Headaches

[bcooley25]

All,

I recently (Sunday) started getting extremely bad headaches when I start to workout. Sunday was chest day, and I was fine with my warm up sets, but when I started to really push the weight, I got a horrible headache to where I had to stop lifting. I thought it was from being half tired or maybe dehydrated, so I tried chest again last night and the same thing happened. Being aggrivated, I took to advil and drove through the pain. I have been drinking plenty of water. I've been working out for a couple of years hard, and the only things that have changed recently is that I added about 1000-1500 calories to my diet and three weeks ago I quit smoking (I was exited to have better workouts but no such luck right now). Is it because of my blood vessels in my head shrinking after quitting smoking and now, lying down and pushing weight, they are trying to expand? I still have a very faint headache now, but tomorrow is back day and I am worried it will come back. Can I take something before I work out to preven it? Any help is greatly appreciated!!

[coalmonkey]

All,

I recently (Sunday) started getting extremely bad headaches when I start to workout. Sunday was chest day, and I was fine with my warm up sets, but when I started to really push the weight, I got a horrible headache to where I had to stop lifting. I thought it was from being half tired or maybe dehydrated, so I tried chest again last night and the same thing happened. Being aggrivated, I took to advil and drove through the pain. I have been drinking plenty of water. I've been working out for a couple of years hard, and the only things that have changed recently is that I added about 1000-1500 calories to my diet and three weeks ago I quit smoking (I was exited to have better workouts but no such luck right now). Is it because of my blood vessels in my head shrinking after quitting smoking and now, lying down and pushing weight, they are trying to expand? I still have a very faint headache now, but tomorrow is back day and I am worried it will come back. Can I take something before I work out to preven it? Any help is greatly appreciated!!

You have it the wrong way around about smoking and blood vessels, nicotine makes them contract and reduces blood flow. Headaches could be from quiting smoking though as it is a known symptom. It could be increased blood pressure from rapid weight gain, it could be many different things. See a doc if you are concerned.

[SideSteal]

My reply is useless in terms of information, but congrats on stopping smoking!! Good luck with it and stick to it!

[bcooley25]

My reply is useless in terms of information, but congrats on stopping smoking!! Good luck with it and stick to it!

Thanks Man, much apprecaited. I feel great other than the headache.

[bcooley25]

You have it the wrong way around about smoking and blood vessels, nicotine makes them contract and reduces blood flow. Headaches could be from quiting smoking though as it is a known symptom. It could be increased blood pressure from rapid weight gain, it could be many different things. See a doc if you are concerned.

I could see if the headache was off and on during the day (being from not smoking), but it has been 3 weeks and it only happened when working out. Also, I have only gained about 2 pds in the last 2 weeks of my increased caloric intake.

[shotgunshorty28]

All,

I recently (Sunday) started getting extremely bad headaches when I start to workout. Sunday was chest day, and I was fine with my warm up sets, but when I started to really push the weight, I got a horrible headache to where I had to stop lifting. I thought it was from being half tired or maybe dehydrated, so I tried chest again last night and the same thing happened. Being aggrivated, I took to advil and drove through the pain. I have been drinking plenty of water. I've been working out for a couple of years hard, and the only things that have changed recently is that I added about 1000-1500 calories to my diet and three weeks ago I quit smoking (I was exited to have better workouts but no such luck right now). Is it because of my blood vessels in my head shrinking after quitting smoking and now, lying down and pushing weight, they are trying to expand? I still have a very faint headache now, but tomorrow is back day and I am worried it will come back. Can I take something before I work out to preven it? Any help is greatly appreciated!!

you may wanna check your daily sodium intake that generally causes headaches or tension headaches. i had that same problem for years, but i've reduced my sodium drastically and started drinking a lot of water and that definitely helped.

[Landor]

I used to get a really big head rush followed by a killer headache when I would start my workout. It turned out to be Creatine. I cut my dosage from 5g too 2.5g after workout and I do not get the headaches or rush anymore.

[bcooley25]

I'm just confused. I haven't taken Creatine for a couple of weeks and my eating/drinking habits really haven't changed all that drastically. I've had a slight headache all day today which is weird too.

[Sarevok459]

How's your form on the squat/Flat Bench?

I strained my neck a few weeks ago, which has been giving me headaches on/off since.

[bcooley25]

Thanks to all that replied. I wanted to update everyone incase this happens to someone else (eventhough I would suggest going to the Dr. anyway). After going to the Dr., he had me get an MRI on my brain. Through the MRI, they found that I had a bad sinus infection which was causing my exertion headaches. Funny, I had NO other signs of a sinus infection at all. Got put on anti's for 10 days and after just 4 days decided to try and workout again and yes, no headaches. Got through a workout perfectly excluding the fact of being weak from not working out for 3 weeks.