Hello, Im 46 male from México, I used to work out real heavy until had to undergo a surgery in my left knee due to condromalacia. I took a month off, had little rehab and when getting back to hit the gym I was hankering to get my fit hefty condition of my legs again. That made me work out crazy hard, lifting up 220 lbs on leg extension.What a stupidity I did, just to permanently hurt my knee. After several months off from the gym, to see If it would heal on its own, had no positive response so went back to the gym and started out with leg press with light weights and progressively adding up to heavy weights, like 250 lbs. I found myself cheating, the pain inside my left knee wouldnt let me do the exercise right so my right leg started to get thicker than my left and the leg press machine was getting unbalanced too. A year or so after, walking down the street felt this excruciating pain, somewhere on top left side of my head,had to stop and hold my head for a few seconds and just as it came on it went away. Believed that was it. Kept working out my legs but during excercising headaches started to come on more often not letting me to finish my routine. Nowadays, 15 years later, nobody have been able to help me out. I quit excersing my legs, and even running or walk briskly for a very short period of time would trigger my headache and if I dont take a pain killer it will start pounding my left side of my head until engulfing my entire head. Dr. ordered a CT scan, coming back negative, went to chiropractors, massage therapists and they all say, theres nothing else to do. What it really gets my attention after reading all this posts is I only get this throbbing pain exercising whatever involves my legs, nothing else, I may push myself to the limit in anyother part of my body without a single tingling in my head. Once I get it I cant do any straining exercise or activity or even bending over until it subsides and that occurs 2 or 3 hours after taking a couple of caffee aspirines. I want to point out that maybe theres something wrong halfway my neck and left shoulder, its a little bulgy muscle, whenever I push on it hard kind of mimic the pain in my head. Theres also a sensitive point down my back in between my spine and my left scapulae, also push on it hard and tries to trigger my headache. Man, what the heck have I got, nobody seems to be able to help me out. I seriously appreciate any help.
Hello,
This headache that you are having is an exertional headache.They are a group of headache syndromes, which are associated with some physical activity. These headaches typically become severe very quickly after a strenuous activity such as weight lifting or sexual intercourse.
It is important to get an MRI head and MRA brain in exertional headaches to rule out any underlying organic cause.Sometimes it is associated with migraine.You can take some anti-inflammatory pain killer like acetaminophen or aspirin. Some patients are particularly responsive to indomethacin also.
Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.