so… i went all out today for legs… doing 3 sets of 10 rep squats with a partner, with only the time it takes for the other inbetween sets, then 3 sets of deep leg presses for 21 reps… but, on my last set of leg presses, on my 17th rep… i felt some pressure on the back of my head… i quickly did all i could to muster out the last 4 reps (i was already dead @ this point) with more, and more pain in my head…
i got out… and immediately took pain killers (it was nearly unbearable at first)… anyways, now, 6 hours later, still on pain killers, there’s relatively little pain, but it hurt SO MUCH at first, has anybody experienced anything similar, have any idea what i could have experienced, or how to ensure it NEVER happens again? thanks, cam
Most probably you have experienced exercise-induced headache.
If it’s that, the pain must have been sudden and excruciating. It appears most often during heavy physical activity while holding the breath. This leads to a complex physical condition which results in an extremely high blood pressure in the cranium which due to which a big pressure starts against some brain membrane. It was something like this.
I have had this twice - once during a bench press heavy negatives, once during 12reps leg-presses, on the seventh repetition. The leg-press is the most dangerous exercise because your head is down, it’s heavy, you hold your breath and here it is.
I had to rest whole two weeks before training again because when I tried after 2-3 days to train, the pain was still there. The membrane or whatever hadn’t been healed. Since then, I don’t do leg-presses.
[quote]Boyan wrote:
Most probably you have experienced exercise-induced headache.
If it’s that, the pain must have been sudden and excruciating. It appears most often during heavy physical activity while holding the breath. This leads to a complex physical condition which results in an extremely high blood pressure in the cranium which due to which a big pressure starts against some brain membrane. It was something like this.
I have had this twice - once during a bench press heavy negatives, once during 12reps leg-presses, on the seventh repetition. The leg-press is the most dangerous exercise because your head is down, it’s heavy, you hold your breath and here it is.
I had to rest whole two weeks before training again because when I tried after 2-3 days to train, the pain was still there. The membrane or whatever hadn’t been healed. Since then, I don’t do leg-presses.[/quote]
Good Post! I had a similar experience when I returned to lifting after over a year off due to an injury. Exertion headaches are extremely painful. The first one scared the hell out of me.
I believe the cause of my headaches was also from poor breathing. I guess after my time off I forgot how to breathe through a lift normally. I know, it sounds stupid, but it happened.
I started taking aspirin before my workouts and exaggerated my breathing while lifting. The headaches subsided after a few weeks and haven’t returned since. Just my 2 cents.
Go to a Dr. if they continue everytime you lift, or strain yourself in the next few days. I had that about 3 years ago and it was a buldged vein, the one that runs up the back of your head. It was scary, but not that bad in the end. I took two weeks off of lifting, and then went light for about another week. Be smart about it is the bottom line. The gains made by three extra reps on one day of training will never be worth it.
Mine was on a drop set of squats from 405 to 315. And yes, I got the extra few reps after a rest, but I would never do that to myself again. Learn from experience.
thanks everybody, i’m quite confident it’s what was mentioned about the exercise induced headache, as it sounds similar, and i had no other pain (neck, etc.)
Luckily for me, today is my last final, and as such, i alotted today as an OFF day anyway, so hopefully by tuesday it will be 100% (it’s fine now…but i’m not lifting, or breathing heavily RIGHT NOW)… if not, i’ll go see my Dr. once again, thanks for the prompt replies
I don’t want to alarm you but you may have a brain aneurysm.
A brain aneurysm is often discovered when it ruptures and cause bleeding into the brain, or the space closely surrounding the brain called the subarachnoid space, causing a subarachnoid hemorrhage. This is sometimes discovered by the severe pain that you experienced.
A subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured brain aneurysm can lead to a stroke, brain damage or even death.
Obviously you didn’t die (this time at least) but you may have had what is commonly referred to as a “mini stroke.”
Keep in mind brain aneurysms can occur in people of all ages.
This is only one possibility. But it should at least be considered. I would advise seeking immediate medical attention to make sure that this can be ruled out. Get a full brain scan, MRI etc.
Keep in mind brain aneurysms can occur in people of all ages.
drink some aspirin BEFORE training for a week after you start lifting again just in case… helped me to shoten the resting period down to 5 days … but i’m insane ha ha
