Headache from cardio exercising

Whenever I play sports, even though I keep myself hydrated, I always get a headache, always. It's kind of annoying, but I have no idea what the problem is. I do eat before I go and drink enough water.

Anyone know why? It's not really a big problem but it's just annoying getting a headache every time I play sports, on a weekend I usually play sports with my brother in the morning, and the headache last through out the entire day, I didn't really care since it's only once a week, I just nap in the afternoon and it eventually goes away at midnight.

Now that I'm trying to add running back into my daily routine and it seems that it also happens when I run, I don't want a headache every day, other than that, it's been great and I'm enjoying it, anyone have any advice?

See your doctor. Period. Unless a person holds a medical degree and can run tests on you, anything else is just a guess in the dark. It could be a LOT of things...blood pressure, circulation....anything. Go see your doctor.

I agree with Eve. You don't really know what could be wrong. Getting advice from us won't really help. It could be something more serious.

The reasons for getting a headache from exercise can be quite varied. From fairly trivial and controllable to serious.
Not even a doctor could determine for sure what it is, in this format. You will have to visit one.

Is it possible that you are pushing your body beyond what it's capable yet? When I first started running, I used to get headaches all the time. After a while, I stopped getting them, even though I'm running more than I used to. I figure it has something to do with the amount of oxygen your lungs and blood system is able to handle, and with cardio-type exercise, it's something you have to slowly work up to.

Like others suggested, you should maybe see a doctor anyway to make sure it's not something serious. But in the meantime, try cutting back your running speed or distance and see if it makes a difference.

There are so many variables in such a thing... but I agree that seeing a doctor would be a good idea, just to at least make sure that there's nothing drastically wrong with your blood/lungs.

Thanks for the responses, yea I did some research and I notice there're quite a few factors, things like dehydration, drinking too much water, overheating, sodium deficiency and all kinds of junk. I'll try to weigh myself and see if I'm replenishing the right amount of water and I'll try drinking some sports drinks, if it still continues I'll see a doctor. It has been like this for a few months but it just feels like I'm just doing something wrong, since the headache comes after and not during.

Is it possible that you are pushing your body beyond what it's capable yet?

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Hrrm it could be, I notice that the 2hours badminton on a weekend always result in headache after I get home and cooled down, while short runs seems to be fine, jogging further did end with a headache last night. So I'm still thinking it has to do with food and water consumption.

Another thing I want to add is that hydrating properly is not just about "replenishing." You want to make sure you're drinking enough water all throughout the day, and not just drink a lot right before/during/after exercise.

Lawrens said:

Is it possible that you are pushing your body beyond what it's capable yet?

Click to expand...

Hrrm it could be, I notice that the 2hours badminton on a weekend always result in headache after I get home and cooled down, while short runs seems to be fine, jogging further did end with a headache last night. So I'm still thinking it has to do with food and water consumption.

Click to expand...

Yeah...2 hours of exercise definitely warrants water breaks! As for running, 5 miles and longer I make sure to stop at a drinking fountain. Over 10 miles I carry my own water plus snacks. But I live in an area that doesn't really get humid in the summer and it's relatively cool in the morning. Also if you're starting out that means you're probably moving slower, therefore you're actually out longer, so you might actually need more water than that.

Good luck!!

Most people are surprised when they find out what it actually means to stay hydrated. Intense physical activity requires not only a large amount of water to compensate for the activity, but it requires a continuous intake of water as part of day to day life.

Example:

When I went to Montana for my Physical Agility Test (part of the fire dept. testing process, nationwide) I hydrated heavily for 48 hours before the test. After the test I was definitely winded and pretty much done for the day, but I was otherwise fine.

Then, when I went to a dept. near here to take -their- test, I didn't hydrate quite as well. I drank two big glasses that morning, but it was a hot day and the test was outside. When I finished that test I could barely walk on my own and had to lean on one of the test proctors to get inside, where they put me on O2 and I promptly vomited, twice. Shortly after came the headache.

These are symptoms of dehydration/heat exhaustion. The effects of dehydration in a period can stretch as long as 48 hours, hence why it's recommended to hydrate for 48 before a PAT test.



So I would reassess your fluid intake, because it sounds like that's what's happening to you; but if it continues you definitely need to see a doctor. If you're still getting headaches from activity, it could mean a cardiovascular problem of varying severity. It could just be high blood pressure...but it could also be a condition that could kill you in the future, ie a brain aneurysm.

I like to mountain bike, and for hydration when running or hiking I highly recommend investing in a CamelBak Hydration System. People scoff at the price, and I did too, but they pay for themselves within the first usage. Don't buy an off brand; I tried that at first and the **** thing leaked like hell from the first minute. But this will make it easy, even enjoyable, to stay hydrated when running.

As for badminton, you probably don't want to wear it while playing. But you could still just leave it on the sidelines or something to come grab a sip off of.

Brian