After exercise headache - more serious than you think?

by James Cottrill

It's surprisingly common - you're exercising, everything's fine, and then POW - a headache strikes! Or, sometimes, a headache hits while you're exercising. Is it just a minor annoyance? Or could it be a signal that something serious is going on? Should you go to the doctor, or just shrug it off?

If you already suffer from headaches or migraine, it may just be that your exercise is starting the headache chain-reaction. In that case, it's important to look at the overall picture and make sure you're getting the treatment you need for headaches. Your doctor may recommend a pain killer to take just before you exercise, to stop the pain before it starts.

In the case of migraine, this is called an "effort migraine", and it's very common. A throbbing headache in the back of your head may be an "exertion headache", which again usually requires some pain killers and is not serious.

But after exercise headache can be a warning that something serious is going on. As a general rule of thumb, if you get a new headache after you exercise, you should see a doctor right away. Any sudden change when it comes to headache could be a sign of something serious, so don't wait.

Some of the more serious headaches have to do with the blood vessels in the head. A headache after exercise could indicate an abnormality in the blood vessels themselves, or could warn you of a brain hemorrhage (or haemorrhage) (blood flow when blood vessels break).

If you're exercising in the heat and begin to have sore muscles, difficulty breathing, and dizziness along with headache, you could be experiencing early signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. You'll soon be past helping yourself, but friends will need to make sure your body is cooled off quickly.

Of course, everyone is afraid of brain tumours. Tumours (tumors) are very rare, so don't panic at the first sign of headache. Unlike typical headaches, these generally get worse over the course of several weeks, and are usually worse in the morning. They get worse when you exercise, and almost always include other symptoms, such as blurred vision, unsteadiness or weakness. Again, if you get a new headache, see your doctor right away. You want to catch these things as early as possible.

Here are some other things that may tip you off that your exercise headache is very serious: - You have injured your head in the past - You experience paralysis or a tingling sensation - Your neck is stiff - You're waking up at night with pain - The headache isn't going away - You're experiencing other symptoms elsewhere - Any other change in symptoms

Remember, even if you have other symptoms, it may not be an immediate problem. But it's worth it to talk to your doctor and remove all doubt. Even if it's not a sign of another disease, dealing with the pain will help you benefit more from exercise and your relaxing time too. Your health is worth it!


About the Author
James Cottrill is a health writer at http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com . He lives with his wife and children in the shadow of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. You can read more about exercise headache at http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/after-exercise-headache.html

Famous Migraine Sufferers

Think you’re alone in suffering from migraines? When the really bad ones hit, it certainly seems as you alone are the only suffering. As a matter of fact, however, not only are migraines incredibly common, but some of the most famous and well-known people in history have suffered from this debilitating neurological disease.

Not only have famous people suffered migraines, but some of those people have actually left behind artistic records of their pain and suffering. In fact, Lewis Carroll’s timeless children’s classics about Alice in Wonderland are thought to have been inspired by Carroll’s migraine with auras.

Goodness knows there are precious few, if any, people in this world—whether migraines sufferers or not—who haven’t gotten at least a figurative headache from the boneheaded decisions of politicians. But several of the most famous and infamous politicians in history suffered migraines themselves. Among the biggest headache causers and sufferers were Roman dictator and future salad inspiration, Julius Caesar, and French emperor and future pastry inspiration Napoleon Bonaparte.

With all those cannons and muskets going off, is it any wonder than Thomas Jefferson would get a headache while writing the Declaration of Independence. And talk about your irony, or rather your coincidences: Both the commanding generals on each side of the American Civil War, Robert E. Lee for the Confederacy and Ulysses S. Grant for the Union were both migraine sufferers.

Lewis Carroll wasn’t the only writer to suffer from headaches, nor was his the only books to be written in response to effects of migraines. Migraines influenced the work of Virginia Woolf and Miguel de Cervantes. Emily Dickinson even a poem about migraines, utilizing as a metaphor the disease the very apt image of coffin nails.

Even more so than writers, painters have been especially moved to create artwork reflecting their state of mind during the pangs of migraine headaches. Impressionist paintings by Vincent Van Gogh have been variously described as being influenced by cataracts and insanity. One of the latest theories attributes his unique paint strokes and vivid colors to visual disturbances stemming from migraine auras. The technique of pointillism—large images created by the eye piecing together small dots of color—created by fellow Impression Georges Seurat also bears a resemblance to visual images that people have reported seeing during the aura stage.

