You cannot ignore the condition in which you have a headache after training. Yes, you may have recovered poorly from the last session or overextended yourself today. Or, corny, do not follow the correct technique for performing heavy exercises. However, in some cases, this may be the first symptom of a serious illness.
In this article, we will voice all the reasons for a headache after the gym, as well as suggest ways to prevent this condition and ways of treatment. Read to the end - in the finale we will explain in what cases you should immediately see a doctor.
Why it hurts: 10 reasons
Headache after training in the gym is most often due to high loads. Any physical activity for the body is a shock. A stressful situation triggers protective reactions - thermoregulation, maintenance of optimal water-salt metabolism, increased blood flow for better cell nutrition, etc. As a result, the nutrition of the brain fades into the background, the vessels in the head are sharply narrowed.
With a moderate load, the body is able to maintain a balance in which none of the vital systems suffers. However, if you practice frequent workouts, get little rest, and at the same time constantly increase the intensity, it should come as no surprise that you have a headache after exercise. Most often, the headache is accompanied by nausea, muscle pain, insomnia, fatigue, and general unwell.
Unfortunately, however, overtraining is far from the only reason.
So why after a workout there is a headache and nausea, let's announce a list of possible explanations:
- Active training without proper recovery. We wrote about this above;
- A sharp jump in pressure. It often happens if you increase the load abruptly, without preparation;
- Lack of oxygen. During training, oxygen is first supplied to the muscles, and only then to the brain. Sometimes the situation develops into hypoxia, in which pain is inevitable;
- Disruption of normal blood circulation. As a result of the load on specific muscles and organs, blood begins to flow to them more strongly. In this case, the rest of the organs are affected;
- Dehydration. A dangerous condition in which the head after training most often hurts in the temples. Remember to drink plenty of water during exercise and before and after;
- Hypoglycemia. To put it simply, a drop in blood sugar levels. Associated with intense exercise, especially with a low-carb diet.
- Incorrect technique for performing strength exercises. Most often it is associated with improper breathing technique or improper execution of movements, in which the shoulders and neck receive the main load;
- If your child has a headache after training, gently ask if he bumped, if he fell, if there were any uncomfortable sharp movements of the neck or head, which were accompanied by sharp pain. Especially if your head hurts after training in boxing or another high-impact sport;
- When the back of the head hurts after training, you should make sure that you have not injured your neck or stretched your back muscles;
- Stress, depression, bad mood, or psychological stress can also be the reasons for which you have pain somewhere.
Well, we found out why after fitness some people have a headache, have you found your explanation? Check out the solutions below.
What to do when your head hurts
If you have a severe headache after training immediately or the next day, it is clear that it becomes very difficult to endure. But do not rush to immediately run to the pharmacy for medicines, because there are universal methods for solving the problem.
So what to do if you have a headache after training:
- Stop immediately;
- Take a contrast shower or warm bath;
- Brew herbal tea from mint, lemon balm, chamomile, coltsfoot, St. John's wort;
- Measure the pressure, make sure that the reason is not a sudden jump in one direction or another;
- Lie quietly, positioned so that your head is higher than your legs;
- If you have lavender oil, rub it into whiskey;
If all else fails, and the pain only intensifies, in this case it makes sense to take medicine.
Please note that the decision on taking medications must be made by the doctor. If you go to the pharmacy yourself, then you are acting at your own peril and risk. In this article, we only point out ways to solve the problem, but in no case do we recommend acting on your own.
What medications can help?
- Analgesics - relieve acute pain syndrome;
- Antispasmodics - eliminate muscle spasm, relieve pain;
- Medicines to normalize blood pressure - only if you are sure that the cause is in blood pressure;
- Vasodilators - expand blood flow and eliminate hypoxia;
Preventive actions
To prevent conditions that cause a headache after every intense workout, follow these guidelines:
- Don't come to workout with a full stomach. After the last meal, at least 2 hours should pass;
- Before buying a subscription, go through a medical examination to be sure that training is not contraindicated for you;
- Never come to the gym if you feel unwell or get sick;
- Get enough sleep and get enough rest;
- Always start training with a warm-up, and after the main part, cool down;
- Increase the load on any muscle groups smoothly;
- Observe the correct exercise technique;
- Don't forget to drink water;
- Make sure to follow the correct breathing technique;
- Monitor your heart rate.
These simple rules minimize the risk of developing a headache, but only if the cause is one-time and is not associated with a serious problem.
When should you be alert and see a doctor?
If you have a persistent headache after a workout, and no remedies work, check for any of the other symptoms listed below:
- Periodic fainting;
- The pain does not go away at all, even the next day, until the next workout;
- In addition to the fact that the head hurts, there is confusion, mental disorder;
- Convulsive seizures occur;
- The pain is periodic, develops instantly and also goes away rapidly within a few seconds;
- Migraine is accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting;
- In addition to the head, the spine, neck hurts, eyeballs crush;
- You have recently suffered an infectious disease.
We recommend that you do not delay your visit to the doctor in any case. This symptomatology cannot be ignored. If your health is dear to you, do not save either time or money - go through a comprehensive examination. Remember, people normally don't have headaches after exercise. Any pain is a signal, a way of the body to notify the owner that something is going wrong. React in time!