I was lifting last Thursday and as I was doing a leg press the back left portion of my head started throbbing. My ears started ringing and I felt horribly dizzy. I caught my breath and finished my workout, after about 24 hours the throbbing pain in my head went away and I allowed Friday-Monday to heal up. Well, I was lifting today and as I benchpressed the weight up the feeling came back. I was able to complete my workout 'cuz it was not whole body physical exertion and there is no pain now (one hour later). Any ideas on what it could be guys?
I’ve had this before. I was doing a set of 50reps with 350lbs. on the leg press and at rep 43 I got a shooting pain in my upper neck and head on the left side, and after going to rep 50(so stupid) I stumbled to the bath room and layed on the floor for 10 mins, I tried to do back work, but could bareley see straight on the drive home. It bothered me for two to three weeks anytime I held my breath. The key is give it time, heat it before the workout, and never hold your breath, (while it is still affecting you). Once it went away, it only occured again one other time when I was doing a 20rep squat wo while haveing the flu(again, sometimes I can be pretty stupid) I dont know what the pain is, it feels like a migrane and ull feel sick, but then over a few weeks itll disappear.
Ive had friends have similar problems, usually it is from the leg press(some study was done shown that blood pressure on the leg press was way higher than in other exercises) and if you go heavy 800+lbs, or for a lot of reps you probably have noticed the dizzyness before. Also my brohter had a problem wiht this from pushing his head into the bench too hard, so be careful then too.
Hope this helps some
I’ve had the same thing happen to me on several occasions. Once doing a pull-up with a 100lb plate and another time while squating (breathing squats). Concentrate on your breathing. It must come from a lack of oxygen to the brain (not a doctor, but it makes sense). Each time it has happened to me, it has been an intense set and I’ve really been pushing myself to my limits. It actually took me a few weeks to feel 100% again. I feel your pain, man.
A couple of times,when on steroids,I’ve
had intense pain in the back of my head(while working out)that lasted approx.15seconds.
The doctor said it was overexcertion of the
neck muscles but I think it had something to
do with steroid induced high blood pressure.
The pain was unbearable.Scary!
Don’t worry about this one. The high blood pressure probably doesn’t help, and in a -worst- case scenario it is an aneuryism, a bulging blood vessel, but I doubt it. I had this happen to me years ago but I knew what it was because I had to go to the hospital.
I was doing machine hack squats and showing off. On my 15th one it was like someone took a baseball bat to my neck and I couldn’t hide the pain. I went to the hospital and the wizards there gave me a neck collar and some muscle relaxants. You probably did strain a neck muscle. Let me tell you, when you strain one really good, a migraine is what you’ll get.
Do not mess with this. It turns out that it cost me a lightly pinched nerve in C3 which lead to a weakening of the left side a bit. The left rhomboid and rear delt are a bit weaker than the right and the left shoulder hangs forward just a tiny bit. Outwardly, noone can tell. Inwardly, I know. Just play it smart. I don’t think you are aiming for the Guinness Book of Records so just lift for health and not tremendous power or amazing numbers. This body is the only one you have.
I had the exact same feeling about 3 weeks ago. I was maxing out on the bench in my basement (without a spotter; none of my family members care enough to spot me, my mom just says to make sure that it doesn’t fall too hard) and suddenly, the weight quickly descended in the middle of the rep and I was momentarily dazed, powerless to swerve the heavy weights to the side so that I could get up. After a few seconds, I let the leaned the bar, still on my chest, towards the left and the weights fell to the side, allowing me to lift my torso from the bench. As I sat in an upright position, a feeling of vertigo and revulsion overcame me. It wasn’t a bad feeling; honestly, it was like being on a drug that divests the user of any sense of time. It felt as if eternity had stilled. Anyways, I also recovered within 24 hours, but the memory of that feeling is indellible.
I am glad to know I am not the only one with this, shit I was about to go get a CAT scan.
The first time I felt it was when doing squats and really pushing it. I have also felt it when doing pull ups.
I agree with the blood pressure comments aready listed. I think in addition it may be some sort of muscular strain in the neck. I could make the pain come back by leaning my head back and twisting to the left.
The breathing bit it really critcal. If I hold my breath for the slightest moment I can feel it coming (when lifting). Pull ups seem to be the worst, As I have been through two leg work outs with out pain.
I am planning on going to a back cracker and getting re-aligned and see if that helps.
JD
A similiar thing happened to me while squatting. I hold my breath a lot (to exert more power) and it happened during high reps. The pain came back every time I raised my blood pressure. I had some type of a cat scan or something to make sure I didn’t damage any blood vessels. Nowadays, I don’t let my pressure get that high when I squat or deadlift.