duration. It is best to seek the advice of your doctor and trainer. During training, it is worth giving up sudden movements and lifting weights, it is best to change strength classes to yoga, dancing, Pilates. But everything should be done strictly under the guidance of an instructor! It is also very important to monitor your condition during training and immediately apply measures for any changes. Moderate exercise is very important so that the muscles have time to adapt.Sour milk products, nuts, fruits must be present in the diet. And of course, don’t forget about water!

And finally, I will share with you a cool life-style: if a headache caught you at the most inopportune moment, then you can rub your whiskey with the usual “asterisk” that can be found in any pharmacy. Also, if you own the acupressure technique, you can help yourself at any time. For those who do not own this practice, a huge request not to learn this on the Internet, but to consult a specialist!

The main thing is your health.And in a healthy body, a healthy mind!

Shared her experience Anna Rasskazova

Instagram @ simplemente.an

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E n glish version
Headache during sport activities: how to stop it?

Physicians found out that 85% of people suffer from a headache in ordinary life, and 15% of them feel such discomfort doing sports. We propose to disassemble all the causes of headache in order to get rid of it once and for all.

This year running has become an incredibly popular sport. We all want to be healthy and feel fine, full of strength and positive emotions, and also run marathons. But sometimes on the way to a goal we are trapped by a headache. It can be so strong that it can knock us out of the race and spoil the racing euphoria. But what is to be done? Stop, go or continue fighting for a medal, overcoming the pain?

Firstly do not panic! But remember that a headache means that something is wrong with your body and in any case, this can not be neglected!

The fact is that a headache can occur, both after long runs, and after a short workout.Headache may last several hours or even days. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body.

Let us single out several symptoms:

• Painful sensations in the neck and occiput, cervical spasm, which can turn into acute pain.
• Pulsating pain in the temporal region.
• Feeling of pressure, squeezing.
• Noise and pain in the ears.
• Vertigo

Causes of the headache might be:

• Muscle tension because of incorrect running technique. Any physical load is a stress for the body. The muscles of the neck during running also work, as well as the muscles of the legs. And if you have osteochondrosis, during training and after, most often there is pain in the neck, which can go to the head.
• Emotional and physical overexertion. If you have depression or a strong emotional experience, a lack of oxygen or a high temperature of the air contributes to dehydration of the body, which causes a headache.
• Increased pressure. At any physical exertion, blood pressure rises. Normal arterial pressure is 120/80, but usually it varies. It is generally considered normal to increase by no more than 25 mm of mercury, provided that during a short period it returned to its normal parameters, under which you feel well. Increased blood pressure can cause pain in the occipital part of the head. Nasal bleeding is also possible. And if you are reacting to a change in the weather, then you should worry twice! At jumps of atmospheric pressure headaches occur more often than usual.The norm is 760 mm Hg. Even with small deviations in either direction, the state of the weather-dependent one can deteriorate. And if you deviate from the norm by more than 8 mm Hg, your head may also hurt a completely healthy person.
• Vascular changes. During the training, the blood flow increases, because of this your heart starts to beat harder. The brain needs to be provided with the necessary amount of oxygen, but when running salt deposits do not allow it to be fully realized: the vessels begin to expand and press on the nerve endings.As a result, there is a pressing or throbbing pain.
• The fall of sugar level. Imbalance of electrolytes. The main electrolytes in the human body are potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium. Breaking the balance and lowering blood glucose during running also provokes a headache.
• Sinusitis, and other diseases associated with inflammation of the frontal sinuses and the appearance of a purulent fluid. During jumps and inclines, there may be pain in the forehead and nose area, as well as dizziness.Unpleasant feelings can also be after training.
• Ear diseases. If you suffer from a disease of the ears, the pain may appear in the back of the neck, crown and throat. It is also possible to lay the ears.
• Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. With this disease, the arteries become inelastic, they can not expand and contract. Strengthening or weakening the strength of the blood flow causes dull pain in the occiput.
• Vegetosovascular dystonia. Violation of the functioning of the autonomic and central nervous systems contributes to the onset of headache. If during training your head is below the breast level, then there is a throbbing pain, your head may be spinning, ringing in your ears. Girls, just do not panic! This is perfectly normal if the headache occurs once during a heavy load or appears infrequently. This means that you just have to overstrain yourself and need to rest.

