severe headaches while lifting

The past three days in the gym, i've developed these severe migraine type headaches in the back of my head.  The pressure is so intense i have to chill out for about 10 minutes just for the pain to ease up, but the headache will still be there for at least an hour.  They first started while i was doing hexbar deadlifts, then came again the next day while benching, and then came for a third and fourth time while doing squats then deadlifts.

Has this occured to anyone or does anyone know any information about it.  I stay really hydrated and try to watch my breathing while lifting.  I have never had this before and its so unbarable.  unless i can find something to help i'm probably going to consult a doctor about it

Mavric,
    I too have had headaches lately.  I think hydration may be an issue.  I did a 30 rep set of squats and I had to stop the set because the vessels in the back of my head between my ears felt like they were going to explode.  I stopped the set for fear of something bad happening.  I've also had bouts of spikes in blood pressure this past week, particularly in stressful situations.
   I am going to make a better effort to drink more water, in case that's the culprit.  And I am going to see a doc for a physical which I haven't done in 4 years probably.  I'm going to tell the doc my plans (heavy training, bulking, and cutting, to hopefully compete.)  Want to get the medical go ahead before I subject my body to all these stressors.  Also feel like I could use more sleep.
    A topic I've been considering posting as a thread is what sorts of dangers there are to bodybuilding.  When you hold your breath and push all that weight, it seems like there must be a tremendous increase, temporarily, in blood pressure.  What's the risk for heart attack, stroke, etc.?
    Anyway, good luck to you!  Get and stay well!

Checked your Blood Pressure lately?

Team Keine Ausreden = No Excuses
mein scheinehund ist daheim
48 yrs young
6'5" 270 Lbs

Wetdawg,
   I know you're probably asking Mavric, but I have a blood pressure monitor at home.  When I'm in a stressful situation, it can get to around 150/90.  When I'm comfortable at home, it measures 110/70.

The exact same thing happened to me last week. It happened everyday I worked out last week. The pain always got into me at the start of my workout. The back of my head felt like it was going to explode, so I took it easy for the next couple of sets.

Anyway, I was thinking it occured because of lack of warming up.

Good news is it hasn't been bothering me the past 2 workouts. Looking forward for tonight's workout :)

5'8.1"
Age = 20 
started in February 16th 2007: 58kg (127.6lbs)
current : around 79-80kg (173.8lb-176lb)

Some supplements raise Blood pressure. Possibly a Pre-workout drink or some type of PH could raise it. Milk Thistle could be a solution.

Team Keine Ausreden = No Excuses
mein scheinehund ist daheim
48 yrs young
6'5" 270 Lbs

It happens to me lately too. Maybe some caffeine during the week would help?

There's quite a few people that's been complaining with headaches when lifting weights.

Make sure you're exhaling during the concentric contraction and inhaling during the eccentric contraction.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP,
    For heavy lifts, squats in particular, you really can't exhale until near the end of the concentric phase can you?  You have to maintain the intraabdominal pressure to maintain form for the lift, right?  And the inhale is pretty much complete before the eccentric descent in order to form your "block" (expanded chest, tensed abs, arched back).  Inhale and exhale are accomplished 90% at the top of the lift.  Breath is pretty much held for both the eccentric and concentric phases.  Have I been doing it wrong?

If that's how you feel comfortable doing it, keep doing it.

I exhale and make a hissing noise from the bottom of my squat all the way up, it helps get blood pressure down to me.

I've heard of people doing it your way though and none seem to complain, so whichever way you feel is more comfortable.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I personally changed my breathing techniques a few months ago, and have adopted the valsalva maneuver technique. I do get light headed after my set, but it does go away.

I actually just had a physical less than a week ago and my blood pressure checked out fine.  i mean its inevitably going to rise during stressful exercise from more blood flow.  

I was at work today and felt a dull one in the back of my head, but it felt like the same form of headache and i wasnt really putting too much stress on my body at the time.  any chance i may have popped a blood vessel? 

I would go to the Doctor and have him check you out.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

We can speculate all day about a problem, and if you get a good doctor could pin point your problem pretty quick.  About the whole breathing thing, if you have issues with blood pressure you aren't going to want to hold your breath, from a powerlifting stand point however, you get into position, take a deap breath and hold that super tight position all the way down and all the way back up, its the same for bench and on a deadlift you hold it till you atleast reach the top.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

I can't imagine holding my breath during a bench press, I exhale the second I begin pushing the weight off my chest, and if I don't I get weaker and can feel my face getting blood red and get dizzy.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


I can't imagine holding my breath during a bench press, I exhale the second I begin pushing the weight off my chest, and if I don't I get weaker and can feel my face getting blood red and get dizzy.

Lol, well if you are doing higher reps I wouldn't advise it, do you use an arch in your bench? cause if you aren't, holding your breath probably won't really help as much.  On my dynamic days I hold my breath for 3 reps, get it in position take a big breath adjust my core and chest, and slam out the 3 reps.  Haven't had any problems so far, lung capacity is pretty good though, practiced holding my breath all growing up.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

I use a slight arch, but nothing huge. I used to arch my back all to hell, but I quit because my goal is geared more towards hypertrophy and more tension to the muscle is the goal.

I don't use higher reps, right now I'm on WS4SB and I do ME on Monday I do 1 set of 3-5 reps and RE on Friday I do 1 set of max reps with 185.

When I workout, I usually stay with a 3X5 or 5X5 for benches.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

the only time this ever happens to me is when I would do a set of 20 squats, my best guess was that it was just too much for my body but who knows

Speaking of 20 rep squats, probably doing the program soon and after my uphill sprints today making me almost vomit I am worried I need to get in better shape before starting 20 rep program. I know I'm not quite ready for it.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

I was talking with this kid in the gym today who's been working out for a while and playing football in college. but anyways he was saying that he's had these headaches before and his trainer said it was caused by allergies and he took a nasal decongestion and antihistamine and the problem went away.

I've never even considered allergies and i have them pretty bad at certain points of the year, so im gonna try taking some of those and see if that will cure it all