Headaches during and after hard running

[Cuzza22297]

I've been training hard for a few months now, however due to an injury I took a month or so off running. Having started up again a few weeks ago with slower longer runs on Saturday I completed a 5km park run. During the run I developed quite a painful headache at the top of my head which persisted for about an hour after I had finished before gradually becoming less painful until I no longer felt it. I put it down to the cold and didn't think too much of it.

Today, I did a mock PJFT, the first run I felt fine (if slightly more fatigued than usual) however a few minutes into the return the headache came back and was quite painful, I pushed on and finished the run but I can still feel it a bit even now, same place in the head as the headache on Saturday and clearly not the cold as I was running in a gym.

I have no history of migraines, drink a lot of water and eat well (although on both days had only had a satchet of porridge before the sessions) and am otherwise in good health and this is the first time I've ever had headaches from exercise.

Has anyone else had similar problems/have an idea as to what it could be? I rang up 111 and they said to go to my doctors if it persists although as I'm nearly clear from my TMU i'm pretty reluctant to give capita an excuse to fail me for a second time.

Thanks in advance

 

[Caversham]

I'm not a medic, so this is just an opinion.

When you're running your heartbeat increases and at the same time your arteries dilate in order to accommodate the increased blood flow. If the arteries do not dilate as much as they should then I would imagine that the increased pressure in your arteries, particularly those around the brain, would cause discomfort/headache.

In all probability this is a load of borrocks, but if you are in doubt then get it checked out.

I had an opposite problem in my running days whereby my arteries dilated too quickly and thereby leaving me with a blood deficit the moment I stopped running, causing me to go dizzy and be on the verge of passing out. The remedy for me was to warm down slowly.

Alan

 

[Squatmonkey]

Have you been varying your training to allow for easy periods (few days up to a week) where your body can recover ?

Incidentally this is probably unrelated to yourself but something I've experienced, headaches at the back of the neck/base of skull area can indicate high blood pressure

 

[Seags98]

I’ve been getting these recently since I upped the intensity of my runs, seems to go away for me if I just push through it.

 

[its_meg]

May sound ridiculous but been running for a few years now and the only times I get headaches due to running is when I am really angry or stressed and I tense up my back and neck. It is only when it hurts so bad that I swear a few times and realise what I am doing to then stop it.

 

[Cuzza22297]

Have you been varying your training to allow for easy periods (few days up to a week) where your body can recover ?

Incidentally this is probably unrelated to yourself but something I've experienced, headaches at the back of the neck/base of skull area can indicate high blood pressure

Yeah I’m definitely not over-training. Not doing too many high intensity workouts in one go. Yesterday (day inbetween the 2 instances) was a completely rest day. Going to have a high intensity rowing session tomorrow so will be interesting to see if it’s just the running or full on sessions full stop.

 

[Cuzza22297]

I’ve been getting these recently since I upped the intensity of my runs, seems to go away for me if I just push through it.

Yeah the most painful moment was when it came on a few minutes in then was still there but not as bad for the rest of the run, but still hasn’t completely gone.

 

[Cuzza22297]

May sound ridiculous but been running for a few years now and the only times I get headaches due to running is when I am really angry or stressed and I tense up my back and neck. It is only when it hurts so bad that I swear a few times and realise what I am doing to then stop it.

I’ve had this before actually, used to run with my shoulders really tense and had pain from it. Corrected it now though so don’t think it can be this.