But there are signs that should not be ignored, but it is better to immediately consult a doctor:

• Appearance of signs of a disorder of consciousness, mental disorders
• Rapid occurrence of pain (fractions of a second) of intense nature
• Appearance of nausea and vomiting
• Numbness of half of face and trunk

To minimize the risk of developing a headache during training, you must remember that you can not load your body with physical exertion right after:

• Stressful situations, strong emotional experiences
• Food intake
• Excessive fatigue
• Alcoholic hangover
• Smoking
• Long stay in the cold.

Now let’s look at what you need to do before training:

• Before running, be sure to do warm-up. It stimulates the heart rate and allows the vessels to prepare for further activity.
• Drink water! Before jogging (not less than 200 ml) and after it to drink water it is necessary to avoid dehydration. Water contributes to the saturation of body cells with oxygen. The amount of water depends on the intensity and duration of the workout.
• It’s important to breathe properly! Improper breathing during running often provokes a headache. If the brain does not receive enough oxygen, the blood pressure rises, and as a result, there is a headache.
• Before running or after it, you need to eat foods rich in potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. This normalizes the balance of electrolytes.
• If your blood sugar level is below normal, then before a long run (training), you must eat something from carbohydrates.Forget about calories and bring a chocolate!
• With special muscular strains, neck spasms, special exercises for this zone will help, as well as acupressure.
• You can take painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, ibuprofen, tsitramon, analgin. But before using, do not forget to consult with a specialist!

If the head hurts after training:

• Remember if you did not forget to hesitate after jogging !!!
• After training, you need to relax and rest.
• Take a warm bath with sea salt.
• Have a drink of herbal tea
• The head and neck massage helps a lot.
• Pay special attention that neither before, nor after training, and especially after the race is not recommended to drink coffee and tea. Leave it to your friends-fans! Drink water, or even better brew peppermint.

For those who do not know this practice, a huge request is not to learn this on the Internet, but to consult with a specialist! The main thing is your health.And in a healthy body, a healthy spirit!

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90,000 Why does a headache after training, and how to avoid it

Author: ASHLEY MATEO

Exercise often causes painful sensations in different parts of your body, but your head should not be among them. What happens, why does a headache sometimes after training? And what to do to avoid this?

After running, you should feel the runner’s euphoria, not a throbbing in your head. However, post-workout headaches are not uncommon.

Physicians and physiologists are familiar with this phenomenon – headaches caused by (any) physical activity. They are more likely to occur after strenuous physical activity (which includes strenuous running) than after light activity.In principle, the head can hurt due to a variety of reasons: for example, due to the fact that you have been looking at the monitor for a long time or get sick, infections, inflammations, sick teeth, injuries, etc. Exercise-induced headaches are often different from normal ones: “They are throbbing rather than the usual acute headache,” explains Joanne Donoghue, physiologist and clinical research director at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. “This headache can be so uncomfortable that you have to stop the training session during which it occurred. In addition to the pain itself, there may be effects such as nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, stiffness in the neck. ”

Scientists cannot yet say for sure what causes headaches from exercise. One of the reasons may be changes in the blood supply to the head (and brain) during activity. “When we play sports, the heart rate increases, and blood is directed primarily to the working muscles, as they need a lot of oxygen. At the same time, the blood supply to other organs (less important from the point of view of physical activity) is weaker.And although there is a redistribution of blood flow between organs, in general, the blood pressure in the body rises, including intracranial pressure. However, scientists are not yet sure whether changes in pressure are the cause of headaches, and what its contribution to the problem in relation to other factors.

A clear contender for exercise headaches is dehydration. When dehydrated, your body loses more fluid than it receives (for example, you don’t drink much during an intense workout in warm weather). In this case, the total volume of blood circulating in the body decreases, and this reduces the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to the brain. The brain may even shrink slightly in size due to a decrease in fluid volume!

It is very important to have enough fluid in the body before starting a long training session or long competition – especially since we receive signals from the body about dehydration late: when you feel thirsty, you will already be dehydrated.Go to the toilet before exercising and look at the color of your urine: if it is dark yellow and not enough of it, this is an indicator of dehydration. But this does not mean that you urgently need to drink 8 glasses of water! The National Academy of Science (USA) recommends that women consume about 2.7 liters, and men – 3.7 liters of fluid per day from all sources (food and drink).

