Knee Crippling Headaches Only During Workouts

[Boogz1218]

Hey there guys,

Figured I'd share what I am going through right now, in hopes that someone else has experienced something similar. Last week during my leg workout, myself and my partner were doing high rep leg presses. In the middle of the set, as the weight got fucking HEAVY, I guess I pressed my head back into the headrest too hard. When I got up and out of the seat, I had the most intense headache pulsating right above my right eye brow. I had to throw my towel over my head and go crouch in the corner, and massage my head. It subsided, and we carried on the workout. I was still able to work hard, and the headache never came back. I just chalked it up as a bad set. Next day was a rest day. Next day in, shoulders. I did all my warm ups, and I picked up the 75's to do my dumbell presses, and around my 8th rep, it hit again! I had to throw the dumbells down because I thought I might drop them on myself. Again, knee crippling, then it subsided, and I was able to finish the workout. This has been the pattern everyday I hit the gym. Worst headache ever during the 1st exercise, then it subsides, and I can continue. But it is an intense 5 minutes, during which, I am pretty much helpless.

When I put my fingers on the veins in my forehead right where it hurts, I can feel my pulse in those veins. The pain happens at the same exact rate in which the blood pulsates through the veins. I went to the Dr. yesterday, and he told me to take a week off from any type of working out. I also have an appt. with a neurologist in a month. I hope when I go back next Monday, it's all good.....but has anyone ever experienced anything like this before?

 

[Canucklehead]

How is your blood pressure dude?

 

[sassy69]

How is your blood pressure dude?

That's what I was thinking of too. Leg press is where I often get those throbbing headaches.

 

[Boogz1218]

When the doc checked my BP yesterday, everything was straight....

He straight up told me, that my situation is strange. Especially since the headaches aren't accompanied by any nausea, dizziness, loss of vision, or seeing 'stars' in my vision. I also went to my optometrist today, and everything was good with my eyes. The pictures of behind my eye ball were good too.

 

[Canucklehead]

Have you cut back your caffeine intake recently? I always get wicked headaches from caffeine withdrawals...

 

[Boogz1218]

The only caffeine I intake is the caffeine in my pwo. I have kept taking it as normal. I am pretty convinced that this all stemmed from the leg presses. But I'm scared that it is now reoccurring :/

 

[ThreeGigs]

I had headaches like that happening to me too. A little too much sodium in my diet had me a wee bit over-hydrated. Not enough to really push blood pressure up, but enough to take up most of the slack. I believe that when I warmed up and started doing my sets, the water released by the glycogen getting used in the muscles was causing an increase in blood volume, which spiked blood pressure, which combined with tightening up my core pushed my blood pressure over whatever pain threshold limit there was in one of my sinus cavities.

I lowered my sodium intake (quit eating so much ham), and instead of starting to drink extra water before my workout, I didn't start drinking until I started sweating. I also started paying more attention to my potassium intake. Now I don't get those headaches any more, unless I take a few days off from the gym and eat too many carbs.

It's also possible you 'ballooned' a blood vessel somewhere on that first leg day, and now that it's weak it's more easily ballooned again, causing the pain. So perhaps it's a good idea to follow the doc's advice and take a week off, and let things repair themselves.

 

[bjg]

headaches can have zillion causes.....and it aggravates when working out because blood pressure rises during lifting. It happens to me when i work out with not enough sleep,
reasons for headaches can be obvious , but sometimes they can go on all your life without any explanation...so you have to detect the reason by trial and error if there are no obvious reasons.
be patient, i know it is very annoying and it prevents you from working out sometimes

 

[btex34n88]

Do you take vitamins? Maybe a difficieny? I would go to the doctor. It's probably nothing, but that doesnt seem normal at all. I used to get migraines after my workouts on occasion, but that stopped years ago

 

[Boogz1218]

The doc recommended I see the neurologist, but that appointment isn't for a month. I haven't went to the gym since Monday, and will try again next Monday. He wants my results of that workout on Tuesday. I don't think it's a deficiency of anything. I take a multi daily, and have a well structured meal plan that I follow to a tee everyday, that I have followed since January. This is beyond frustrating. After doing some research on my own, it would seem these fall under the category of "Primary Exertion Headaches". Which doesn't make it any better, due to the fact that every piece of literature I have found on them states that there is too little information to really detect the cause. These seem to usually be treated by avoiding the activity (not planning on doing that past this week), and by taking an anti-inflammatory. He didn't seem to mention any of this though, which means that there probably is very little known about them. This whole situation blows. But when the headaches happen, I can see the arterie in my forehead pulsating, and actually feel it w/ my fingers. With each pump of this exact arterie, I feel the pain when they do onset.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

Try the following:

1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine intake or other pre workout stimulants if you're using any
2. Increase your daily water intake
3. Ensure your breathing during sets is on ball
4. Increase your rest between sets

If that doesn't solve your problem go get yourself checked out at the doctors (bloodwork, BP, etc)