If listening to someone drone on about their therapy sessions with a psychoanalyst has ever given you a headache, you may be happy to know that the Father of Psychoanalysis himself, Sigmund Freud, is assumed to have suffered from migraines.

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche theorized the concept of the Uberman, a master race. One can only assume that he felt he himself belonged to this elevated plateau. Still, one can’t help but think maybe Ubermen should somehow be above such mundane problems as headaches. Unfortunately, Nietzsche was, indeed, plagued by migraines. So much for a master race, I suppose.

Musicians and actors have also been prone to migraines. Among his other maladies, the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley, was prone to headaches. Other celebrities who have admitted to battling headaches include actress and comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, British royal family member Princess Margaret, and even Cindy Brady herself, actress Susan Olsen.

As an example of just how debilitating migraine headaches can be and of how democratic the disease can be, consider the story of Terrell Davis, migraine sufferer and star American football player in the NFL. The end of the football season in American culminates, of course, with the Super Bowl. During Super Bowl XXXII Davis, the running back for the Denver Broncos and the eventual Most Valuable Player of the game, missed the second quarter of the game because of a migraine. Smack in the middle of the biggest game of his career, Davis found himself unable to continue playing because of the onset of a terrible headache pain along with double vision.

Because Davis had informed himself and educated himself about his disease, however, he was able to return to play after halftime. He had kept a journal and was aware of exactly what triggers were involved, allowing him to overcome the effects of the migraine.

Biofeedback and Migraines

One method of alternative treatment for migraines that is increasing in popularity is biofeedback.

Biofeedback is basically a way for a person to learn control over a body function. Functions that include muscle tension and even levels of hormones in the blood have a direct influence upon headaches. By using biofeedback techniques, information concerning these functions are supplied to the person undergoing the technique.

A biofeedback session begins with a technician attaching your body via wires to a computer that will monitor such things as heart rate, brain waves, pulse, muscle activities, perspiration and skin temperature. The readings of these monitors will be presented as sounds or as video images. There are basically two goals involved in biofeedback. Making yourself more attuned with how you feel when your body is undergoing a variety of physical changes, for instance, changes in blood pressure, and secondly, teaching you how to adjust your physical responses so that you can effectively avoid problems associated with them, such as migraines. The biofeedback sessions typically last from thirty to sixty minutes, whereas the actual number of sessions you will need depend greatly upon your condition as well as the progress you make. Regardless of how well you respond, it is best not to exceed fifteen sessions. The final step involved in biofeedback technique is fully understanding what you have learned and then effectively applying it to you lifestyle without the benefit of the biofeedback machines.

Not all biofeedback is alike. Indeed there are a variety of methods and the one you choose will be dependent upon your individual needs.

Electromyogram (EMG). An EMG uses electrodes or other types of sensors to measure muscle tension. By alerting you to muscle tension, you can learn to recognize the feeling early on and try to control the tension right away. EMG is mainly used to promote the relaxation of those muscles involved in backaches, headaches, neck pain and grinding your teeth. An EMG may be used to treat some illnesses whose symptoms tend to worsen under stress, such as asthma and ulcers.

Temperature biofeedback. Sensors attached to your fingers or feet measure your skin temperature. Because your temperature often drops when you're under stress, a low reading can prompt you to begin relaxation techniques. Temperature biofeedback can help treat certain circulatory disorders, such as Reynaud's disease, or reduce the frequency of migraines.

Galvanic skin response training. Sensors measure the activity of your sweat glands and the amount of perspiration on your skin, alerting you to anxiety. This information can be useful in treating emotional disorders such as phobias, anxiety and stuttering.

Electroencephalogram (EEG). An EEG monitors the activity of brain waves linked to different mental states, such as wakefulness, relaxation, calmness, light sleep and deep sleep.

Biofeedback has proven an effective method for many seeking alternative, non-traditional, non-medicated relief from migraine. There are several appealing factors at play in choosing to undergo biofeedback. For one thing, if successful if you reduce and possibly eliminate your dependence upon drugs. For those who don't respond to medication, it potentially can help your situation significantly. Once you begin biofeedback you may get the extra-added appeal of feeling as if you have genuine control over your disease. And, last but hardly least, it could seriously curtail your medical expenses.

However, like all other treatments, there are some drawbacks. For instance, if you are one of those anal-retentive types who have to know how something works instead on relying on the fact that it does work, you should know that experts aren't completely certain of the why when it comes to biofeedback. Many people who are consistently successful at using it to fend of a variety of health problems are totally ignorant of how they do it; all they can tell you is that their symptoms have subsided with the help of this technique where they didn't subside with any other.