Hydration is highly related to the level of electrolytes in your body. Most runners are fairly familiar with the role of electrolytes – a lack of electrolytes is associated with headaches and poor health during and after running. The most common situation is sodium deficiency, or hyponatremia. Typically, it is associated with consuming too much clean water while exercising. This is a rather dangerous condition in which headaches, cerebral edema and even coma can occur. Fortunately, there are very easy ways to avoid electrolyte depletion during long or intense workouts. “If your activity lasts more than an hour, it is advisable to consume something containing electrolytes an hour before the start of the session, and then every 15-20 minutes during the workout,” advises Joanna Donoghue.”These can be drinks with electrolytes, gels, or salt tablets.”

Recommended reading: Drinking regime and water-salt balance

Low blood sugar can also be a source of headache. Glucose (blood sugar) is the body’s main source of energy. Sugar levels are linked to the activity of the hormone insulin, and “low insulin levels lead to a decrease in hormones such as dopamine, adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are produced by the adrenal glands and affect the behavior of the nervous system and brain,” explains Donoghue. In other words, the lower the blood sugar level, the less nourishment the brain gets.

A balanced snack 30 minutes before the start of the session will help to avoid a sharp drop in insulin, and the consumption of carbohydrates for several days before a long workout or competition promotes the accumulation of glycogen, which will provide you with energy during the race (but perhaps not for the entire race – this depends on its duration). Therefore, you should always have a meal plan for a race or long workout.There is now a large selection of energy gels, bars and drinks to take with you and consume while you run.

Recommended reading: Nutrition before, during and after training

Even the peculiarities of running technique can cause headaches. A non-optimal running technique often causes fatigue injuries due to overloading certain parts of the body for a long time. These overloads can be transmitted along the “motor chain” to other parts of the body and cause headaches, especially if you strain your neck and shoulders while running. Regular massage and rolling on a roller can help relax overextended areas.

And of course, external factors can cause headaches either by themselves or by exacerbating any of the above factors. In hot and / or humid weather, runners need to closely monitor their water and electrolyte intake. Adequate nutrition and hydration is what can ultimately determine whether you end up with a runner’s euphoria or walk away from it holding your head.

In the vast majority of cases, an exercise-related headache is absolutely harmless, and you should not be afraid of it – after a short rest, the head will stop hurting.However, if the headache continues after rest, or if it recurs again and again, although you have eliminated all the causes, it makes sense to see a doctor.

Original article

Translation – Olga Polyakova

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Read also:

Why do I feel bad after the race?

How to run and compete in hot weather

How caffeine affects athletes

Guidelines for nutrition before and during the marathon

Drinking regime and water-salt balance

Post-workout recovery nutrition

Meals before, during and after training

90,000 Five reasons to postpone training until tomorrow

Muscle pain, colds and lack of sleep – “Soviet Sport” figured out in what cases it is better not to play sports than to do it.

“Sometimes skipping a workout will be more beneficial for the body than going to it,” says Alexander Mudretsov, sports doctor. Especially for Sovsport.ru, the expert named five reasons why you can not go to the gym and reschedule your workout until tomorrow.

REASON 1. COLD, TEMPERATURE, COUGH, THROAT PAIN

What happens if you go to the gym: exercise, if you have a temperature and malaise, can lead to a deterioration in well-being and complications associated with colds.

This happens because the body does not have the strength to fight the disease – you spend the resources necessary for self-healing on training. The disease only feels better from this: nothing holds it back, it progresses.

What to do: Take a few days off from sports. Limit physical activity to enable the body to fight off the virus. After illness, enter the training process smoothly, reduce working weights, avoid “failure” work and in no case do not work to the maximum.

We swing the biceps. Five mistakes in training the main male muscle

REASON 2. LOSS

What happens if you go to the gym: a person for normal life and needs an average of about 8 hours of sleep per day. If you don’t get enough sleep, the thought of a serious workout should be postponed, says Alexander Mudretsov.

“What is lack of sleep? This is, first of all, the tired central nervous system. The simplest manifestations of this fatigue: decreased attention, concentration, concentration.As a result, exercise technique will become worse, and the risk of injury will greatly increase. ”

In addition, lack of sleep will negatively affect the condition of the muscles. The level of testosterone and growth hormone, which are involved in the recovery and growth of muscles, decreases. In return, the body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol – it participates in a catabolic process that destroys muscle tissue.

What to do: Take at least a day off from your workouts. Instead of going to the gym, go to bed early and sleep well.

