What are Exercise Headaches?
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Getting a headache during or after exercise can be seriously frustrating – especially if you have kept hydrated to try and stop them from happening.
But why do these headaches occur? And does keeping hydrated make any difference?
What are Exercise Headaches?
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Exercise headaches (also known as “exertional headaches”) are exactly what they sound like: headaches that occur either during, or after, exercise.
French doctor Jules Tinel first reported these headaches in the medical literature in 1932 and they’ve been a regular point of discussion since.
Exercise headaches commonly present as a throbbing pain on both sides of the head. They most often occur after strenuous exercise – although what is considered “strenuous” can differ between people, depending on their fitness levels. They can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days.
Exercise headaches are thought to impact about 12% of adults although this number varies from 1% all the way up to 26% across individual studies.
In most circumstances, these headaches are harmless and will resolve on their own, over time. Some research suggests you will stop getting them after a few months of starting a new type of workout.
What Causes Exercise Headaches?
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Despite a good amount of research looking at exertional headaches, we don’t know their exact cause, but we do think we know why they occur.
The leading theory suggests they are caused by changes in blood flow to the brain. During intense exercise, blood vessels in the brain dilate, increasing blood flow and pressure, leading to pain.
Because long-term exercise improves our cardiovascular health, including our ability to dilate and constrict our blood vessels, this theory makes sense when we consider that exercise headaches tend to resolve themselves over time. This might explain why research suggests fitter people are less likely to get exercise headaches.
People with migraines appear more likely to experience exercise headaches which are thought to be caused by this same mechanism.
Red Flags: When to See a Doctor
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Most exercise headaches resolve themselves after a few hours and result in no lasting negative effects.
In some rare instances, they could be sign of something more serious occurring in the brain, such as a subarachnoid haemorrhage (a bleed between the brain and the tissues that cover it), reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (a spasming of blood vessels), cervical artery dissection (or tear), intracranial hypertension (pressure in the brain), or an infection.
See a doctor to rule out anything serious if:
* it’s your first exercise headache
* the headache is severe and sudden (also known as a thunderclap headache)
* it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as vision changes, confusion, or sensations of weakness
* it lasts for more than 24 hours and doesn’t seem to be getting better
Can You Prevent Exercise Headaches?
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There is no surefire way to prevent exercise headaches.
But a recent review suggests that ensuring you’re adequately hydrated and gradually warm-up to your desired exercise intensity can make them less likely to occur.
Conclusion
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Exercise headaches are annoying, but are generally harmless and should subside on their own over time.
FAQs
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Q: What are exercise headaches?
A: Exercise headaches are headaches that occur during or after exercise.
Q: What causes exercise headaches?
A: The leading theory suggests that exercise headaches are caused by changes in blood flow to the brain.
Q: Can you prevent exercise headaches?
A: There is no surefire way to prevent exercise headaches, but ensuring you’re adequately hydrated and gradually warm-up to your desired exercise intensity can make them less likely to occur.
