Headaches when working out. What could be wrong

[phishers]

Whenever im pushing myself during working out, whether its a set of push ups or lifting weights at the end of the set when im really pushing like when my face will get red, i will get a pretty bad headache pretty much forcing me to discontinue the workout.  Just has started happening the last week, but it always seems to happen. Do I have a brain tumor or something, whats wrong? =(  

Thanks
Zach

[gettinfit]

I have also experienced this type of headache when doing weights at the Gym. My solution is to ensure I have a warm up running/jogging on a treadmill for 15 minutes with enough intensity to get my heart rate to 80-90% of my maximum heart rate by the end of the 15 minutes. I then begin my weights session.

I know that it is better to do weights prior to any cardio but unless I follow this routine I get that very severe headache which occurred again last Thursday when I didn't follow my normal routine. Did a solid session today and no problems.

I have another strength session this Thursday so will see how I go.

[susan_7]

Very relieved to find this website as it gives me a bit more hope that everythings ok with my boyfriend. When he was lifting weights it felt like a pop in the back of his neck/head and had such a bad headache he vomitted. Its happened a few times now and called the NHS and they advised him to go to hospital. Hes had various checks and being kept in overnight and in the morning getting a CRT scan and possibly a fluid taken from his lower back to check for any bleeding in the brain. The doctor said it would either be a trapped/strained nerve in  the neck or bleeding, Im hoping to god for a trapped nerve.
Please please dont waste time and check with your GP its not worth it not to.

[poohbear9901]

OMG this is exactly what happened to me. I recently hired a personal trainer. I am on week 6.  I have been doing great, until the Roman Chair was introduced. I was on my 3rd set of 15....when i got this intense pain on the left top side of my head (trainer said it was because I was doing it wrong). I had to sit and hold my head for 15 minutes before I could continue.

The pain never really subsided, I just went on to do cardio. It took pretty much all day for the pain to stop. Today I was back at the gym and doing my warm up, 3 sets of 10 pushups and 25 jumping jacks and BANG....the pain is back in the same spot. It's excrutiating and in the same spot. It's almost 6 hours later and i'm so uncomfortable I feel like I'm going to throw up. I just took 3 advil. I don't know if I should call the Dr or not.

[ingi900]

I find my headaches do not come on during exercise, but an hour or so after and last for some time. the headache just feels tight and throbbing, but not in my neck. I think the exertion theory sounds right, due to poor breathing technique, as during  swimming i hold my breath between strokes. it also happens after running for a period of time ( 20+ mins ). I just am not sure if this theory fits my symptoms with a headache post workout

[themonk007]

3 weeks back I got severe head ache when I was doing bench press. It was the back of my head, towards left side of my head. I stopped benching and continued other exercises. The head ache was there for next two days continuously. After that it started coming on and off when I climb steps, bend down or do house hold work etc. My neck was also feeling rigid and sore. So I went to chiropractor couple of times, he gave some heat therapy but that didn't help. I started getting that headaches even after that. So I went to a physician and I was told not to do exercise for 6 weeks.

3 weeks after my headache started, I still didnt do any exercise, but still I am getting this headaches occasionally. And my neck is sore all the time.

Please tell me what to do? Which specialist to consult?

[aelephant]

I'm very relieved to come across this post.

I'm 27 and have been working out for many years. I've had this "extertional headache" a couple of times in the past, mainly when trying to push myself doing heavy squats.

I would describe it as starting as a throbbing / tightness in my neck that spreads into the back of my skull. It is brought on by exertion / straining and worsened by that as well. I too feel the pain intensifying when climbing stairs, having sex or masturbating. It seems to me it could be connected to blood pressure and/or exertion.

My pain seems to go away at night when my neck is relaxed, but slowly comes back during the day. I've started taking an NSAID, ibuprofen, which helps tremendously. During the day the pain is almost completely gone, although I can still feel it there, underneath the ibuprofen and waiting to come back.

Since my pain seems to start from the left side of my neck, I've started stretching my neck to the right to loosen / relax the muscle on the left side. I'm going to try to take a week or so off from lifting and ease back into it when I do go back.

Why is it worse this time than other times? I was an idiot and tried to "work through it" to finish up my sets. I highly recommend no one EVER try to "work through" this kind of pain / headache. Stop IMMEDIATELY if you encounter it and wait for it to go away completely before starting again.