Thread: Headache or Migraine After Working Out

Hi all. In the past few weeks, I've started to get serious about getting back into shape. I'm eating healthy, getting to the gym 3-4 times per week, doing either circuits or treadmill and abs. It seems like now, more often than not, I'll get a headache right after I finish my workout. Today, it has turned into a migraine. I took some medication for it and I'm ready to fall asleep soon.

I can't really figure out why I'm getting headaches every time after I work out. I drink lots of green tea and water before I work out and if I'm doing a circuit, I have water right after. If I'm doing the treadmill, I drink water throughout my workout.

Have any of you had this problem? I appreciate any help.

^ get to a doctor.

How long has it been since you seriously worked out? Sometimes your body is just shocked because it is not used to it. After a long sabbatical from training, I would get horrendous headaches and other ills when I first got serious about training.

For instance, I did not work out at all this week. I went to Pattaya last night for a short trip. This morning I went to a gym in Pattaya that I always wanted to try. I put in some extra time (4.5 hours of cardio and weight lifting) since I had been lazy this week. I got a terrible headache and even vomited. I felt nauseous the rest of the day and wasn't even able to eat my the meal I ordered at my favorite German restaurant. I was going to stay through Wednesday and came back home this evening.

sounds like low blood sugar
have a banana,
or better still stay out of the gym ,
instead go swimming , walking, , learn Wing Chun self defence, go dancing, etc

You may want to monitor your blood pressure during and after workouts.

^ I concur, raised blood pressure may cause your workout headaches, but you really should see a real Doctor. Hope it clears up soon

Ditto re. the blood pressure.
The reason for going to a doctor is this : the worst-case scenario is that you may be developing an aneurysm ( a weakened artery wall which balloons out) in your brain which can burst, causing sudden death. They need to discount this possibility. It's not so very unusual......I had a friend die of it at age 28, and have heard of numerous other cases.
It's an outside possibility, but it needs to be rejected as a possibility by a qualified doctor.
In the meantime just Google "migraine exercise".

High blood pressure causing veinous swelling within the brain probably.

Ice cold water?

chitown, I was hoping that you'd reply to this and you did. Thanks. That makes a lot of sense. I've always done treadmill workouts 3x per week, then I would add on either abs or hand weights for the upper body.

As for the BP, I have it checked every month and the last time was last week, and it's normal. My BP has always been on the low side of normal. I can see the relation of it increasing while I'm doing the circuits, because you keep your heart rate up while you do the strength training or abs.

I'm doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, BTW 3x per week. It probably is a bit of a shock to my system, so what I'll start doing is cutiing down on the green tea and increasing my water intake before the workout.

It could also be the weather, being hot and humid still. Today is a day off from working out, but tomorrow morning will be my next one. As for seeing a doctor, I'm going for a colonoscopy AND endoscopy this coming Thursday, and I have a follow up appointment with a specialist before this.

I'll tell him about the headaches and see what we can come up with.

Sounds like dehydration Nat,

Gatorade is good

Thanks, sabaii. Tomorrow morning will be my next circuit, so I'll increase my water before the workout.

Originally Posted by natalie8

As for the BP, I have it checked every month and the last time was last week, and it's normal. My BP has always been on the low side of normal.
.

is that resting BP or during/after excercise? You might be being mislead....

Good point, NH. It's always my resting BP.

Gym's are the most dangerous places in the world if you are not properly prepared, have a good well planned personal programe and trainer.

Walking and swimming are fantastic exercises and I would suggest you have a full medical before going back to the gym.

Finally the green tea you are drinking doesn't contain sugar? Too much sugar gives me terrible headaches.

We have a gym and a pool in our buiding. I go to the gym for the treadmill and weights, but I do the circuit, the 3o Day Shred at home.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Finally the green tea you are drinking doesn't contain sugar?

Yuck!!!!!! I never drink anything with sugar in it. The green tea is Twinings brand 'Pure Green Tea'

Ride a bike is also good

I hope that condom isn't on your head when you're working out, natalie8...
Could be part of the problem...




Seriously, some good comments here...increased blood flow through the brain...

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Ditto re. the blood pressure.
The reason for going to a doctor is this : the worst-case scenario is that you may be developing an aneurysm ( a weakened artery wall which balloons out) in your brain which can burst, causing sudden death. They need to discount this possibility. It's not so very unusual......I had a friend die of it at age 28, and have heard of numerous other cases.
It's an outside possibility, but it needs to be rejected as a possibility by a qualified doctor.
In the meantime just Google "migraine exercise".

Nat - please listen to this advice, get a doc to check it out. I had a subarrachnoid haemmorage (sp) back in March whilst cycling and it very nearly finished me off. Mind you, I didn't get any warning headaches so it's probably something unconnected but you never know. Better to be safe rather than sorry - get it checked out !

^Sh1t, that's scary, Latindancer and Ticketeboo. I'll mention it to the doctor on Thursday. I was out all day today from about 9 am to 7 pm. I was partly outside and partly inside. The temps are still around 38-39, but less humid. I didn't have any headache at all today. this is whhy I'm thinking it's connected to doing the circuits.

I'll be doing a circuit tomorrow morning, so I'll drink more water before the workout, and save the green tea until after the workout. I'll give you guys an updat afterwards.

Thanks again for the tips.

Lots of good advice,but don't forget too warm up slowly and cool down gradually before and after every workout.
Do you have a sauna after,that always caused me to get headaches after a work out.

Originally Posted by natalie8

Hi all. In the past few weeks, I've started to get serious about getting back into shape. I'm eating healthy, getting to the gym 3-4 times per week, doing either circuits or treadmill and abs. It seems like now, more often than not, I'll get a headache right after I finish my workout. Today, it has turned into a migraine. I took some medication for it and I'm ready to fall asleep soon.

I can't really figure out why I'm getting headaches every time after I work out. I drink lots of green tea and water before I work out and if I'm doing a circuit, I have water right after. If I'm doing the treadmill, I drink water throughout my workout.

Have any of you had this problem? I appreciate any help.

What color is your urine? If it is not clear you are dehydrated.

That's the good news. Most of the tiem it's clear. It's only a bit dark shortly after I take my supplements. I take all natural supplements with phytonutriens.

Originally Posted by natalie8

That's the good news. Most of the tiem it's clear. It's only a bit dark shortly after I take my supplements. I take all natural supplements with phytonutriens.

Are you stressed out before the work out? If not, then check in with a Doctor just to be sure.

OK, time for an update and it's good news. I did the circuit yesterday at about noon, then I went swimming (and sunning) at around 2:45 yesterday. Some changes that I had made are:

Only 1 coffee in the am rather than 2
*it's a new jar of organic instant coffee rather than the Waitrose brand

2 tall glasses of room temp water
1 tall green tea

then 1 more tall glass of room temp water right before the workout
and 2 more right after the workout

Also, instead of having the a/c at 3 bars, I ran it on auto for the time of the workout

And, I was perfectly fine all the way through the workout and the whole day. Even spending almost 2 hours out in the sun at the pool was no problem, but this doesn't usually bother me anyway.

I checked my urine colour (as I usually do) and it's nice and clear or very light in colour. I'll still tell the specialist about the headaches on Thursday.

Thanks again, guys.