intense headache with bowel movement

[beebo66]

i had a bowel movement last night and in the midddle i got the most intense headache that creeped up my neck then felt like it exlopded in the top of my head!!! throbbing burning pain, lasted for about 4 hours, then subsided. had another bowel movement today, with the same headache but not as intense and didnt last but 1 hour. can you help me??? why? how? what can I do? im afraid to got to bathroom now!!!

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

Were you constipated?

Did you strain hard?

One differential here is exertion headaches. This type of headaches  are associated with exertion or straining. It may persist for several minutes after straining or exertion. I suggest however that you still have this assessed by your physician. If you have underlying hypertension and risk factors in the family ( eg stroke, heart problems and diabetes) ,then it is important that you be further evaluated.

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

There is also a possibility of this being a sinus headache. Do you have a runny nose, fever or a postnasal drip?
This could also be as rightly mentioned an  exertional headache which occurs on straining or exerting. I would suggest you to take enough fibre in your diet and also an OTC stool softener so that you don’t have to strain during bowel movement.

[cakline60]

This is strange, the same thing happened to me last nigt.  I got cramps, went to have a bowel movement and the most intense headache came on, throbbing, ringing in the ears.  I took medication and tried to sleep but it was still pounding for hours.  Today I feel achy and a dull headache.

[Kathy67]

Research in Switzerland links straining w/a BM w/ Migraine and possible heart conditions. May want to check this out.

[selmaS]

A condition called chiari malformation can  also cause the same type of headache with straining for a BM....
I am sure there r many different conditions that can result in this pain. See ur dr and he can determine with other symptoms if an MRI is needed.

"selma"

[MMP1221]

I too suffer from this and the common misconception is that the person is straining too hard.  This problem happens when my bowels are loose, I have never had this problem with a solid BM.  Though one is not straining in the sense of pushing but with every BM solid or loose, there is a little pressure with every expulsion.  However, this would not explain the splitting, throbbing headache that accompanies the small push.  In my case right before the expulsion, I get a hot/painful/nauseating pressure that feels like it is pushing up under my stomach, then the expulsion, then the headache.  Sometimes the headache stays, but more than not after 20 horrible minutes or so it is gone.

I has nothing to do with stress or post nasal drip or sinuses.  It may have something to do with food allergies and intolerances.  Just a guess but that is all I have right now to work with.

MMP  

[rohrer_m85]

what if nothing comes up on your MRI?? I am so confused. The doctors still cannot find anything wrong with me or why i am having such agganizing pain when i make a BM. they have even taken some spinal fluid to see if it was my medication i have been taking. i just want to know why eveytime i make a BM i get a really bad headache that lasts for days not just minutes?

[puddytatfree]

happens to me sometimes too it is so scary i really feel like i am gonna die.. no one will even listen to me casue i apear to be a healthy 41 year old..  i hurt for days after and if my blood pressure goes up at all in the following days it hits again : (

[Fabray]

I can't believe that I get on the internet and google headaches with bowel movement and found you guys!  I have actually vomited twice in a week during and had to grab a towel to use. Then tonight I had just the headache.  I have never been one to get many headaches but these are horrible.  (Mine are loose as well. ) I take some medications too.  I guess I better find a new doctor since mine stop taking my insurance coverage.  

[SoCalGirl11]

Same symptoms here & was just told it was constipation but doesn't seem related to me. Only happens with some BMs & headache subsides in 15-20 minutes

[andrea1010]

So I just had surgery on Thursday.  My first bowel movement after the surgery was on Wednesday.  I got such an intense headache after I thought I was gonna have a stroke or a blood vessal was gonna burst.  Thought it was maybe just a coinscidence, but today I had another bowel movement (no straining for either movement) and the same exact thing happended.  The pain started on the left side of my neck and exploded up through me head.  Since then, I have been terrified to have another BM.  I am truly scared that I will end up having a stroke.  To any of the others that this has happend, or is happening to, have any of u had surgery prior to this happening?

[daisy16108]

This happened to me this morning! What intense pain, I too thought I was going to die sitting on the toilet having a stroke!
Headache has subsided but not gone. I googled headache with BM and shocked to find this site. I am not constipated either, but am now petrified it will happen again.