Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout.
Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout.. Always worked out off and on in my life.. I am 29 year old male.. I was off the weights for two years so decided to get back in the gym.. Three weeks into my work outs i attempted to do deadlifts for first time and I was straining like never before.. Well I felt head pains during that workout.. And following that day i had head pains all day until i went to bed... Now everytime i go to work out I get sharp pains in my head coming from my neck.. And it throbs like something is going to burst.. I continue to workout and the pain milds a little and I just feel pressure on my left side of my skull.. Eventually the headache goes away until I finish the workout then the head ache comes back and stays with me until I rest and go to bed again... I have taken two weeks off to see if this was from strain but when i went back into the gym after two weeks it was like I never had taken time off.. The pains continued right where they left off.. I just feel there is nothing that can be done for me now because this is in my brain and not even a doctor has a fix for this... My life has not even begun and I feel it is about to be over without me having a c hoice...
The following user gives a hug of support to Miracle1day: sjb (08-07-2012)
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
Greetings Miracle1day! Welcome to the Headaches and Migraines Health boards. I hope the desired support and comfort is found. Well I would get an Magnetic Resonance Imaging test done right away with the Emergency Room. I would at least do a neurologist consult in case there is an aneurysm caused by the high blood pressures of weight lifting and the possible weakening of the thin blood vessel walls making a balloon in them. If it breaks brain damage may occur. If it is caught in time and operated on there is a chance that much can be preserved. Of course there are some risks with surgery also which need to be looked at.
At the very least I would avoid weight lifting and do brisk walking for exercise instead.
Of course there are other causes of headaches and aneurysms such as fungus and monosodium glutamate, chemicals or non food substances in the body, heat, tension, smoking, infections etc. so the neurologist can determine the true cause.
Everyone is in charge of their own health care decision and is responsible for their own health care choices. Peace, sjb
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
I was getting bad headaches that would pulse on my left side of my head but I was trying to lift really heavy everytime.. Since then i have taken a two weeks off and now i started up again but lifting mild and no headaches are present... Am I healed or should I still get the mri? I seen two doctors and they said it was up to me but they suspect it was from exersion.. Is the Doctor experience enough for me to rule out any damage? Can you over exert something in your brain and not cause damage? One of the doctors was nuerologist.
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
Greetings! An aneurysm as far as I know, if one was made from heavy weight lifting or a heavy valsalva maneuver does not heal on its own and must be surgically corrected. I would not do any further lifting at all until an aneurysm has been completely ruled out. I would still get the magnetic resonance imaging. Of course everyone chooses what they want to do for health and is responsible. Peace, sjb
Last edited by sjb; 08-09-2012 at 05:38 AM.
Reason: minor word corrections
The Following User Says Thank You to sjb For This Useful Post: Miracle1day (08-09-2012)
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
Follow up: Did get MRI/MRA on brain and well the Dr. did say 6% of anuerysm go undetected but that everything turned out normal and nothing was detected.. I guess I will just have to deal with the mild headaches... It is like something is pinched in my neck causing the headaches because I still get them just not so severe.. Either way I guess the upside is it is not life threatening at this time..
The following user gives a hug of support to Miracle1day: sjb (09-16-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to Miracle1day For This Useful Post: sjb (09-16-2012)
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
Greetings thank-you so much for checking. I am glad things turned out well. I would still avoid activities that cause pain though if possible. Peace sjb
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout.
Thanks.. Will try to stay away from strenious activities for a while but I just find it weird that since this incident now I have frequent mild headaches in same area that was giving me trouble.. Unexplainable why this is happening so I guess only time will tell?
Re: Really bad head pain during and after a weight lifting workout..
I'm very glad your MRI turned out well. It could very well be regular exertion headaches, which are very similar to migraines. I get these and over time had to change up my workouts because they kept getting worse. I find that it's worse if I work out in the heat, so I stick with the gym. I love working out and know it's frustrating when you can't do what you want. I had to give up a lot of weights due to neck issues and hernia repair troubles. For exertion headaches, I find that I can't let my heart rate get up too high or I'll get one. I check it often and slow down when needed. I also do lower impact exercise these days. If I get an exertion headache, there isn't much I can do that it helps it. I usually take my migraine medication and try to go to sleep before it gets worse. It doesn't always respond to medication. I get the throbbing pain and nausea, but I don't actually throw up like I do with migraines, so I can usually just lay down in a dark room and try to sleep. I hope that your pains eventually stop or at least improve! Just take a little break when needed during your lifting
Welcome to the Headaches and Migraines Health boards. 
I hope the desired support and comfort is found. Well I would get an Magnetic Resonance Imaging test done right away with the Emergency Room. I would at least do a neurologist consult in case there is an aneurysm caused by the high blood pressures of weight lifting and the possible weakening of the thin blood vessel walls making a balloon in them. If it breaks brain damage may occur. 
Peace, sjb
