The mantra, "no pain, no gain," is a hard one to stick through when the pain in question is rattling in your brain. "The first thing to do is to determine what is causing your headache: Is it because you go into a fight with your boss? Is it because you haven't eaten all day? Or could it be something more problematic such as a sinus headache," says Jeffrey Horowitz, master trainer. "If it is a serious medical condition, then see a doctor. Otherwise, you can still work out. Exercising at high intensity levels can cause headaches for some people, so if that's the case, then back off a little on your intensity, which will let the blood pressure subside a little and can help alleviate your pain."

Exercise-induced headaches often occur when all that hard work and heavy exertion raises your blood pressure and creates pressure within the skull. While there are many potential reasons for developing one, you can avoid it altogether by sticking to a few hard and fast preventive tips before, during and after your workout:

1. Drink plenty of fluids beforehand. Dehydration can bring on an exertional headache fast. Always try to drink at least 16 to 24 ounces of water before you exercise, plus an additional 8 ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise in which you engage. Caffeine, excessive heat and alcohol can all contribute as well, since all three cause dehydration.

2. Warm up for at least 10 minutes before you begin an intense workout. Acute effort migraine headaches can come after short, vigorous activities, resulting from low-level hyperventilation, which can contract and dilate blood vessels in the brain. Starting slowly can keep you from hyperventilating as you intensify your exercise.

3. Minimize your movements. Stick with exercises that don't require that much moving around, such as walking, stationary bicycling and seated exercises. Movements that ask you to jump or run only increase your odds of walking out with a headache.

4. Don't give up right away. Do your best to continue exercising when you first develop a headache. First-time exercisers sometimes get low-intensity vascular headaches from overworking their cardiovascular and circulatory systems. The more you exercise, the more likely you'll stop having them as your system gets used to exercise. If your headaches persist, you may want to see a doctor.

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed