Hi all, I just want to know if anyone has experienced throbbing pain at the lower back of the head during lifting? This started about 2-3 weeks ago.

The pain starts after about 4-5 reps of my 1st set (usually I start with dumbbell bench press). It will also come if I'm trying to increase the load on other exercises as well (eg: squats, bicep curls, leg press).

The pain subsides when I stop exercising and eventually goes away after 30 minutes.

Been doing some research on the net and supposedly this is called Weightlifter's Migraine? I found one way to decrease the pain was to take isotonic drinks before starting my workout. Has anyone had similar experience and could you share your solutions?

I went to see a GP but he's just telling me to stop going to the gym altogether and instead do calisthenics . Well actually as I approach the end of 2x10 of push ups this pain also starts to come (i'm thinking it is related to the load of the workout).

Just a side note: I do keep myself hydrated and try to control my breathing.

This post has been edited by ps3roxor: May 3 2015, 12:12 AM

does this happens usually after you trying to crunch out that extra few reps, or trying to reach pr, by holding your breath in so hard until your face turn red and head shaking ?

if this is the case, you need to learn proper breathing technique, and lift calm, or just lower the weight altogether until you can handle it

if that is not the case, then im not really sure whats happening there, could be lack of some nutrition, electrolyte or something else

It happens pretty much halfway into 1st set of 1st exercise. I have managed to continue working out past it many times and it eventually subsides as I continue, but once or twice it was too much for me to handle and I had to stop entirely and quit the gym.

Edit: To add, yes I control my breathing but I hold it in for 1-2 seconds max not up to the point my face turns red or shaking.

This post has been edited by ps3roxor: May 3 2015, 01:24 PM

could it also be the weather, sometimes when the weather is too hot, and you didnt do enough warmup, straight go into working sets, will have migraine

did you take any pre wo?

ohhh... i got this before.

basically, if you hold your breath or exert lot of energy, u will start to get migrane right? The moment you got this migrane the first time (assuming you previously you have lifting experience) , it follows you forever and ever right?

Anyway, if the answer for above is yes, stop workout for 1-2 months or more and go for upper body massage (neck and traps, prefer those doctor/chiropractor who specialized in this sort of massage) Will go off eventually.

According to my chiropractor, she said because my traps/neck muscle are very tight, and I was holding breath while lifting heavy stuff, so that causes high blood pressure, which leads to inflammation on the blood vessel.

Moral of the story, stretch ur traps, shoulder & neck, basically ur upper body before work out. And remember to BREATH properly (with proper technique) while lifting.

No Pre WO, only whey protein shakes after the exercise.

Yeah it's been sticking with me since the last few weeks. After the break as u suggested, should I go for lighter load for exercises involving traps/shoulders/neck? I was wondering if I've been doing too little work on these parts and therefore not strong enough?

This post has been edited by ps3roxor: May 5 2015, 02:35 PM

i wouldnt say go for lighter weight (ie muscle not strong), instead, go stretch ur body (upper body like traps, shoulder neck) before workout and breath accordingly, dont hold breath to lift 2 reps (especially heavy load).

oh and this is also called exertion headache.

This post has been edited by siew14: May 5 2015, 04:05 PM

i think the sifus is right

usually i either jog 2km or bike 4km +-13min before lifting

sometimes i "cough" skip because im lazy will happen this problem or i dunno probably just me

Do you any chiropractors/orthopaedic to recommend for those massage?

the massage is called myofascial release.

i been to the chiropractor in brickfield, is called green chiropractor, same row as kfc.

well, thats what she explained to me when i got this problem. haha. muscle too tight , didnt stretch during workout, and hold breath during lifting somemore, that causes all this issue.

spent almost 500-700 there la, cause each treatment about 100 bux, been there for like 6-7 times.

At the end of treatment, i felt good and flexible. hahah... but the process is quite painful , yet very enjoyable. Is like very pain and high (excited) at the same time.

ah...
mine only happens if i do triceps work out. especially the cable pulldown(not sure if its the correct term). I will get headache and mostly last for a day or two. Unless i take my pain killer which i am avoiding them this year.(it will halt muscle growth)



xray showed that i my neck bone got small small thorns-like thing which is poking the veins.

(Previously, whenever i scold people, i make out(sex), i will get headache till black out. )

Felt bad, can't it be solved by surgery?

went to two doctors. scanned MRI etc done.
Pushed me to do physio for two weeks. IF it dont heal, go surgery.
then i ask them to directly do surgery, they dowan pulak. I said i dun mind the cost, i just want it to be fast.

So i rely on pain killer whenever it hurts.
Stopped gym for some time, it indeed healed itself.

But this year i restarted gym, and try my best not to get it into pain. Even if pain, i dun take the pain killers d.
Cos i found out one of the reason of slow progress last year was this pain killer.

I had a similar experience some months ago.

The throbbing pain starts from the back of my head just above the neck, n travels over to the front on my eye socket.
Only happens when I fully exert, either pressing or pulling. Feels exactly like a throbbing migraine.

I deduced it to a pinched nerve along the base of my neck/upper spine. Around the back collar area. I remembered a few times I used to lie down on carpet propped against the sofa seat to watch tv. Fell asleep in this position too. The back of my neck would be resting on the edge of sofa base.

Once I stopped lying down like that. The pain went away after 2-3 weeks.

So take note of your body composition. ie. how u sit, how u sleep. It may very well be the cause for your pain.

Take care.