Headaches when working out. What could be wrong

[phishers]

Whenever im pushing myself during working out, whether its a set of push ups or lifting weights at the end of the set when im really pushing like when my face will get red, i will get a pretty bad headache pretty much forcing me to discontinue the workout.  Just has started happening the last week, but it always seems to happen. Do I have a brain tumor or something, whats wrong? =(  

Thanks
Zach

[Lifesa0y]

I read your posting about what happened to you regarding your "weight lifter's heacache".  I agree it could be something more serious.  

Encephalitis: caused by HSV I, HSVII etc.  could have no symptoms at all or symptoms found on Mayo Clinic Website.

Here is another story:

My son goes to the gym and shares equipment with whomever goes to that gym too.  He does not have a compromised immune system, or dehydration, or heat exhaustion and is a healthy 18y/o...etc.  He complained of getting headache (HA) behind his eyes during his workout and ask me what I thought it was.  I thought he was not breathing correctly or had bad form.  Well, he took 3 days off and began to lifting again.  This time his HA was in the back of his head, came on all of a sudden, and he rated the pain an 8/10 with 10 being the worse pain he has ever felt.  I am not a doctor either, so I took him to the urgent care.  Everything came back negative.  

Unfortunately, It happened again, but worse.  This time when I took him to urgent care, they did an MRI and saw swelling in his brain and lab results revealed a virus in his spinal fluid.  They diagnosed him with encephalitis and told him to rest a week, practice good hygiene habits by wiping down equipment, and ease into workouts by taking Naproxen 500mg about an hour before his workouts.  They gave him further instructions:  only until the swelling was in control and the virus had passed about 7-14 days.

We found out Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV I and HSV II) is highly contagious and very common in sexually active people.  I explained my son was not sexually active yet.   They explained that it could be a latent disease and it is passed on through body fluids like sweat, and fomites like the gym equipment especially when someone has active/open lesions.  So, my son is not in the habit of wiping down the equipment to protect himself, and he may have gotten it from there.  Gross!

The physician assistant (PA) told him Naproxen or Aleve before every workout could make his blood too "thin" and may cause excessive bleeding if taken over a long period of time.  Also, that my son should just wipe down the equipment and place a towel or wear long shirts or pants or put other barrier down before using a piece of equipment to prevent getting herpes which could lead to encephalitis and thus the headaches.  I am still grossed out about the whole say 30 or 40y/o sweating and working out with all his contagious stuff floating around and then my son goes to use the equipment afterward, ewww! who knows where he has been and what girls/guys he has hooked up with.

Naproxen is a similar anti-imflammatory to Aleve.

[Budfrog]

Well I am so pleased I came across this site as it has put my mind to rest ... almost.

I am early 50s and have been into moderate fitness for most of my life. Lifestyle wise I stopped smoking around age 40, eat healthily band drink alcohol only at weekends and whilst on holiday. Being honest I do sometimes binge drink when the company is good or I feel in the mood.

Since being moved from an office where I had access to a free gym I have bought a few free weights and a good sit-up bench which I use daily for around 20-30mins.

Last Sunday I started doing my regular routine with 25 inverted sit-ups with no issue. However when I stared with the weights I had a sharp intense pain in the right side of my head at the back. The headache stayed with me for a couple of hours and after one paracetamol it subsided. On Monday I decided against the weights and just did 50 inverted sit-ups with no issue. Yesterday however I called into my local store to purchase some dumbells and whilst walking back to the car carrying them the same shooting pain returned but a lot shaper. I drove home and the headache was intense for most of the afternoon until some strong painkillers. Overnight I could sense the headache was still there and today (Wednesday) although not nearly as severe I still feel a slight headache in precisely the same spot.

Going back to the Sunday I was probably de-hydrated and had elevated Blood Pressure due to alcohol on Saturday evening so in one sense I only have my own stupidity to blame. It has acted as a real wake up call as far as alcohol is concerned and I will ensure from now on that I am fully hydrated and warmed up. I intend to rest and abstain for at least the next week and start only minimal exercise after that. Alcohol wise I need to make a complete re-assessment of my lifestyle and drink sensibly (if at all) in future.      

[vishvnath]

To: All
Agree with CuteNsweeT.

As you can see i posted the same issue of pinched nerve and headache  one month back.

and i believe i get rid off with this after doing the following things.

I took 2 week rest
After two weeks i again tried 20 reps high intensity Widowmaker Squat ,,And didnt got the headache again.

main issue is warm up,,,,if you are not properly warmed up than only it will come,

Second and most important is PROPER BREATHING is very necessary
Water intake and pre workout meal is also essential.

So far i,ve completed 2 session of high intensity LEG's workout,,,and didnt felt any issue,,,,,,let see further,,,,I'll update you guys,,,,

happy Lifting

[vishvnath]

Agree with CuteNsweeT.

As you can see i posted the same issue of pinched nerve and headache  one month back.

and i believe i get rid off with this after doing the following things.

I took 2 week rest
After two weeks i again tried 20 reps high intensity Widowmaker Squat ,,And didnt got the headache again.

main issue is warm up,,,,if you are not properly warmed up than only it will come,
Water intake and pre workout meal is also essential.

So far i,ve completed 2 session of high intensity LEG's workout,,,and didnt felt any issue,,,,,,let see further,,,,I'll update you guys,,,,

happy Lifting

[freddy911]

I had this really sharp pain on the right side of the head while doing forced deadlifts. The pain lasted all night. A week later, while doing barbell rows, by the 6th rep, this pain began to develop from the right side of my heck leading to my head. it would go away 2 minutes later.My neck would feel uncomfortable throughout the night. I went to chiropractor and he said its just a strained neck. He also mentioned to warm it up well before workout because we dont put the same stress on our neck like arms or legs. He said in my case it was nothing too serious because its only hurt when lots of pressure due to very intense workouts, but if you feel dizzy or throw up it might be a lil more serious.

[Feves1650]

So I talked to a Neurologist because it's been two weeks now and I've lifted 4 times.  Since the first one it's been first set that the sharp headache in the front left of my forehead comes.  He said if there was a neck pain it would probably be an exertion headache, but since it's so local and in the front of my head only I should get an MRI.  I will update with the results when I get them.  It is definitely a blood pressure straining something in the head, but if it were an aneurysm there would be some pain radiating further and down the neck.  The little advice I got from talking to a neurosurgeon on the phone was to get it checked out if it is a recurring local pain.