One cycle of HST i would get to the bench exercise and would have a headache in the back of my head/neck. I would finish the rep and it would go away until i started my next set. then i could go on with rest of my cycle for the day with nothing more happening. I made a post because of it and people said it's my breathing. This time my cycle i am having the same problem but i am in so much pain i can't finish my workout. I am pretty sure it's not my breathing at all. any suggestions, of course i am going to see a doctor. just wondering if anyone else had this problem.
Need advice-Headaches HST
- Thread starter rosse8615
- Start date
I've gotten them a couple of times within the last year. They are called exertion headaches in case you didn't know. I never went to a doctor but I did search the internet for everything I could find. I found the same answer as you did - breathing. I think that it may have been my breathing. I now focus on exhaling deeply on the positive and inhaling deeply on the negative. It seems to have worked so far (about 3 months without a headache). This advice may be a little late but I'll give it to you anyway: Do not try to just work through it. The more severe you let it get, the longer it will take to heal. It took me about a month and a half to recover from the first one because I tried to just work through it. It only took 2 weeks for the second one because I immediately stopped working out as soon as I felt it coming on.
It's good that you're going to see a doctor but it's probably just going to have to heal on its own. I've read that indomethacin is sometimes used to treat them.
It's good that you're going to see a doctor but it's probably just going to have to heal on its own. I've read that indomethacin is sometimes used to treat them.
Martin Levac
New Member
Contracting a muscle for a long time will cause pain at some point. There are muscles attached to the base of the skull, we use those to pull the head back. These are very sensitive to tension and pain will result from too much tension or contracting them for too long. Massage them, especially at the point they attach to the skull.
Also, like contracting the hand causes the entire arm muscles to contract sympathetically especially when lifting a heavy object, contracting the jaw muscles will have a similar effect on the entire skull musculature including those at the back of the skull. Massage the temple muscles and the jaw muscles to relieve tension as well.
Even if that's not the cause of the headaches, it can't hurt. I mean, it will hurt when you massage those muscles but you get the picture.
Also, like contracting the hand causes the entire arm muscles to contract sympathetically especially when lifting a heavy object, contracting the jaw muscles will have a similar effect on the entire skull musculature including those at the back of the skull. Massage the temple muscles and the jaw muscles to relieve tension as well.
Even if that's not the cause of the headaches, it can't hurt. I mean, it will hurt when you massage those muscles but you get the picture.
thanks guys, the doctor said exactly what you've mention. i pulled the muscle when lifting or moved it weird at a random point, which pulled it. He said to give it a couple days rest. I want to get back in the gym asap. so i am not benching monday, and see how i handle all other exercises. besides breathing, which i thought i was doing right. is there anything else to prevent it. last cycle it bothered me in the 3/4 week but after that it didn't bother anymore until this cycle.
bgates1654
New Member
This may or may not be an exertion headache though. Some people seem to automatically push their head into the bench when they are benching hard. Try to bench while pulling your head 1 inch off of the bench and see if that relieves your pain.
Otherwise I have found that the partial Valsalva works well in keeping the right amount of pressure to avoid headaches. I have found that holding my breath completely can give me headaches as well as letting the pressure release too quickly. Essentially this is what people that hiss or grunt are doing. They are releasing a small amount of air under load. I have found that even after unloading the bar from my shoulder after doing OHPs I have to breath out somewhat slowly otherwise my blood pressure drops enough to give me tunnel vision and a headache.
If it only occurs while benching then number 1 is probably the correct scenario.
Otherwise I have found that the partial Valsalva works well in keeping the right amount of pressure to avoid headaches. I have found that holding my breath completely can give me headaches as well as letting the pressure release too quickly. Essentially this is what people that hiss or grunt are doing. They are releasing a small amount of air under load. I have found that even after unloading the bar from my shoulder after doing OHPs I have to breath out somewhat slowly otherwise my blood pressure drops enough to give me tunnel vision and a headache.
If it only occurs while benching then number 1 is probably the correct scenario.
Like BG mentioned, consciously keeping your head slightly off the bench can help prevent pushing with your head.
I haven't had a lifting induced headache for a long time now. One thing I always do when benching is to release small amounts of air on the concentric when necessary (ie. when I feel the pressure building up too much). I top up my breath at the start of each rep so I am always keeping my lungs as full as possible during most of each rep, keeping my torso as stable as possible.
Hope you manage to get this sorted.
I haven't had a lifting induced headache for a long time now. One thing I always do when benching is to release small amounts of air on the concentric when necessary (ie. when I feel the pressure building up too much). I top up my breath at the start of each rep so I am always keeping my lungs as full as possible during most of each rep, keeping my torso as stable as possible.
Hope you manage to get this sorted.