Intense headaches after rides

[Ana]

Despite my best efforts to stay hydrated, I very commonly get migraine-like headaches after rides. They cause sharp pains in near my temples accompanied by sensitivity to bright light. I usually eat and drink water before I head out on my rides. I never ride more than 25 miles and I sip my water bottle every 10 minutes or so.

After my ride, I drink more water and eat something. Today, I ate cheese and crackers.

Still, my headache persisted for about 3 hours. I dislike taking pain killers and therefore try every alternative (hiding in dimmer light, drinking lots of water, etc). The headaches tend to subside eventually (4-6 hours) without medication but I suspect it may be externally induced.

I suspect it may have something to do with my bike fit but am mostly uncertain.

Does anyone else get headaches (or has in the past)? How did you remedy them? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance :D

[pyxichick]

Ana,

I wish I had an answer for you.

I, too, get headaches after just about every hard ride. I have never been able to figure this out. My BF insists it's just a result of hard effort and concentration. Maybe being out in the sun contributes as well?

I'm curious to see what other say.

Kate

[Ana]

Oh yes, the other possibility is that I desperately need my eyes checked...and they are strained during my rides... :p I'm planning to go to the optometrist so I'll let you know if a prescription resolves the issue.

[berkeley]

I get exercise induced headaches a lot! First when I played volleyball... now with riding... Man, they are awful, awful, so I feel for you.

What I find helps is loading up on electrolytes. Emergen-C (the regular version) helps also - I'll have two the night before a big ride, and one after. This is in addition to an electrolyte supplement on the bike. With this routine, I don't get a headache.

Speaking of eyes - easy question - are you wearing sunglasses?

[Ana]

Hmm, maybe I'll switch to something with more electrolytes, even though the research I did says to drink water if you're exercising under 2 hours...but cycling is hard work ;)

Any recommendations for a drink? I hate drinking the high-sugar, corn syrupy stuff :p

[KnottedYet]

Oh, yeah, bring on the electrolytes for me, too! I'm usually ok as long as I consume them on the bike and right after a ride. (V-8, cheese, Clif bloks)

And sunglasses are very important to my happiness!

[JLMitchell]

I think there might be something in the electrolytes or potassium or sodium thing. I used to get headaches sometimes right in the center of my forehead, sometimes all over. I started drinking more water in general, so maybe in addition to drinking immediately before, during and after, drink more water in the days preceding your ride(s). For me now that's basically all week.

I've also been experimenting with electrolyte replacement during and immediately after a workout. Not only has it staved off that horrible feeling of running out of gas, but it's also helped prevent me from being completely useless for the rest of the day. I like gels so far for during a workout, with a recovery shake (powder in water) after. You mentioned drinking only water while riding; does Gatorade/Powerade not sit well with you? If not, consider bringing a little something with you, any food you feel you can ingest. That's what I learned, anyway. Then again, it could just be your eyes and none of the things I mentioned.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I bought some very cool sunglasses in a drugstore a couple years ago. I wore them for biking. They gave me terrible headaches but I didn't figure out it was the sunglasses for a while. Finally I noticed my headaches stopped 15 minutes after I remove the sunglasses, and would resume after I put them on again.

Then i got better sunglasses and no more headaches.

Also check to make sure your helmet is not tight anywhere around your head.

[Ana]

Ooo! A good reason to get new prescription sunglasses is even more fabulous ;) :D

I really do need to get my eyes checked....I wonder if it is my sunglasses. They aren't specifically for cycling.. :p I love the Specialized demo on their sunglasses--it almost caused me to impulsively purchase a pair even though I don't have contacts and need a new prescription!

[aicabsolut]

The sensitivity to light part makes it sound to me like it is some migraine variant. Some people do get exercise-induced migraine. After you get your eyes checked, you may want to see a neurologist, particularly if you have any history of more classic migraines.

[BethG]

Any recommendations for a drink? I hate drinking the high-sugar, corn syrupy stuff :p

A low-tech solution might be to eat your crackers (or something salty - salted almonds, pretzels) BEFORE you start riding, and have a few similar snacks during your ride.