REASON 3. MUSCLE PAIN

What will happen if you go to the gym: “Muscle pain from previous sessions is so-called. delayed muscle pain syndrome, – says Alexander Mudretsov. – Serious training leads to micro-tears in muscle tissue, which is good, because in the process of recovery, the athlete becomes stronger, faster and more muscular. But if you continue to train without waiting for the pain to pass, then this is a direct path to a traumatologist. ”

What to do: instead of training, go to a massage or a sauna – this will speed up recovery processes and relieve pain.

Train on the couch. How to turn a resting place into a hardcore gym

REASON 4. JOINTS AND Ligament aches

What happens if you go to the gym: pain in joints and ligaments is a common phenomenon in the world of strength training. The first recipe to avoid this: a warm-up that prepares the body for resistance work. But even she does not always save, especially if you work with large weights in an intensive mode. Continuing to exercise when the pain is so intense is to exacerbate the damage – sooner or later it may cause you to give up sports altogether.

What to do: understand the cause of the pain with a specialist. Take a recovery course. Be sure to warm up before training. Exercise using joint pads and elastic bandages.

REASON 5. OVERTRAINED

What will happen if you go to the gym: feeling tired, poor sleep, lack of appetite – all these are indicators that you have overtrained b. You went to the gym too often and did too much there.

Continuing training without paying attention to these symptoms will result in loss of health.Problems of a mental nature (depression and neurosis) will begin, the internal organs (heart, liver, kidneys) will work hard, headaches may increase in pressure.

What to do: Take rest until the condition returns to normal. Strength training specialists advise you to go back to the gym when you really want it – you will, as they say, rush into battle to experience the load. This attitude will mean that you have completely recovered.

Headache: description of the disease, causes, symptoms, cost of treatment in Moscow

A common nonspecific symptom, which has many types and indicates a variety of diseases, is headache.In most cases, a person experiencing a headache prefers to numb it with medication. But the presence of painful sensations in the head, as the only symptom, may indicate a dangerous disease that needs timely treatment.

Given the type of pain in the head, it is possible to determine the cause of their occurrence. If a person has a headache in the forehead, this may be a sign of an inflammatory disease (frontal sinusitis, meningitis, migraine, pneumonia, hypertension, typhoid, malaria).Increased intracranial pressure, as well as a pinched occipital nerve, can cause soreness in the frontal part of the head. Headache in the back of the head appears with cervical osteochondrosis, cervical spondylosis, muscle tone in the cervical spine, sinusitis. If a headache appears in the temples, one can suspect a sharp drop in blood pressure, intoxication of the body, or infection. When temporal lobe pain occurs, it is possible to diagnose the early stage of the disease, a symptom of which it is.If pain begins in the eye area, this may indicate that a person has migraine, autonomic dysfunction, glaucoma. If left untreated, serious problems with visual function will appear.

Frequent and intense pain in the head can be a sign of migraine, a drop in blood pressure, sinusitis, traumatic brain injury, or infection. If soreness appears rarely, but is of a prolonged nature, one should be examined for the presence of tuberculosis, meningitis, disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system, syphilis, and parasitic disease.Long-term soreness can be a sign of malignant growth in the brain. If a person has a throbbing pain, we can talk about the appearance of migraine, otitis media, glaucoma, sinusitis, vascular damage to the brain, impaired outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, an infectious disease. Given the localization, strength and duration, it is possible to determine how dangerous it is to human health. If discomfort appears abruptly, this indicates the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, in which vascular spasm occurs in the brain.And also, the cause of this type of headache is a hypertensive crisis. A threat to health and life appears when an aneurysm ruptures, intracranial hemorrhage. In addition, a sharp pain in the head appears due to nervous tension, regular stress, taking a hormonal drug, bad habits and an unbalanced diet.

What types are there

There are the following types of headache: primary and secondary (symptomatic). Primary pain appears if it is an underlying disease and not a symptom of another disease or allergic reaction. Primary pain is episodic or chronic. Episodic appears rarely, the duration varies from an hour to three to four hours. Chronic is permanent, appears regularly and lasts for several days.

Tension headache is a common problem and is associated with overstraining of the neck and head muscles. Is episodic or regular. The reason is stress, overexertion, depression. In addition, tension pain occurs with osteoarthritis of the cervical joints or cervical spondylitis.A person is overcome by a monotonous dull and aching pain, a feeling of contraction appears. At the same time, the neck and the back of the head hurt. Soreness manifests itself during the day. May be accompanied by impaired visual activity, stomach pain, irritability, anxiety. A person staggers when walking, he gets tired quickly, loses vital interest. An apathetic look appears, the face turns pale, swells.

