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24-07-2024 Team Medicover general

How To Deal With Headache After A Workout

Exercise headaches are caused by your workouts, which are referred to as primary exertional headaches.

A headache can occur after or during a workout, regardless of whether it is strength or cardio, high or low intensity. It's not uncommon to experience a headache after exercising. You may feel pain on one side of your head or throbbing pain throughout your entire head. This can be caused due to several factors.

Experiencing a headache after a workout whether it's a light jogging or a heavy workout, a headache can sometimes occur as a side effect of your fitness routine. If you're feeling a headache after workout, it's essential to understand the potential causes and how to manage it effectively.

Why Am I Feeling Headache After Workout?

If you've ever asked yourself, “why headache after workout?”, the answer often lies in how your body responds to physical exertion. A combination of physical stress, dehydration, poor posture, and lack of oxygen can all contribute to a post-workout headache.

Some of the most common triggers include:

Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance
Skipping meals or low blood sugar
Improper breathing during exercise
Sudden strenuous physical activity
Poor sleep or stress
High-intensity exercises like weightlifting or cardio

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Types of Exercise Headaches

Exercise headaches are classified into two types:

Primary exercise headaches

These happen during or immediately after physical exercise. They usually resolve on their own and are not related to a more serious physical problem. These headaches are frequently treatable or preventable with over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Secondary exercise headaches

These are much less common and are caused by an underlying health condition, such as heart disease. The severity of the headache after strenuous activity, as well as your age, may warrant a discussion with your doctor to rule out a more serious condition.

Causes of Headaches after an Exercise

Exercise-induced headaches happen after engaging in strenuous physical activity like running, weight lifting, cycling, or swimming. The increased blood circulation around the head and scalp causes blood vessels to vasodilate (enlarge), increasing blood flow resulting in this type of headache.

Common Causes of Headache After Workout

Dehydration: Sweating during a workout can lead to dehydration, which is a common trigger for headaches.
Overexertion: Pushing your body too hard during a heavy workout can cause tension in the muscles, leading to a headache.
Low Blood Sugar: Working out on an empty stomach or not refueling properly can result in a drop in blood sugar levels, causing a headache.
Poor Posture: Incorrect form during exercises, especially those involving the neck and shoulders, can strain muscles and trigger headaches.
Tightening of the Blood Vessels: Intense physical exertion, especially during an intense workout, can cause the blood vessels in the head to constrict, leading to a headache.

Symptoms of Exertional Headache

A primary exertional headache is caused solely by physical activity and has no underlying causes.

Primary exertional headache symptoms include:

Pain on both sides of the head is common.
A pulsating feeling
The pain can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 48 hours and is similar to a migraine.
People may be more likely to get a primary exertional headache after exercising in hot conditions or at a high altitude.

A secondary exertional headache develops as a result of an underlying condition, such as:

Heart disease
Stroke, or bleeding in the brain
A tear in an artery
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, which is characterized by blood vessel narrowing
A tumor or lesion in the brain

Severe Headache After Workout: When to Be Concerned

Occasionally, people experience a severe headache after workout, which may feel like a throbbing pain behind the eyes or at the back of the head. If the headache is sudden, intense, or comes with other symptoms like blurred vision, nausea, or difficulty speaking, it may signal a more serious issue, such as:

Exercise-induced migraine
Vascular headache
Heat exhaustion
Rarely, a brain aneurysm or hemorrhage

In such cases, it's best to consult a doctor immediately, especially if it's your first time experiencing such pain or if it doesn't subside within a few hours.

How to Prevent Headaches After a Workout

Here are effective ways to prevent feeling headache after workout:

1. Stay Hydrated

Drink water before, during, and after your workout. Consider adding electrolytes if you sweat a lot or exercise in heat.

2. Eat Before You Exercise

Have a balanced meal or snack with carbohydrates and protein 30-60 minutes before exercising. Avoid working out on an empty stomach.

3. Warm-Up and Cool Down

Properly warming up prepares your body for exertion, while cooling down gradually reduces your heart rate and minimizes stress on blood vessels.

4. Breathe Properly

Avoid breath-holding, especially during weightlifting. Learn to exhale during effort and inhale during recovery.

5. Improve Technique

Ensure your posture and form are correct to avoid muscle strain. Consider working with a certified trainer if you're unsure.

6. Avoid Overexertion

Don't push beyond your limits, especially during the early days of training or on particularly hot and humid days.

Dehydration Headache

Dehydration can occur if fluids are not replaced during or after exercise. Water and electrolytes keep the body hydrated, and both are lost through sweating. A headache can occur when a person is dehydrated.

Dehydration can also cause the following symptoms:

Feeling thirsty
Feeling lethargic or fatigued
Dark yellow urine
Passing less urine than usual
Dry mouth or lips
Feeling irritable
Dizziness

Exertional Headache Treatment

Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
Warm-Up: Gradually increase workout intensity with a proper warm-up.
Use Pain Relievers: Take over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen before exercise if needed.
Practice Relaxation Techniques: Engage in yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises.
Identify Triggers: Keep a headache diary to pinpoint and avoid specific triggers.
Consult a Specialist: Seek professional advice if headaches are severe or persistent.

Treatment for Post-Workout Headaches

If you're already feeling headache after workout, try these remedies:

Rest in a dark, quiet room
Apply a cold compress to your forehead or neck
Drink water or a sports drink to rehydrate
Over-the-counter pain relievers (only if approved by a healthcare provider)
Gentle neck stretches or massage to release tension

When to Visit a Doctor?

Anyone who is experiencing exercise headaches but is unaware of any underlying conditions should consult a doctor.

People who have any existing heart conditions or risk factors for heart disease should talk to the doctor about exercise-related headaches, especially if they have neck or jaw pain besides the headache.

This includes individuals who have a history of:

Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
Heart attack
High blood pressure
High cholesterol

A doctor may do various tests to define any underlying conditions that may cause headaches after exercising. Book appointment now if you have been having severe headaches for more than 48 hours.

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Citations

Exercise and Migraine

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, dehydration is a leading cause of post-workout headaches. When you sweat excessively without replenishing fluids, your body loses essential electrolytes and water, which can lead to a severe headache after workout. Drinking enough water before, during, and after exercise can help prevent this.

It's not uncommon to experience a headache after first workout, especially if your body is not used to physical exertion. The sudden increase in blood pressure, tight muscles, or low energy reserves can trigger a headache. This usually improves as your body adjusts to regular exercise.

Headache after cardio workout can be caused by overheating, over-breathing, or low blood sugar levels due to sustained energy burn. Cardio elevates your heart rate for a longer period, which may strain your blood vessels more than weight training. Make sure to eat properly and hydrate well before cardio.

A regular headache after workout tends to feel like a dull, throbbing ache and usually fades with rest and hydration. A migraine, however, might be more intense, come with nausea, light sensitivity, and last for several hours or even days. Migraines require medical evaluation if frequently triggered by exercise.

Headache after morning workout can happen if you exercise on an empty stomach, are dehydrated from overnight, or lack sleep. These factors lower blood sugar and increase physical stress, triggering a headache. Eating a light breakfast and hydrating before morning workouts can reduce this risk.