But given your symptoms, they do sound like migraines (I've gotten exercise-induced migraines after strenous hikes in hot weather), so like aicabsolut, I think you might want to talk to a doctor or neurologist. In my experience, migraines can also be triggered/aggravated i by fluid imbalance and eye strain, so the advice about good sun/glasses and electrolytes is certainly worth looking in to whether or not migraines are involved.

Another thought - my migraines are often accompanied at onset by stiffness and discomfort in my shoulders and neck. I honestly don't know if that's cause or effect, but you feel anything similar while riding, maybe you should check the fit of your bike to see if it's putting too much strain on your neck and shoulders.

[ny biker]

re: sports drinks with less/no corn syrup, you can make your own. I found these recipes online:

Isotonic: for the average athlete. Mix 200 mL of frozen orange juice concentrate with one liter of water and a pinch of salt.

Hypotonic: for athletes with low perspiration levels, like jockeys and gymnasts. Same as above, but use 100 mL of concentrate.

Hypertonic: for athletes like long-distance runners who need extra carbohydrates and electrolytes. Same as above, but use 400 mL of frozen orange juice.

Plus the ones on this site. They're all pretty similar.

http://www.roadcycler.com/2006/08/screw-gatorade-make-your-own-sports-drink/

Also I have Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook at home so later I can check and see if she has a recipe.

[bluebug32]

Or you could try adding Elete drops to your water. It's pretty inexpensive and a good way to stay on top of your electrolytes. If you sweat a lot or it's hot outside, you're definitely going to need salt in your system before the two hour mark.

I used to get horrible headaches that were worsened by the sun and/or exercise. In the end, they ended up being tension related, but were so painful I didn't want to do anything at times. Do you get these headaches at any other times? In my experience, poor bike fit or weak upper body muscles can cause headaches on the bike, but generally you will feel where the trigger point is (neck or shoulders usually) and what muscle is unhappy, not just a headache.

[indigoiis]

How do you wear your hair under your helmet? I found a loose ponytail stopped headaches I was getting while wearing a french braid or tight ponytails.

Also, a lot of times, even though we are exercizing, we forget to breathe deeply.

[Ana]

Thanks for all of your input!

I love TE :D

You guys are awesome. :D

[Serendipity]

Ana - as a fellow migraine sufferer, I feel your pain - literally & figuratively!

On a few occasions I have had to ride without my goggles. After, I had such excruciating headaches that I realized there is a connection between riding without the eye protection and the headaches....maybe something to do with the wind. Not sure what it is, but now I make sure I am never without good eye protection. Might be something worth considering.

Oh, and Ana...j'aime bien ma bicyclette aussi!!! :)

[Ana]

Another thought just occurred to me: could it be that I'm getting too much impact on my hands/arms/shoulders which induces headaches? I've ridden on my trainer for long periods of time during the winter but never had the headache problem.

My frame is made out of aluminum and I did just replace my carbon seatpost with an aluminum one...

I wonder if I should see a bicycle fitter or a doctor first :p

[KnottedYet]

Another thought just occurred to me: could it be that I'm getting too much impact on my hands/arms/shoulders which induces headaches? I've ridden on my trainer for long periods of time during the winter but never had the headache problem.
...

I wonder if I should see a bicycle fitter or a doctor first :p

Bike fitter or PT with bike fit experience, to figure out why you lock your elbows when you ride. (I doubt it's the aluminum's fault)

[Ana]

These angels exist? How would I go about trying to find one (asking around comes to mind...)?

Has anyone seen a physical therapist with bike fitting experience? What was it like? Did it help? :)

[KnottedYet]

Try calling sports med clinics and asking if they know PTs who do bike fitting. Also call some LBSs and ask if they can recommend a PT. Check with U of M's medical folks, too.

Michael Sylvester trains bike fitters all across the country, you could try contacting him and ask if he has any trainees in the A2 area. www.bicyclefittingservices.com He has a strongly PT-oriented approach to bike fit.

[spindizzy]

I get horrible exercise induced migraines. I had a horrible one after my last duathlon. I also get just regular run-of-the-mill migraines if I don't eat/hydrate regularily or if I don't get enough sleep or right before my period.