Although biofeedback is considered to one of the safer methods of migraine treatment, it is still recommended that you discuss it with a doctor who is knowledgeable about the technique. You should also be aware that biofeedback has been known to interfere with the use of some medications, such as insulin.

The Monthly Headache - and how to kill it

by James Cottrill

For those who didn't know already, it's becoming more and more clear that headaches and hormones are linked. Of course, there are countless sufferers who could have told you that already. But what can be done about them? Are some treatments more effective than others?

If you're a woman getting a monthly headache, there's a strong chance it's migraine. The trend seems to be that changes in estrogen and progesterone levels trigger migraine attacks. It's believed that there's a link between estrogen and serotonin, a chemical which seems to be closely related to migraine. When the estrogen in your body drops, so does the serotonin. Migraine seems to most often occur when that drop occurs. This is why many girls get their first migraine attack during adolescence.

This also explains the changes that occur during pregnancy and menopause. Depending on the person, migraine attacks may begin or stop as estrogen levels change during different phases of life. It's common for migraine attacks to diminish with age.

Lynn Griffiths from Griffith University in Australia has been doing research on migraine from a genetic standpoint. It's well known that there's a genetic link when it comes to migraine. Griffiths believes that there's a complex interaction going on, and her team of researchers have confirmed that two hormone related genes - the ones with the oestrogen and progesterone receptors - are involved.

Dr Christina Peterson, author of The Women's Migraine Survival Guide, writes that you can tell hormonal shifts may be a factor in your headaches "if your headaches occur just before your period or during menstruation; this is the case for 60 percent of women with migraines". These are commonly called Menstrually Related Migraines (MRM).

So how can you fight these kinds of headaches? The best thing to do is to go to a doctor you trust and get her advice. Make sure she listens to what you have to say, and understands your medical history. Discuss the possibility of menstrually related migraine.

Your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug, such as Nalfon (fenoprofen calcium), Relafen (nabumetone), or Naprosym (naproxen). Many women have also found triptan class drugs to be lifesavers when it comes to MRM. These are drugs specifically designed for migraine, and they're taken right away when the attack starts.

Some triptans that have been particularly effective are Eletriptan (Relpax) and Frovatriptan (Frova). If one triptan doesn't work for you, keep trying. It may be that where one has failed another will be a complete success.

There are several other things you can try if these aren't fully effective, such as a drug containing an ergotamine agent, and estrogen therapy. There are many other migraine treatments available that may kill your attack before it starts.

A migraine, and a MRM, is not just a bad headache. Some migraine attacks don't involve headache at all. This is why you need to find treatment that's right for you, and not necessarily a common painkiller (although that may help some). You don't have to put up with the monthly migraine - fight back!


About the Author
James Cottrill is a headache sufferer and health writer at www.Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com. He lives with his wife and two children in the shadow of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For more on hormone related headaches and migraine, visit http://www.Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com/hormonal-headache.html

Top Controllable and Uncontrollable Migraine Triggers

The pain associated with migraine headaches is caused by a physiological reaction within the cranial blood vessels. There are, however, many environmental triggers that can cause that biological reaction. Some of these triggers are, thankfully, somewhat controllable. On the other hand, some of them cannot be controlled at all, at least not unless you undertake a lifestyle change.

UNCONTROLLABLE MIGRAINE TRIGGERS

Weather

Weather changes is one of the most common, not to mention probably being the least controllable, triggers for a migraine. Most people who suffer from migraines need not invest in a barometer to know when the pressure is dropping. Those living in hurricane areas can tell days beforehand if one of those monster storms is on the way. Any drop in the barometric pressure that occurs in combination with an approaching warm front should be considered a possible trigger for an intense migraine episode. If there remains any doubt that those who claim weather changes coincide with their headaches, consider that a study conducted by The New England Center for Headache resulted in 51% of respondents showing sensitivity to weather patterns. While no one can control the weather, if your headaches are simply unbearable you might very well consider moving to somewhere with a significantly different climate.