To relieve a tension headache attack, you must take an analgesic. If this type of pain is chronic, the doctor may prescribe antidepressants, analgesics, anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs. Conservative therapy consists of massage, acupuncture, manual therapy, phototherapy. To avoid this condition, you need to fully rest, lead an active lifestyle. If the person has a sedentary job, maintain posture. This promotes normal vertical blood flow. Use an orthopedic mattress and a pillow for sleeping, do cervical massage regularly. Effectively do fitness, jogging, aerobics.

What is migraine

Migraine is a separate disease and type of headache.A pain attack appears in a specific area. In most cases, migraine occurs in women under 50. The basis of the disease is the periodic narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain, followed by their expansion. As a result, intracranial pressure is disturbed, which serves as an impetus for the development of migraine. The disease has a tendency to be inherited. Migraine in humans is manifested by sudden, paroxysmal, throbbing pain. Headache symptoms are rolling in nature.Soreness is present in only one part of the head, in the temple or in the eye. The onset of an attack can be recognized by confused consciousness, a decrease in the ability to perceive what is happening. As a complication of migraine is nausea, flickering, decreased visual function, dizziness. Muscle numbness is observed, a cervical or occipital spasm may appear.

To get rid of the disease, the doctor prescribes an individual complex treatment for this type of headache. Therapeutic measures include taking antihistamines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tranquilizers.There are situations when hormonal treatment is recommended. You can relieve the first symptoms with a warm shower or tea. At the peak of the attack, you can apply a cold compress to the painful part of the head. To avoid migraines, you should optimize working conditions and get adequate rest. Preventive measures include running, swimming, walking. If fresh air is regularly supplied to the body, there will be a reduction in the attacks of the disease.

Onset of vascular headache

Another common cause of pain in the head is vasodilation or vasoconstriction. Unpleasant sensations depend on surges in blood pressure. Vascular dilation produces pressure on the adjacent nerve, resulting in a squeezing sensation. If the vascular walls are narrowed, soreness is a consequence of the reduced blood supply to the brain. The occipital region is a hotbed of discomfort. Seizures begin when blood pressure rises or falls. How to get rid of this type of headache, which preventive rules to follow, depends on the level of pressure.

Intracranial pressure onset

Injury to the vessels of the head provokes hemorrhage, the manifestation of which begins in two to three hours. A sudden and growing headache, symptoms and treatment of which are carried out in the clinic, can be localized in different areas of the head. Violation of visual function joins, speech and coordination change, attacks of nausea begin. Symptoms are consistent. If nothing is done, the victim will lose consciousness.The vessel can rupture if there is a strong blow, or because of the thin vascular walls. When contacting the clinic, the patient will be removed the blood that has accumulated in the skull. Otherwise, there will be pressure on the brain with further damage. Then the cause of intracranial hemorrhage is found out. If this was not due to trauma, there is a high risk of re-rupture of blood vessels. In this case, the vessels of the brain should be examined.

For brain tumor

Many people associate soreness in the head with malignant tumors.It is important to remember that such a manifestation of a brain tumor is diagnosed in less than five percent. However, if the cause is a formation in the brain, the person notes the appearance of an unpleasant sensation in the morning. Vomiting often joins. Symptoms of headache due to a tumor are intermittent, and in the future, their intensity increases. If a person begins to lose weight sharply, a seizure has appeared, a change in personality is observed, it is necessary to urgently go to the clinic for a brain examination.

Appearance of temporal arteritis

The disease affects a person over 50 years of age. A person loses weight, he is tormented by insomnia, a depressive state appears, the body temperature periodically rises, the scalp turns red. Soreness is noted in the shoulders and neck. A viral infection can provoke a disease, under the negative influence of which the immune system falls. As a result, a malfunction occurs in its functioning, an attack of immunity on the blood vessels begins.Temporal arteritis appears due to uncontrolled intake of medications, prolonged exposure to open sunlight, excessive drinking, hypothermia and injury. With frequent headaches, treatment in Moscow in the clinic is based on taking steroid drugs that can stop the inflammatory process in the blood vessels.

90,000 Correct breathing during exercise: how and why?

Therefore, time is certainly given to the breathing technique – these rules must be mastered at the very beginning of the training process.

How to breathe correctly?

