Headaches revisited

[Wahine]

Typically headaches that are related to more systemic causes, (dehydration, low blood sugar etc), are more global in nature. That is, they tend to be more evenly distributed over the head. They may be more towards the front or back but they are usually pretty even side to side.

Your migraines are atypical in that you don't get an aura etc and that it is more to one side. This makes me wonder if your very nasty headaches are related to changes in blood flow and neurological activity as migraines typically are. Not that it really matters. It wouldn't change any of the suggestions I have.

So what am I thinking so far. This is where things get interesting. From a PT trained in a Western University point of view you could be having a headache as a result of nerve irritation at the upper segments of the neck related to your cycling position. It's a nice diagnosis that accounts for the location and quality of the headache. Unfortunately, it does not explain why it's worse in the heat.

Get ready, cause we're about to get a little weird. So I switched out my brain for my Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) brain and I have to say that I think you are suffering from blockage of qi in the gallbadder meridian, with increased liver yang. This explains location, temperature dependency and the fact that it is worse with activity. This diagnosis is also often related to migraines, pms and menstral cramps.

If I were you, I'd go see a TCM doctor who practices acupunture and can prescribe herbals.

I'm going to try to find a link that helps locate TCM practitioners and post it.

I hope you're feeling better.

[indysteel]

Wahine, very interesting. I know nothing about TCM, but I am open to your suggestions in that regard.

In yoga, we often talk about poses that unblock this and that. Are you aware of any poses I could do that might help do some unblocking?

[indysteel]

For all of you playing along at home, I got a headache again after yesterday's ride, but not after Saturday's.

Just a few details: Saturday's ride was fit in between rain storms and was pretty leisurely because it was so wet out. I think we ended up doing about 37 miles at a pretty easy pace. It was warm out, but not overly sunny. I drank a recocvery drink after the ride and then ate a big dinner.

Sunday's ride was A LOT harder. I ate my usual pre-ride meal (and was famished I might add after about the 5th mile). It was sunny, but not quite as warm as it was on Saturday. I ended up doing 49 miles, which wouldn't have been that hard, but the winds were gusting to 30mph. It was rather intense at times.

I drank another recovery drink after the ride and then had a sizeable lunch. As with last week, the headache started about 3-4 hours after the ride ended. Same degree, type and location. This time, I took my migraine meds pretty quicky, and it went away in short order.

The migraine medication is just not, in my mind, much of a solution. As I've indicated, it's expensive and makes me sleepy. It's weird though because some of my menstrual migraines, if I catch them early, will respond to Excedrin. The post-ride headaches, however, don't at all.

Sigh......

[nafula]

I get those headaches too. I've done some research on the topic.

Google "exercise headaches" and see what you find out. They are literally headaches that you get from exercising.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exe...daches/DS00641

It usually helps if I take an Excedrin before I go out. If I catch them in time, I can get rid of them fairly quickly. If I don't, I might as well just go to bed.