Getting a bad headache after a heavy set of lifts.

[Greco]

Today was the third time I have gotten a throbing headache that lasted for about ten minutes and tapered off over the course of an hour later after I did a set of five heavy deadlifts... I did the set fast and after the last one all of a sudden I had throbing in the back of my head at the base of my skull on the left side only. Does anyone know if this is from over exertion or what?

John

[craig kruse]

does it only happen with deadlifts? what about shrugs, rows, event training?

are you breathing properly? make sure you are not holding your breath too long.

how is your general health? Blood pressure?

do you get the headaches at any other time during the day or only with training?

[Mike Yuen]

i say it was a "weightlifter's headache"

I get it all the time if i breathe improperly...especially during leg exercises....

It literally feels like your veins are gonna explode in your head...and you've popped a vessel.

[CharlesDMickey]

That "lifters head ache" has a fancy name of hypertensive encephalopathy (sp?) basically its a rapid rise in blood pressure. Breathing, wearing a very tight belt or maybe too much caffeine can all contribute.

I would get them in the past if I had too much caffeine in me prior to training. When your head hurts that bad it can be pretty scary. I thought I had an aneurism or something..

[Mike Yuen]

i know..i was hella scared that i did pop something in my head.

The pain wouldn't go away until 15min-30min later...and even then i wonder if i should continue training.....i did finish my workout anyway.. :EP:

[Greco]

I was pretty sure it was blood pressure, But I was a little worried there... It felt like I exploded a vessel. Yes I breath well and don't take caffeine or wear a belt. It has only happened with heavy deadlifts and I never get headaches from anything else.
John

[Mike Frost]

Ya that happens to me to every so often. I've seen my friends eyes dialate after heavy sets.

[Corey Schaich]

You definately need to go see your Primary care Doctor and drink more fluids. How old are you? Core

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

I was getting these. My neck was out of wack, and when combined with poor breathing technique it shot my blood pressure way up and gave me headaches. A chiropractic adjustment of the neck and some time focusing on breathing straightened me out.

[jonboy]

Wow and i thought i was the only one who got something like this, on rack cleans when working on speed I use to get a nasty pain in the back of my head and like a heating sensation kind of, i pretty much slowed myself down between each rep and made sure to get a good breathe in between and it helped..I used to just go rapid fire and i guess i wasnt breathing?

[Corey Schaich]

That's why you should see your Doc.