# Exertion headaches?



## Iron1 (Sep 3, 2015)

Anyone else get these?

Yesterday on squats I unracked the bar for my last set and got a stabbing pain in the back of my head immediately. I was able to train through it but of course it threw my head out of the game.

It persists even today.

Any thoughts on what to do about it?


----------



## Luscious Lei (Sep 3, 2015)

I got them pretty much every squat sess. Surprinsingly I don't get them on DLs day, it's really a squat thing.
I realized that they burst when I kneel or sit between sets (I used to do that to stretch the quads), they can get so bad that I had to cut the workout short a few times.
Since I keep standing up between sets, whatever the quad tightness, I don't get them anymore.


----------



## jennerrator (Sep 3, 2015)

Iron1 said:


> Anyone else get these?
> 
> Yesterday on squats I unracked the bar for my last set and got a stabbing pain in the back of my head immediately. I was able to train through it but of course it threw my head out of the game.
> 
> ...



Less booze before bed??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? JK! 

Never had this before and hope I never do BUT, I did get headaches during training on one of my cycles..figured it was a BP thing...stopped after.


----------



## DF (Sep 3, 2015)

I had them many years ago (20+) while on cycle.  I really felt like someone whacked me in the back of the head with a hammer.  It wasn't exercise dependent though.  It would happen no matter what major body part.  A few years back I'd get headaches due to high BP, but total different type of headache.


----------



## snake (Sep 3, 2015)

Any chance it's muscular, like a tension headache? I'm just thinking if its only in the squat, maybe a more neutral head position would help. Just something to keep in mind.


----------



## PillarofBalance (Sep 3, 2015)

snake said:


> Any chance it's muscular, like a tension headache? I'm just thinking if its only in the squat, maybe a more neutral head position would help. Just something to keep in mind.



Its this. A lot of us have a forward head position from our modern lifestyles.  Tight scalenes which are at the front/side of the neck and the back of the neck is constantly under tension because of it.

I get these so bad my nose starts to run uncontrollably. If the headache kicks in I take 600mg ibuprofen and it stops it right away. 

Then I stretch out the neck.

You may need to work your head position on squats. Before your pinch your back under the bar give yourself a double chin. Then unrack and don't move the head.


----------



## Iron1 (Sep 3, 2015)

snake said:


> Any chance it's muscular, like a tension headache? I'm just thinking if its only in the squat, maybe a more neutral head position would help. Just something to keep in mind.





PillarofBalance said:


> Its this.



You two could certainly be onto something. I used to get exertion headaches way back when I started lifting but they've subsided. 

The weird thing is I still have it today and it doesn't seem to be going away. I have been under a good deal of stress lately too so that could definitely be a factor. I'mm try your recommendation next time I squat Pillar.


----------



## DieYoungStrong (Sep 3, 2015)

Iron1 said:


> You two could certainly be onto something. I used to get exertion headaches way back when I started lifting but they've subsided.
> 
> The weird thing is I still have it today and it doesn't seem to be going away. I have been under a good deal of stress lately too so that could definitely be a factor. I'mm try your recommendation next time I squat Pillar.



If you still have it today, I'd bet dollars to donuts its your neck muscles. Do what pillar said to loosen it up.

I get the same thing when I'm stressed.


----------



## AlphaD (Sep 3, 2015)

As I speak I have the same headache Ron.  I usually get tense neck after Barbells rows and other lifts.  The culprit is tense neck muscles.  Lacrosse ball roll your traps and mid back and stretch your neck......


----------



## Iron1 (Sep 3, 2015)

AlphaD said:


> As I speak I have the same headache Ron.  I usually get tense neck after Barbells rows and other lifts.  The culprit is tense neck muscles.  Lacrosse ball roll your traps and mid back and stretch your neck......



Looks like I'll be putting Mrs. Ron to work tonight.


----------



## Iron1 (Sep 3, 2015)

Mrs Ron was scared I was going to keel over from an aneurysm after that set.

I consoled her and told her that if I did, add more weight to the bar before calling 911.


----------



## j2048b (Sep 3, 2015)

time for a chiro appointment, i was having dizzy spells for 2 weeks straight, almost passed out a few times, and headaches... found out as POB has stated, my head had drifted forward and my bones thru my neck were all shifted to the left....

had a good shhhacracken and dizzyness and headaches gone in a SNAP!! (chiropractor joke haha snort haha)


of take imitrex? i suffer from migraines and get this stuff, its aaamazing! used for tension and cluster headaches as well...


----------



## MindlessWork (Sep 6, 2015)

I get migraines at times after a workout, considering I have been suffering from migraines for many years. Been to chiros and all that jazz, and get some relief but the migraines and headaches return after a while. I've always checked my form for exercises to try to rule that out but saw no issue there.

An ibuprofen 800 I would take, and that's before I get to bed.


----------