Breathing techniques are different in every sport, they are united by a simple rule – do not forget to breathe! If you are running or stretching, doing yoga or squatting with weights, your breathing should be even. Do not hold back the air, because then oxygen will not enter the body, and the forces will quickly leave you.

When performing the exercises, it is important to remember that the inhalation is done at the moment of muscle relaxation, and the exhalation is made at the moment of their tension, when the maximum effort is applied.For example, when lifting the barbell, exhalation occurs at the moment of its lifting, and inhalation occurs when the barbell returns to the ground. When performing exercises on the press, exhalation is done when raising the legs or body, and inhalation is done when lowering.

Breathing should be deep (diaphragmatic) but comfortable. When inhaling, the stomach should be inflated. It may seem inconvenient, but it is with this breathing that the body receives the maximum oxygen and does not expend energy, as with shallow rapid breathing.

It also matters how the athlete breathes – through the mouth or nose.It is recommended to inhale through the nose, because the air passing through the nasal passages is warmed up, moistened and cleaned of dust and microorganisms. It is better to breathe out through the mouth, because this way the air will come out faster.

Why is it important to monitor your breathing?

On exhalation, the maximum amount of energy required for effective exercise performance is generated. In addition, when you exhale air, the abs and diaphragm are strained, which gives additional stability and helps to transfer the load without harming the body.At the moment of inhalation, the muscles of the body are strained unevenly, so a person cannot put all his strength into the exercise and physical activity is given harder.

Consequences of improper breathing technique

As we have already said, breathing technique is important during training: depth of inhalation and exhalation, frequency, correct phase sequence. If you do not pay attention to these rules, the following consequences can occur:

1. Headache, dizziness, weakness – these symptoms appear due to oxygen starvation of brain cells – they are very sensitive to hypoxia.Therefore, you need to breathe evenly. At first it is difficult to do this, you need to constantly monitor your breathing.
2. Increased blood and intra-abdominal pressure – usually occurs due to too deep inhalation and exhalation, or due to the rapid alternation of these phases.
3. Low efficiency of the training performed – this is to be expected, since the body is forced to fight hypoxia and additional stress throughout the training process. The result from the exercises will be achieved much longer, and the load on the body may affect in the future on the state of health.

Have a nice workout!

Headache after running: causes and what to do with them

Alas, running is not always a joy, euphoria, excellent health and a beautiful figure. Many runners, and not just beginners, experience severe headaches after running. What provokes it, how to relieve an attack?

Causes of headache after running

Read also: Antistress for runners: rhythmic breathing technique

• Incorrect breathing technique when running .If you breathe quickly and shallowly, only through your nose, you may get a headache, stab in the side, and severe fatigue will quickly develop.
• Emotional stress and severe fatigue. Often these factors cause episodic cephalalgia, provoke cerebral vasospasm and hypoxia. High-quality sleep, rest and switching attention to another type of activity help to get rid of such pain.
• Overextension of the muscles of the neck and head. Half of all headache complaints are caused by excessive jogging or other physical activity. Create an individual training schedule with the trainer and do it according to it.
• Temporary hypoxia. After physical exertion, the flow of oxygen to the internal organs increases sharply. When an athlete enters a stuffy room, his brain does not have time to rebuild and experiences oxygen starvation. Ventilate the room, breathe deeply.
• Migraine. A very mysterious headache, the cause of which the doctors cannot determine. There are only assumptions about what causes her sudden inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, stress, intense physical activity, unhealthy diet. To stop migraine attacks, conventional painkillers are beyond the power. People suffering from this disease use drugs from the triptan series.
• High or low blood pressure. It must be monitored before and after training to understand whether it is the cause of the illness.

How does a severe headache manifest after running

If frontal sinusitis, sinusitis or sinusitis are to blame, then it is difficult for the runner to breathe, his eyes are watery, he feels a sharp throbbing pain in the forehead area, aggravated by pressure on the frontal sinus or when the body bends forward.

Read also: What should be in a runner’s kit?

Osteochondrosis can manifest itself as a dull pain in the back of the head and temples. It starts from one side, but then extends to the entire head.It is of a reflex nature, since the cause of unpleasant sensations is the nerves and blood vessels squeezed between the vertebrae of the cervical spine.

Increased intracranial pressure – if, while running, a person feels bursting pains in the forehead and crown (less often in the temples), and they are not removed by painkillers, then this symptom may indicate increased intracranial pressure. Strengthens with bends, squats, acceleration.

Head and neck injuries cause pain accompanied by dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing and visual impairment, sensitivity to noise.

If you have a severe headache after running very often – do not risk it, get tested. Timed running can be replaced by walking or yoga.

90,000 Medical myths: is it dangerous to let someone get a concussion to sleep?

• Claudia Hammond
• BBC Future

July 11, 2016

Photo author, Getty Images

It is said that a person with a concussion should never fall asleep – there is a risk that sleep will pass into a coma.Observer BBC tried to figure out how true this statement is.

Concussion has recently become the subject of general attention, in particular, there is debate over whether athletes with head injuries should be allowed to return to professional sports.

Many argue that the short and long term consequences of traumatic brain injury should be taken more seriously.

At the same time, the majority share the dubious concept that a person who has been hit on the head should never be allowed to fall asleep, otherwise he will plunge into a coma.

However, such recommendations can no longer be heard from modern doctors, since there is no evidence to support the validity of this thesis.

A concussion is an injury that occurs as a result of a severe blow to the head or a sudden and sudden shock, for example, at the time of a car accident.

People who tend to take head injuries extremely seriously are quite right: such episodes can be very unfortunate, and one of the difficulties is that it is very difficult to diagnose the severity of the injury.

Photo Credit, Getty Images

Photo Caption,

Rugby is a sport with an increased risk of head injuries

In the United States of America alone, 1.6 to 3 million cases of head injuries are reported annually.

At the moment, doctors are forced to rely on characteristic symptoms to determine the severity of such an injury, which include vomiting, blurred consciousness, loss of balance, blurred vision or headaches, and tingling in the extremities.

It is hoped that in the future, doctors will be able to detect concussion with a simple blood test that measures the level of certain substances in the bloodstream.

A team of researchers at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, Florida, recently discovered two types of proteins that the brain secretes when damaged by a blow to the head.

However, it will take several more years to complete the research, and until then, doctors will have to rely on symptoms to determine the diagnosis.

The fear that a person with a head injury may fall asleep and not wake up is due to the fact that many do not fully understand the mechanism of the so-called lucid consciousness gap.

This is a rare occurrence and denotes a period of wakefulness between primary and secondary loss of consciousness.

First, a person wakes up after an injury in a seemingly normal state, but at this time a hemorrhage, or hematoma, occurs in his brain, which puts pressure on the brain tissue.

And if as a result of this hematoma the victim again loses the creation, then here we can already talk about a threat to life.

However, even in the case of cerebral hemorrhage, the likelihood of an interval of clear consciousness remains extremely small.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

During the first night after a traumatic brain injury in a child, his condition should be checked every few hours

However, the threat of a cerebral hemorrhage is the reason why it is so important to pay attention to the symptoms listed above if you are dealing with a person who has just received a blow to the head.

This is what a wide variety of organizations recommend, from the World Rugby Association to the UK NHS.

But if a person does not experience clouding of consciousness, vomiting, double vision, impaired motor functions or acute pain in the head or neck, then there is no need to force him to stay awake.

In reality, the victim, on the other hand, needs rest – both physical and mental.

That is why athletes need to not only stop their training for a while, but also avoid intense mental efforts.

Children with concussion should reduce their schoolwork until they recover.

The brain needs to recover by reducing stress, and sleep is an ideal solution to this problem.

So for traumatic brain injury victims, sleep is a blessing, not a source of risk.

This is how the recommendations of modern specialists sound. However, it should be admitted that until recently practically no tests were carried out to verify these or those recommendations, and this causes serious concern among a number of researchers.

On the positive side, several new tests have been registered and are being carried out to date. This means that there is a chance that in the near future there will be new information about the best therapies for concussion and the rules of caring for patients with head injury.

The word “concussion” itself is somewhat misleading, and sounds so harmless that some doctors strongly recommend dropping it in favor of the term “head injury”.

However, a number of organizations do recommend waking a child every hour or two for the first night after a concussion if a child suffers from a traumatic brain injury to ensure that he is feeling normal and able to maintain a coherent conversation. After that, you can allow the child to fall asleep again.

Thus, sleep is recommended for patients as one of the recovery measures, but this task itself is often difficult to accomplish.

Studies show that many patients develop sleep disorders after a concussion, including insomnia, fatigue, drowsiness, and in some cases even narcolepsy (a disorder that manifests itself in a frequent and uncontrollable desire to sleep) and apnea (stopping breathing) during sleep .