Weight lifting and splitting headaches

[Portland Ute]

I've just begun lifting with a personal trainer.

The first couple of sessions were just fine.

During the 3rd session during a leg press set I got the worst headache I have ever had. Crippling pain.

The next session, while in the 3rd set of an inclined press, same thing.

I've since done both again and with the same result.

He believes it's trigger points in the back of my head/neck from putting my body through something new and also because of the neck position I have as a dentist.

Anyone care to chime in as to what is going on?

I've got to get past this so that I can start making progess...

[CardiacCoug]

So you probably know that for doctors "worst headache of my life" in a young person during activity makes them worry a lot about subarachnoid hemorrhage. I think if you had gone to the ER with your headache and told that story they would have done a head CT to look for bleeding (from an aneurysm or AVM).

But since you're still alive and not comatose I guess it probably wasn't a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Sure your trainer is probably right that it is something benign, but if you keep having a really severe headache every time you lift weights you may want to see a headache-specialist neurologist and/or have a brain MRI.

[mUUser]

Sounds a heck of a lot like weightlifters headache, aka overexertion headache, to me Port. I've known more than a few people that this has effected.

If it were me, this is what I'd do:

First, take a couple of weeks off. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it doesn't. Weightlifters headache can be a problem for a couple of days or can remain a problem for a lifetime.....and anything in between. I'd still take time off though.

Second, I'd drink a crap-ton more water, and eat really, really clean. Absolutely no junk food.

Third, I'd make certain your personal trainer is satisfied with your breathing while lifting. Inhale/exhale, inhale/exhale, inhale/exhale...... Some experts don't care when or how you breath during your exercise, but just that you breathe. Most experts however, teach that you should breath in on the eccentric and out on the concentric.

Fourth, I'd visit a chiropractor and have some work done on my upper back & and neck. A couple of sessions with a message therapist couldn't hurt either.

I'd feel pretty solid about those four actions, but if it didn't work, off to the neurologist I'd go.

[Viking]

This happens to me, too. It doesn't last more than five minutes but if I push it too much, the back of my head feels like two large needles have been jabbed into it. It's awful

[ERCougar]

A little more history...is it a sudden-onset "thunderclap" headache? Meaning, does it reach its maximal intensity within a few seconds?

Cardiac's right in that you would have likely gotten a CT with that story. He's wrong in that the fact that you survived means that it wasn't a subarachnoid hemorrhage (it's alright--it's not his field. I have to be good for SOMETHING ).

The reason we care about this story with a patient who's still able to post on CUF afterwards is the possibility of a sentinel bleed--meaning that you have a little aneurysm that leaked a little, warning us that the next time will be the big one. If it happens again, go straight to the ER.

How long ago since the last time it happened? If it's been less than a day, you could even go now and still tell if it's blood causing the pain (ie, hemorrhage). Otherwise, if your story's good enough, they may even consider doing a cerebral angiogram to see if there are any aneurysms. That's pretty controversial, as it's never been shown to have any benefit on a CT-negative suspicious headache even when they find aneurysms to clip, but you're not necessarily a CT-negative headache since you didn't go immediately in.

If that doesn't make sense, PM me or ask in here. Don't ignore this.

[wuapinmon]

A little more history...is it a sudden-onset "thunderclap" headache? Meaning, does it reach its maximal intensity within a few seconds?

Cardiac's right in that you would have likely gotten a CT with that story. He's wrong in that the fact that you survived means that it wasn't a subarachnoid hemorrhage (it's alright--it's not his field. I have to be good for SOMETHING ).

The reason we care about this story with a patient who's still able to post on CUF afterwards is the possibility of a sentinel bleed--meaning that you have a little aneurysm that leaked a little, warning us that the next time will be the big one. If it happens again, go straight to the ER.

How long ago since the last time it happened? If it's been less than a day, you could even go now and still tell if it's blood causing the pain (ie, hemorrhage). Otherwise, if your story's good enough, they may even consider doing a cerebral angiogram to see if there are any aneurysms. That's pretty controversial, as it's never been shown to have any benefit on a CT-negative suspicious headache even when they find aneurysms to clip, but you're not necessarily a CT-negative headache since you didn't go immediately in.

If that doesn't make sense, PM me or ask in here. Don't ignore this.

Ok, I'm going to be on pins-and-needles until PU posts again. From personal experience, listen to ER when he tells you not to put black salve on your facial boil.