Headaches

[ipoody]

Hey guys, I was deadlifting the other day and felt like I pulled/pinched something in my neck, a couple days after I went to lift again and got an intense throbbing headache at the back of my head which lasted a few days (and I still get now 2 weeks later I f I lift). I spoke with the doctor over the phone and they said it was muscular due to the headache going when I put pressure on my neck muscle. Has anyone else had this before and do you know how long it lasts? The doctor said to go back to lifting every now and again to see when it’s not hurting

[SuffolkPunch]

Tightness in your traps can cause it. You can try stretching your neck but it probably won't go away until the tightness relaxes. If you can't put up with it, try ibuprofen.

How long it lasts depends on how badly it was tweaked, could be anything from a few hours to a few days.

[ipoody]

Tightness in your traps can cause it. You can try stretching your neck but it probably won't go away until the tightness relaxes. If you can't put up with it, try ibuprofen.

How long it lasts depends on how badly it was tweaked, could be anything from a few hours to a few days.

Is it normal to come back every time I go to the gym? It’s been 2 weeks now and just as a start working out it starts killing again. Really frustrating!

[SuffolkPunch]

Is it normal to come back every time I go to the gym? It’s been 2 weeks now and just as a start working out it starts killing again. Really frustrating!

Does it happen during training? If so, that's not good and may indicate an injury.

Or is it after (like the next day) when you start to get DOMS from training? That's less serious.

If you have sore traps at the same time as the headaches then it could be the reason. You can try doing overhead shrugs with lighter weight and full ROM, smooth tempo, high reps (e.g. up to 25 before it starts to burn).

[ipoody]

Does it happen during training? If so, that's not good and may indicate an injury.

Or is it after (like the next day) when you start to get DOMS from training? That's less serious.

If you have sore traps at the same time as the headaches then it could be the reason. You can try doing overhead shrugs with lighter weight and full ROM, smooth tempo, high reps (e.g. up to 25 before it starts to burn).

Yeah it’s during training only, the first time training after the tweak was the worst, the headache lasted for a couple days! It doesn’t feel like pain in traps, more neck muscle going inside the back of my head, I have Google’d what it could be but nothing matches it... have booked myself a chiropractor hopefully they can help

[EiFit91]

Hey guys, I was deadlifting the other day and felt like I pulled/pinched something in my neck, a couple days after I went to lift again and got an intense throbbing headache at the back of my head which lasted a few days (and I still get now 2 weeks later I f I lift). I spoke with the doctor over the phone and they said it was muscular due to the headache going when I put pressure on my neck muscle. Has anyone else had this before and do you know how long it lasts? The doctor said to go back to lifting every now and again to see when it’s not hurting

Could the headache be an "exertion headache"? I got this last year during a set of high-rep squats and it lasted for a while. I think this was also a short while after I had hurt my back deadlifting. It was scary as I had never experienced it before. From what I understood it can be caused by a "perfect storm" of various factors coming together at once (e.g. hard workout, not being properly hydrated, inadequate recovery, not breathing properly during a hard set, etc.), and when you get this you should take a break from the gym for 1-2 weeks and then slowly get back into lifting, and particularly be careful with heavy compounds. Also make sure to be properly hydrated and warm up properly before your workout.

I don't know if it's this but the intense throbbing headache sounds a lot like exertion headache.

[ipoody]

Could the headache be an "exertion headache"? I got this last year during a set of high-rep squats and it lasted for a while. I think this was also a short while after I had hurt my back deadlifting. It was scary as I had never experienced it before. From what I understood it can be caused by a "perfect storm" of various factors coming together at once (e.g. hard workout, not being properly hydrated, inadequate recovery, not breathing properly during a hard set, etc.), and when you get this you should take a break from the gym for 1-2 weeks and then slowly get back into lifting, and particularly be careful with heavy compounds. Also make sure to be properly hydrated and warm up properly before your workout.

I don't know if it's this but the intense throbbing headache sounds a lot like exertion headache.

Potentially a tension headache but the first one I had for almost a week! I’ll give that a try thanks! I tried lifting again yesterday (just over 2 weeks later) and the pain was a lot less, but as I got closer to fatigue I felt the headache come back and stopped straight away.

[bishdipbrah]

Could be excertion, like someone mentioned.
I would also do some soft tissue therapy work along ya traps, upper back, ehh every where while ya at it. That definitely helped me, best of luck boyo.

[ipoody]

I went to see a chiropractor last week and she told me I was lifting too heavy after a 6 week lay off. One of the muscles going through my traps and up my neck was fully tensed up even while I was relaxed. She’s given me a bunch of neck and shoulder stretches and it seems to be helping! Note to stupid self, you can’t lift the same weight after a long lay off... won’t be happening again!!

[SuffolkPunch]

When I go to the gym, do I have to come back every time? Despite working out for a couple weeks now, it started killing again just as soon as I started. I'm so frustrated!

I don't understand the question - are we still talking about exertion headaches?

[weiss1967]

...and they said it was muscular due to the headache going when I put pressure on my neck muscle. Has anyone else had this before and do you know how long it lasts? The doctor said to go back to lifting every now and again to see when it’s not hurting

I doubt it is muscular, to me it sounds like IVD. If so, it will take on average about 3 months. Frustrating pain-filled three months. Hydration, back stretches and such. I had to buy inflatable neck comforter, helped a lot. Also, special gentle neck stretch exercises, those are good too, great relief. If this is in fact compressed IVD, I doubt you will be able to continue on with your lifting routine for at least 2 month. But, what do I know, doc is right about trying to lift every now and then.

[meechainee232]

i have sever headache in my whole head for 3 days. i just lift 50 kg weight in gym few days ago, after which I suffered from headache.
i took paracetamol. and few other medicine but, I still suffer from headache, does anyone felt this kinda headache? or any one know the treatment?

[ipoody]

It has been 3 days since I've had a severe headache. The day following the workout, I suffered from a headache after lifting 50 kg weight.
As a result of taking paracetamol, I felt better. Although I have tried few other medicines, my headache persists. Does anyone else experience this kind of headache? Can anyone tell me how the treatment works?

It sounds like you’re having what I had, take a rest from training and see a physiotherapist. In my case I stopped training for around 3 weeks, and was stretching my neck and shoulders every day. Look as far to one side as possible (like you’re looking over your shoulder) and push your chin slightly further that way, with the opposite shoulder push it back and down as far as you can and hold this for 30 seconds (do both sides). Then do the exact same but when you look as far to one side look down as well and pull your head to your armpit, again, dropping the opposite shoulder down and back, this would trigger a mini headache for me but after a few weeks it went away, start training gradually again and don’t rush back in to it. Good posture while you lift is key and poor posture got me!

[stuff4angel]

When I get headaches after lifting, squats, shoulder shrugs, dumbbell presses, etc, it is a result of compressing my disc. I've noticed it also occurs when I hike with a weighted backpack. You may have figured out by now how to overcome the discomfort and manage the pain. For me, a physio and chiro are necessary. I also try not to hike now with anything but water. Lightening up the weight on hikes has helped. My weight lifting I am just going to not lift as heavy or as often. At 50+ the years are beginning to reveal the wear and tear.