One common denominator for me is sun. if I've done nine holes on a bright sunny day, or if I've raced - headache. That's even with food, hydration, hat and sunglasses. I've tried every pain killer known to man, even tried it before I've participated in activity. Now I just bring my migraine med with me and when I start to feel a twinge, I succumb to drugs. I've just lost too many hours in my life dealing with the pain and non-medicinal methods that weren't helpful.

I hope you find a solution for yours.

[kenyonchris]

I work in the sun, bike in the sun, ride (horses) in the sun, and run in the sun...and I used to get exercise-induced headaches, which I treated with ibuprofen, and which eventually went away. Beyond this, I ignored it, and carried on.

And then I had a stroke. At 37 years old, 15 percent body fat, never smoked, never took hormones, low cholesterol, very low blood pressure. No family history of stroke. It was fortunatly, a small stroke...a 9mm. bleed. I was the healthiest, perkiest, hungriest, and eventually, grumpiest person in ICU for SIX DAYS while they thinned my blood to an acceptable level. They then poked, prodded, tested, retested, scanned, photographed, radiographed, and did nameless other things to me to try to diagnose WHY it happened (I was sitting in bed at the time, talking to my husband about the day)...

...and finally (eight months later) chalked it up to the exercise induced headaches. So they put me on Topamax, which is an antiseizure meds that it used to treat migranes as well. Super, but it has side effects, one of which is that it keeps your heart rate low, so exercise can be tricky. Running was a nightmare. I finally decided to try to treat the exercise induced headache BEFORE it happened rather than spend my life chemically supressing it with Topamax (which my neurologist calls Dopamax...it does make some people stupid). He didn't care how I did it, but he was adamant...NO MORE HEADACHES.

SO...I have great Specialized polarized sunglasses for riding the bike. I also run in them...so that they don't squeeze my head I wear a bandanna. I also don't wear a ball cap anymore. I keep hydrated and all the other things that contribute to sun-related headaches, or exercise headaches...but my bigger point is....

DON'T IGNORE CHRONIC EXERCISE HEADACHES. Granted, strokes related to headaches are rare (the fact that I was peered at my many a-specialist attests to that) but if they persist, check with your doctor. I also take an aspirin a day to keep my blood thinner (much better than the Lovenox I injected into my stomach twice a day for four months), and my neurologist says that thinner blood will also help prevent the exercise related headaches.

I am totally drug free now (yay!!) except the aspirin...

[Ana]

Wow, that's scary stuff...maybe I'll pop a baby aspirin before I leave and make sure I eat before I go and drink lots of water.

If it happens again, I will go see a doctor about it :) Currently, I'm looking into a physical therapist with bike fitting experience.

[Eden]

just a thought - but another thing that you won't have on your trainer, but would on the road is your helmet... is it possible that it presses on a trigger point and gives you headaches (or maybe it is adjusted too tight? I tend to crank mine down and have induced headaches this way.)

[Ana]

Oh, that's a good point! :)

Has anyone else gotten headaches from their wearing their helmets for long periods of time?

I wear it to commute and ride around town but my commute was only 15-20 minutes and now it's 10-15 minutes.

Maybe I'll wear it around the house for a while....lol. My housemates will thing I'm nuts! :D

[kenyonchris]

my neurologist put the nix on ballcaps for me...or anything that constricts my head. When you exercise, if your helmet (or ballcap) is too tight, it may get even tighter, or constrict the flow of blood.
I am picky about my bike and riding helmet...I have a very nice (and expensive) Specialized helmet...for me, it fit the very best, and is very adjustable, and doesn't squeeze my head. I have a less expensive but irritatingly poor fitting helmet for my MTB...I am never on it for the extended periods of time I like I am on my RB...but the times I have worn the MTB helmet on my RB, it has given me a headache.
Go for something with a broad sweatband...

[sundial]

You may have low glucose levels post workout which sometimes triggers headaches. Try eating a carb rich food within 30 minutes of your workout and see if that helps.

