Exercise Induced Headache

[Barbara]

Hi there.  I'm a very healthy 40 year old woman who plays tennis 3-4 a week and hits the gym twice a week.  Over the past few months, I've noticed that whenever I begin a cardio workout (either Stairmaster or tennis) I get a pounding headache!!
Today, after a 3 hour match, I came home and immediately had the headache.  I called my internal medicine doc, and she suggested a sinus infection.  I've never had sinus problems before.  
This may be in the wrong Forum, but I read once that headaches are often associated with heart or high blood pressure.
Also, I have been getting rather lightheaded and feeling dizzy (mildly, but enough to worry!).

Any connection??????
Thanks for your advice!

[ballerinaM]

A related discussion, exercise induced headache mystery was started.

[mere123]

I'm 15 years old and ive been having terrible migraines after or during exercise since 4th grade. lately they've been so bad i vomit 5 or 6 times. doctors have givien me imitrex nasal spray and other medicines to help, but nothing works. My mom's friend said if you take an IB Profin before you exercise, you dont get a migraine as often. And my doctor told me it may be dehydration, too.

[Dan]

is it normal to have elevated blood pressure 150/90 immediately after exercise?

[Colleen]

hi i know what you are going through. i am a 25 year old very ctive woman who has been getting exercise induced migraines since i was in grade 7. whether it was mild sports or strenuous, it always happened. i had a Holter that showed unexplained tachycardia so they put me on digoxin and sent me away. it was working but has come back with intense exercise . i'm going through more tests but if you have had any luck let me know b/c they can't see to figure out what's really wrong. good luck.. ps ask about wolf-parkinson-whyte syndrome.

[Ken]

It's nice to see I'm not alone. I am a 39 year old man and I have exactly the same problem Barbara has getting headaches following exercise.  I am in the middle of a battery of tests, and no one can seem to figure out what the problem is.  I've had a stress test, CT scan, a myriad of urine tests, CPK level blood tests among others, and everything is normal.  My next step is an MRI.  It almost seems like my internal thermostat shuts down because my sweating stops after a while. The exercise doesn't have to strenuous either. I can get a headache golfing in hot weather! I want to exericse, but I am afraid. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your help.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

It could be high blood pressure.  There is an elevation of blood pressure that occurs during exercise.  If you have normal resting blood pressure however this is unlikely.  I woud recommend you check your blood pressure next time you experience one of these episodes to find out if this could be a cause.