Headaches

[81Charger]

Hi all, I'm just wondering if anyone else will get headaches from exercise. This doesn't happen to me very often but once in a while, when I'm doing something like jump rope or something that really gets my heart beating I will get these headaches. As soon as I stop and my heart rate comes back down the headache will go away. Just curious what would cause this.

Thanks Glenn

[ElliotB]

Perhaps you should refrain from activities that cause you headaches. I am not saying not to exercise, just to adjust the intensity of what you are doing so you don't get a headache.

My experience is the opposite of yours. I have nerve pain and get mild 'MS' headaches from time to time (regular pain relievers do not help) and the only way I can get temporary relief from the discomfort is through mild exercise like walking or lightly exercising on an elliptical for about a half hour. A hot bath for 30 minutes also gives me temporary relief.

But I never have gotten a headache from any kind of exercise but I do not typically do any vigorous exercise for more than a short period of time.

Do you keep track of your heart rate while exercising?

What specific exercises aside from jumping rope give you headaches? If you get your heart rate up without 'bouncing' around, a stationery bike for example, do you still get headaches?

[81Charger]

Thanks for your reply, I wouldn't classify these headaches as severe or anything, You brought up a good point that the only exercise that this has ever happened is with jump rope. So maybe it's the jumping that's causing this, the only weird thing is this happens not very often and only happens in the morning not when I jump rope at night.

[NHE]

It might be interesting to check your blood pressure, e.g., exercise with headache vs. exercise without headache.

[Zyklon]

Hello,

Do you do ropes for cardio or balance?

[jimmylegs]

i used to get bad headaches in high school during gymnastics practice.
the gym coach said the headaches were because i was dehydrated.
in hindsight dehydration was consistent with my chronic low blood pressure. i didn't put two and two together until decades later.
i've never looked into it and don't know your routine, but common sense suggests if one were borderline where headaches from dehydration are concerned, that overnight would likely be the longest stretch without fluid replenishment.

[81Charger]

I do ropes for cardio and to try and strengthen my feet and legs. I never thought about dehydration I usually drink over 2L a day of fluids. But you are correct in the morning would be my longest stretch without fluids. Blood pressure could be something, I normally have fairly low blood pressure. My pulse rate normally is slow as well, if that would be anything.

[Zyklon]

I think ropes for cardio is not a good idea for us since it shakes your body. I prefer elliptical bikes.

I agree with J. Maybe try a magnesium supplement with a glass of water before exercise?

[jimmylegs]

hi again can i ask for more detail re the 2L of fluids? eg if water, what kind of water specifically? groundwater? city tap? filtered? bottled and if so which brand? z's mention of magnesium is important - its among several essentials your body needs in order to properly utilize the water you consume.

also is the 2L intake tailored to your body size?
weight in kg * 33 = X ml
weight in lbs / 2 = X ounces

one relevant resource
Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking-water - Public health significance
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/han ... 50_eng.pdf

[81Charger]

I take 2 Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium 100mg per day. I drink at least 1L of ground water, 500ml of kombucha and 500ml of a drink that I make every morning consisting of flax seed oil, 1/2 table spoon of ground flax seeds, beet juice, blended smoothie juice, pomegranate juice and cranberry juice, I weigh 175lbs

[jimmylegs]

ok good info.

presumably the ground water has better mineral content than city water would, although if relevant, it's known that north american ground water can come up short in minerals compared to some euro sources.

re amount, by weight you're probably looking at 2.75 L or about 11 c. of fluids per day.
conservatively, you could say 20% of that can come from food, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5084017/
leaving about 2.2 L or 8.75 c. of fluids.
so, 2L+ should be getting you there, probably with extra whenever you're doing lots of sweating

re daily mag. some authors have suggested between 7 and 10 mg/kg body weight, based on a spectrum of increased demands/depleting factors associated with environment/culture.
for your body size, that would be 560mg to 800mg magnesium intake daily.
so if your status quo food, fluids and any other supplements are not getting you to at least 360mg mag per day (and it is very status quo for mag intakes to be less than that), you may want to consider adding a third doc's best each day.

hopefully something in there will help

[81Charger]

You mention sweating, that's one thing that I don't do I rarely sweat. I think that's why heat bothers me so much.

[jimmylegs]

i can imagine. i sweat at the drop of a hat. what has your doc had to say about it? the only low-hanging fruit i can see among causes, is dehydration :S

[81Charger]

I don't think that I have ever asked my Dr or neuro. I haven't seen either one in a couple of years now. I'm going to try drinking more to see, I feel that I run to the bathroom to much as it is though. One other thing that I do is take a table spoon of cayenne pepper everyday, there isn't a chance that would be causing me not to sweat is there? I've done this for a few years but it's been a few years since I've sweat. That thought just came to me.

[jimmylegs]

hmm i don't know about the cayenne, but in the research, it does look like there's a sensory/autonomic nervous system connection to hypohidrosis/anhidrosis fwiw!