[NadiaMac]

this might seem kind of obvious, but are you skipping your normal caffeinated drinks prior to or during riding? this issue came up on the velogirls list, and it emerged that the headache-afflicted woman was skipping her normal morning latte prior to riding because she thought it was too heavy to consume before exercising. Then she got massive caffeine deprivation headaches after a couple of hours of riding. Apparently others have observed this phenomenon when they went for long rides w/ no caffeine when they normally suck down coffee/diet coke all day long.

personally, I get bad headaches from squinting in the sunlight and dehydration also seems to trigger my migraines (as noted by others above).

[tulip]

I hope you get your eyes checked pronto. Get good quality sunglasses. They don't have to be cycling specific, but they should protect from UVA and UVB rays (cheap ones usually don't and are worse than no sunglasses) and should also protect the sides of your eyes. They should also be made of polycarbonate--you don't want any shattering to go on around the eyes. There are lots of sports sunglasses out there that have these components. I like my Rx Tifosi sunglasses very much.

I used to think that plain water was fine for any ride under two hours. Then I started drinking electrolyte drinks (diluted) and felt so much better during and after rides, even shorter rides. It's also important to be hydrated throughout the day, not just before and during rides.

I've gotten headaches when my helmet's been too tight. My helmet has a little knob in the back that makes it easy to adjust the tightness. Very helpful.

I also would suggest that you see a doctor or neurologist in addition to getting your eyes taken care of. Just cover all the bases.

[Ana]

this might seem kind of obvious, but are you skipping your normal caffeinated drinks prior to or during riding?

More oddly, I don't really drink any caffeinated beverages (except in extreme cases).

Glasses should be polycarbonate--the frames or lenses (or both)? :) I'm drooling over new cycling glasses but they are not prescription :p

Eye appointment on October 1! :D I'm excited. I'm trying to decide whether I want to spend the extra and opt for contacts...but I'm not sure whether I want to have to deal with the cleaning, the solution, touching my eye....

[Blueberry]

I did contacts in the spring, and it has been totally worth it.

CA

[razzclan]

I also get a lot of headaches following a ride. I need to do more with hydration and such, but is there any possibility that it could have something to do with blood pressure? I bike hard (especially up hills) and my HR hits in the 180's. Any thoughts?

[Aggie_Ama]

Eye appointment on October 1! :D I'm excited. I'm trying to decide whether I want to spend the extra and opt for contacts...but I'm not sure whether I want to have to deal with the cleaning, the solution, touching my eye....

What did you decide Ana? I find I get away from all the hassle of contacts by wearing Dailies. I had a lot of trouble with protein build up and allergies until I switched. A little more expensive but completely worth it to be able to wear contacts daily, I used to only be able to go every other day at best. Touching the eye never bugged me but it did keep DH from wearing contacts until he was about 24 and he has had glasses since he was 6.

[Ana]

What did you decide Ana? I find I get away from all the hassle of contacts by wearing Dailies. I had a lot of trouble with protein build up and allergies until I switched. A little more expensive but completely worth it to be able to wear contacts daily, I used to only be able to go every other day at best. Touching the eye never bugged me but it did keep DH from wearing contacts until he was about 24 and he has had glasses since he was 6.

I got contacts! The most comfortable contacts were bi-weekly ones (that I have to clean...).

I only got them when it began getting cold so I haven't taken then out for the road bike test, only commuted :)

I also have been tweaking my fit :) But the trainer is really different from the road.

So far so good but I will keep you updated.

[Aggie_Ama]

Ana- At least now you can buy stock sunglasses. :) I have run the gamut of contact problems so if you ever run into problems TE is a good resource. DH wears bi-weekly with absolutely none of the issues I had so I am just special.

Razzclan- I would guess it has more to do with hydration than blood pressure. When I run I usually average about 178 for my HR and if I have not been drinking water I will have a headache. I can almost tell it will happen before I ever run based on how I have been taking care of my hydration needs. Try hydrating better, I bet you will notice less headaches.

[Ana]

So I tried eating Annie's bunnies (fruit snack-like things only with pectin, not gelatin) and it helped IMMENSELY :D