Environmental Factors

Among the many environmental factors that affect frequency of migraine headaches that are difficult to escape and almost impossible to control are intense odors and aromas, fumes, tobacco smoke and bright lights. With the increased move toward marginalizing cigarette smokers and the banning of smoking from an ever-increasing multitude of public places, it is becoming somewhat easier to escape from tobacco smoke. Escaping from bright lights may be easy at home, but when you’re at work it’s going to prevent a challenge unless you have a very accommodating boss. As for smells, you’re going to have to do some work to figure out which particular odors are pulling the trigger. Once you figure it out, then you can decide on how much trouble it will be to eliminate them.

Hormones

Often it isn’t until young girls begin menstruation that migraines begin. One possible explanation for this is has to do with low levels of estrogen and hormonal fluctuation around the onset of puberty. The good news is that many women report that migraines completely disappear after menopause. Unfortunately, many other women report that their migraines increase in intensity around the same time. Beware of engaging in hormone replacement therapy or taking oral contraceptives as well, as both could possibly increase the frequency of migraines.

Migraine Triggers That Can Be Controlled

Sleeping and waking routines

Either too much sleep or too little sleep can become a trigger for a migraine. It’s difficult to control getting more or less, but if you can establish a routine and develop sleeping habits that can be followed religiously every day, then you may be surprised at just how quickly your migraines hit the road.

Food triggers

Various studies have pointed the finger at food as being the primary culprit when it comes to triggering migraines. Indeed, some studies have concluded that up to 25% of migraines may be caused by dietary factors. Many foods, food additives and other food-related constituents contain chemicals that affect blood pressure and it is this effect on the constriction of cranial vessels that triggers the migraines.

Among those chemicals that are found in food that have been linked to migraine development:

• Tryamine - found in some cheeses, red wine, pickled fish, and certain types of
processed meat.

• Phenyl ethylamine

• Sodium

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• Histam 5

Among the foods that have been identified by the National Headache Foundation as playing a role in migraine development are:

• Chocolate, cocoa and carob

• Nuts (including peanut butter even though peanuts are not a nut, but a legume)

• Citrus fruits, bananas, figs, red plums, and raisins

• Beans

• Bananas

• Pickles, marinated food.

• Dairy products

• Aspartame (NutraSweet)

• Overripe fruits

• Fermented products: soy sauce / breads with high yeast content.

7 Natural Headache Remedy or Remedies

Instant relief for migraines may be accomplished with over the counter medication such as ibuprofen or migraine-strength aspirin. But one man’s instant is another man’s intolerable wait. There are certain steps you can take that have proven effective in instantly relieving headache pain in other sufferers. Most, if not all, probably won’t work for you, but you just may get lucky enough to stumble across one that does the trick.

1) One of the causes of migraines is the rush of blood to the head, so constricting the blood vessels to slow down that rush can often lead to relief. As anyone who remembers elementary science class knows, heat expands and cold contracts. Therefore, applying cold compresses to the forehead and/or back of the neck is a good starting point.

2) In keeping with the same concept as the above, try dipping your fingertips into ice cold water and massaging your temples and neck. This method combines the attempt to constrict blood vessels with the soothing relief of a massage, and is much better for those people who just can’t stand to have a wet cloth weighing down on their forehead.

3) Some migraines are triggered by stress, in particular the building up of anger. Believe it or not, but one method of relieving the pain very quickly is simply to watch something funny. Don’t make the mistake of going to a movie or a comedy club, however. The key here is relaxation. Find a place where you can relax by yourself and cool down while laughing.

4) Aerobic exercise is another terrific method of instantly relieving pain. In addition to taking your mind off the pain, the exercise gets the blood flowing throughout the body, helping to constrict.

5) Maybe the most enjoyable method of attaining relief quickly—and if you choose this method you may not necessarily want to think of terms of quick release—is by engaging in sexual activity. Some research has concluded that migraines are especially difficult to get rid of because the pain is so intense that sufferers can’t think of anything else. Sex is a great way to get your mind off your suffering. Indeed, instead of a headache as an excuse not to have sex, think of a migraine as the perfect excuse to have sex.

6) Turn out the lights, pull shades and close the curtains. Turn off and otherwise eliminate all noise. Lay down comfortably, whether that means flat on your back with no pillow or on your side with two pillows. Simply relaxing in a dark, quiet room is often enough to quickly alleviate your pain.

7) Intake caffeine. While caffeine can trigger a migraine, it can also be used to relieve it. Generally speaking, caffeine as a relief method works best for those whose migraines are, indeed, not caused by caffeine. Keep a journal to determine what seems to be causing your headaches and if you’re sure that it isn’t caffeine, then at the first sign of a headache, try drinking coffee, tea or a soda high in caffeine.

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