Headaches/face pain, fatigue, and vertigo with exercise

Question

I have always been an active person, but about 5 years ago I started getting headaches/face pain with cardio. My head generally hurts all over, but it also feels like someone punched me in the bridge of my nose, my eye sockets ache, and my teeth throb.  I also have a little bit of dimming in the edges of my vision along with pulsing spots in the middle. During cool-down, everything seems to mostly go back to normal. Typically the following day I start getting immense fatigue and a constant mild headache for days. If I take motrin, the headache may go away, only to be there when the dose wears off. If I push it and continue working out, I will begin getting random bouts of vertigo lasting a couple seconds at a time. During all of this, my head feels like it is vibrating, I can be light/sound sensitive (which makes me short/grumpy.) I can't seem to increase muscle, and I also can't seem to lose fat through exercise. I have been through many doctors/specialists and they can't figure out what is going on...any thoughts? The neurologist thinks exercise induced headaches - indomethacin seems to advert the initial headache/face pain (not vision changes), and the aftermath seems to remain the same.

Paxiled · Accepted Answer

It sounds sort of vascular, like migraines but I'm not saying that's what it is.  Evening out your blood flow might help.  One thing that might do that is meditation.  Biofeedback has helped some with this problem.  I can't say that's the problem, but it's a possibility.

Paxiled · Answer

Meditation is very different than yoga.  Both can be great, but they aren't the same.  My situation was different, in that I knew they were migraines and you aren't sure -- my symptoms were more classic.  They started when I was 13.  By my early twenties I also had developed an ulcer, which in those days was always considered caused by stress.  My doctor -- mind you, this was in Oakland/Berkeley -- told me to try TM.  It took me a year to do it, but it's been about 40 years later and I've had 3 migraines and no evidence I ever had an ulcer.  Yet during most of those years I've had a terrible anxiety problem.  Somehow meditation evens out the blood flow.  Yoga isn't known for that.  So I would look into either TM or Mindfulness meditation and see if it doesn't help.  There are also some good natural remedies for migraines that don't involve the terrible headache -- one is called migraide, a homeopathic remedy, and the other better one is called Migraine Relief by Ridgecrest Herbals.  I hated the meds, in my day they were loaded with caffeine.  Good luck whatever it turns out to be.

gymdandee · Answer

Have you ever had a concussion?
Take this simple quiz to see whether you might
suffer from vertical heterophoria( VH)
Do you have headaches or facial pain
Do you have unexplained neck or shoulder
discomfort
Are you frequently dizzy or lightheaded?
Do you feel unsteady while walking or drift to the
side when walking
Do you have anxiety when going into a large
department store or in a crowd
Does riding in a car (especially the back seat) make
you feel dizzy or uncomfortable
Is it difficult to walk down a hill
If you answer yes to any of these questions,
the answer could be VH, and it can be treated.
A common symptom of VH patients is anxiety.
Check the following 
 www.vsofb.com/VHQ

ddsherbie · Answer

Hi gymdandee! Thank you for your response. Yes, I have had CT's and MRI's of my head and neck, and they found nothing. Well, they found sinusitis a couple times. It has been treated since, and it doesn't seem to make a difference when I'm feeling good. We are still working on my newly developed allergies of all plant life. ;) I work out primarily indoors, and take allergy meds. I do a warm up and cool down after cardio, and especially nowadays, I don't do intense workouts.

ddsherbie · Answer

Thank you for your thoughts! The neurologist said it might be migraines. He put me on Topomax as a preventative, and it made me feel awful. :/ I don't remember if I had a lot of options because my blood pressure tends to be low. I e tried holistic yoga and biofeedback before. It didn't fix it, but maybe if I can figure out a way to incorporate it somehow during exercise. I have tried electrolytes in the past, and coconut water, and trace minerals, and bananas, and multivitamins, and probiotics...lol! I've attempted quite a bit. I go through my cycles of being dedicated to tracking everything, and giving up. Especially on days that I work out, I tend to get 120 oz of water. I have done the whole 30 diet, and identified that my body doesn't like soy. I typically try to eat a generally whole 30 diet, but I am trying Isagenix in hopes that I can detox my problems away.

Paxiled · Answer

Only thing I want to say is, there's no reason for anyone to use an electrolyte sports drink.  Most are largely just sugar water, like Gator Aide.  There used to be some good ones in the health food stores that didn't have much sugar, but I don't know if they still exist.  But you can get your electrolytes through food and supplements if you need extra.

gymdandee · Answer

Have you had an MRI of your brain?
Before exercise do you warm up?  Stay hydrated before, during and after you workout! Before working out do you drink an electrolyte spots drink?

Headaches/face pain, fatigue, and vertigo with exercise

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