Painful rush of bllod flow to my head

[Pulsingpain]

I am 32 - but when I was about 19 I was working out (bench pressing) and really excerting myself and most likely holding my breath while trying to push the weight up.  I remember feeling like a pop or burst of sudden pain and then could feel the blood pounding into my head via the back of my neck.  It was as if I could feel my pulse moving up the back of my neck and then with a bang, reaching my head/brain.  I thought I was dying as this was extremely painful and scary.  As my heartbeat slowed and the pulse to my brain slowed down, I knew it was going away.  But, I could then do it on command by getting a rush of blood to my head.  It would then happen whenever I over excerted myself or did anything physical which increased my heartrate or flow of blood to my head (??) - (ie. working out, sex, etc.).

After awhile, I went to the hospital as I was getting scared that this could be very serious (I am very bad at dealing with injuries or pain, as I have very high threshold for pain and simply ignore most or let them go away on there own etc.).  At this time I used to get headaches a lot and went through alot of tylanol each day - but this pusing pain was not a headache!  I could do it on command, and could make it go away by simply relaxing for a minute or two.  Anyways - while in the hospital for this horrible pulsating brain pain, one of the questions they asked was "do you get headaches" and I answered "yes, but this is not a headache, I can deal with the headaches".  As a result of the "headaches", I believe that everybody began to deal with treating my headaches, and not the actual pulsing thing I went to the hospital for.  However, they did do a cat scan and then a spinal tap (cant remember real name), and nothing showed up (spinal tap is wierd disgusting type of pain, and lady had hard time getting needle in, so it tok awhile of her digging around in my spine).  Eventually, after a very very long waiting period, I saw a Neurologist - but by then the pain had pretty much gone away or healed itself - it was about a year before I saw the neurologist.  He told me to stop taking tylanol and my headaches will go away - again, stil treating the headaches.  he was right, I dont take tylanol anymore and now get occasional headaches like everyone else instead of one a day & migrane a week type thing.  

It has been about 12 years since then - but I had the same thing happen last night while having sex with my wife.  I was really excerting myself and I think holding my breath for awhile - then - the rush of crazy pain running up the pack of my neck into my head.  I pretty much collapsed and laid like I was dead waiting and hoping it would slow down and go away as it did the first time it happened years ago.  This time was much worse and it took longer for it to slow down and go away (maybe because I am older and in worse physical shape so my body takes longer to reduce hearbeat??).  Anyways - I forgot about this and went to the gym this morning, and as soon as I started lifting weights, the puksing pain started to return.  I could do some lifting, but had to remain relaxed and breath properly etc. (probobly how supposed to work out - but cant do very much).  I did slow and long cardio instead, which was fine, but I think it would hurt if I was to do HITT or Interval Training like I do a few times a week.

I am worried and want to know if anyone knows what this could be?  I do not feel like spending the next year or so trying to explain to Dr.s that brush it off because "it is not happening now so I must be fine".

I have had many sports injuries over the years and am usually pretty god at knowing my body and guesing what might be wrong, even when some Dr.s originally mis-diagnosed the problem the first time or two I went in.  The neurologist I saw many years ago agreed with me that it could have been burst blood vessels in my head (I think that it what I thought it was back then?).

I would really appreciate any thoughts on this, or if it is something that anyone has heard of before.

Thx

[Kriptino]

I am 28 and this just happened to me one week ago today, I was having sex and as soon as I ejaculated I had this pain surge through the back of my neck like I had been stabbed right through my head to my right eye socket.  The pain was almost too much to handle, I thought I was going to pass out. I would have gone to the doctor but appointments take a long time to get where Im from and now Im on the other side of the world on a work trip. I still have one week to go on my trip and I'm really worried because the pain just comes back randomly throughout the day. I've never been someone who gets headaches but I have had them and this isn't a headache. Since this happened I've been light headed at times, the feelings of vertigo randomly, and when I lay down my neck starts pulsing again. I would really like to know if you ever found anything out about this, or maybe this isn't something I should now while in a foreign country.

[Philip_w]

I have experienced similar blood rush from the back of my neck up into my brain causing the pain. I remember it happening as a kid and now I have it off and on when I sit up or strain my neck. It feels like blood vessel bursting like your doctor mentioned but I'm worried it will be worse and cause aneurysm...is this even possible? i do take blood pressure medications since last year in my early 30's and it does make me feel considerably better but these pains are worrysome since you feel it in your brain not just a dull headache...

[Dr Rajgopal]

Hi, I can understand your problem. Please consult the same neurologist who saw you a few years back as he knows the case in detail.It will be better to go for MRI brain - plain and contrast. Please consult a cardiologist as well because high blood pressure is aggravating the condition. Hope this helps you. take care!