How to Identify and Prevent Exertion Headaches

While summer brings the kind of weather that is welcome for much needed vacations, working out in the heat is certainly no holiday. Soaring temperatures, combined with intense exercise, is a combination that all too commonly kick-starts a banging headache, derailing our gym sessions and resigning us back to the sun lounger. Fortunately, however, for those who want to keep our guns out when the sun is out, and maintain consistent fitness levels during the hottest season, Dr Bhavini Shah; a general practitioner who contributes to Lloyd Pharmacy’s Online Doctor service as part of its clinical team explains how to identify and mitigate exertion headaches.

What is an Exertion Headache?

“Exercise or workout headaches are part of what’s medically known as primary exercise (exertional) headache,” explains Dr Shah. “This is a rare type of headache that causes a throbbing head pain, during or after any form of sustained exertion. Slightly different from normal headaches, they’re usually a sign from your brain that you’ve overexerted or overworked yourself. These headaches can range from a subtle pain to a more severe throbbing and are usually worse the more you’ve pushed yourself. However, some people get exertion headaches without ever experiencing a migraine.”

Exertion Headaches Symptoms

• Fast onset
• Throbbing or pulsating head pain
• Lasting from 5 minutes to 48 hours
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound

How to prevent exertion headaches

“Exertion headaches can be a response to any kind of overexertion and can sneak up during various physical activities that get your blood pumping,” says Dr Shah, who explains that the most popular forms of exercises, such as running, weightlifting, swimming, rowing, and racket sports have all been associated with exertion headaches. “We do not know what causes exertion headaches. Some research suggests that it might be related to blood vessels inside the skull becoming dilated during a strenuous activity,” he adds, also noting that hot weather, high altitudes, or a history of migraine in the family will all increase the changes of getting these troublesome headaches. Here, Dr Shah provides the following 6 tips for looking after your noggin.

6 Tips To Beat Exertion Headaches

Warm up properly

“Before jumping into intense physical activity, start with a gentle warm-up. This can help your body get ready for more strenuous exercise.”

Stay hydrated

“Keep yourself well-hydrated, before and during exercise. Dehydration can be a big contributing factor to headaches.”

Manage intensity

“Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts rather than pushing too hard, or too fast.”

Cool down

“After exercising, take time to cool down. this helps your body ease back to its resting state.”

Monitor your environment

“If you’re exercising outside, be mindful of the weather. Extreme heat or cold can bring on headaches.”

Exercise regularly

“Keeping a consistent exercise routine can also help, as sporadic bursts of activity might increase the risk of headaches.”

Dr Shah says that if all else fails, there are medical options. “Over-the-counter pain relief medications can be effective in treating regular headaches,” she says. “If you have been diagnosed with migraines your doctor might prescribe migraine relief medication. Most of the time exertion headaches aren’t dangerous. They’re more of a nuisance and usually resolve on their own, or by changing the way you exercise or go about your daily life. However, it is important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Some headaches can be caused by an underlying health condition such as an issue with the blood vessels in your brain. These are called secondary headaches, and can potentially pose a risk to your health. If you’re experiencing regular headaches, they’re getting more severe, or are happening at random, this could be a sign that you have another medical condition which needs to be treated. You should check in with your doctor to rule out a more serious condition.” For the majority of us, however, being smart about how we train will help to mitigate or prevent the effects of exertion headaches, meaning that summer shouldn’t spell the end of consistent workouts.

For more information you can also visit the Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor resource for exertion headaches here!