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headaches after exercise
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Molivia posted:
Hello, recently I have started to attend a Zumba session once a day. After the second week I noticed that about 1 or 2 hours after I exercised, I got a bad headache. This has continued since then (2 week ago) I do not want to stop attending the Zumba classes because I do noticed that I am building muscle, but I have not lost ANY weight at all. Please help. What can I do to stop those horrble headaches???
Molivia
6 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseHello, recently I have started to attend a Zumba session once a day. After the second week I noticed that about 1 or 2 hours after I exercised, I got a bad headache. This has continued since then (2 week ago) I do not want to stop attending the Zumba classes because I do noticed that I am building muscle, but I have not lost ANY weight at all. Please help. What can I do to stop those horrble headaches??? <br />Molivia
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strykerfit responded:
Hi Molivia
Are you drinking plenty of water? Jumba, your losing lots of H2O. It sounds like your lacking fluid. Do not stop the program, it takes six weeks for your body to adjust to the change. Give it time, stay away from the trans fatty foods, eat more veggies and fruit and 8 -10, 8 oz cups of water per day. You will need more with zumba. Take a gatorade with you to class, you may need the sodium. Water just goes right through and can cause you to dehydrate more during an intense workout. The gatorade helps keep you hydrated.
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseHi Molivia<br /> Are you drinking plenty of water? Jumba, your losing lots of H2O. It sounds like your lacking fluid. Do not stop the program, it takes six weeks for your body to adjust to the change. Give it time, stay away from the trans fatty foods, eat more veggies and fruit and 8 -10, 8 oz cups of water per day. You will need more with zumba. Take a gatorade with you to class, you may need the sodium. Water just goes right through and can cause you to dehydrate more during an intense workout. The gatorade helps keep you hydrated.
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Rich Weil, MEd, CDE responded:
Hi Molivia,

Exertional headaches like you are describing can be due to a number of factors, some of which include:

1. Muscle or joint tightness due to heavy lifting, which causes blood vessel constriction.

2. Postural or anatomical problems which cause muscle tightness and fatigue, and vessel constriction.

3. Valsalva maneuvers where you hold your breath and strain while lifting, which causes rapid and profound rises in intra-thoracic pressure and increases in blood pressure.

4. Low or high blood sugar, or blood sugar changes during exercise. If you haven't eaten for 3-4 hours before a workout, that can sometimes cause headaches. A snack of complex carbohydrate and protein can sometimes solve the problem if the headache is related to blood sugar.

IMPORTANT: Headaches are complex and can have many causes. If they continue, even if only precipitated by exercise, I recommend that you discuss it with your doctor.

Take care,
Rich
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseHi Molivia,<br /> <br />Exertional headaches like you are describing can be due to a number of factors, some of which include:<br /> <br />1. Muscle or joint tightness due to heavy lifting, which causes blood vessel constriction.<br /> <br />2. Postural or anatomical problems which cause muscle tightness and fatigue, and vessel constriction. <br /> <br />3. Valsalva maneuvers where you hold your breath and strain while lifting, which causes rapid and profound rises in intra-thoracic pressure and increases in blood pressure. <br /> <br />4. Low or high blood sugar, or blood sugar changes during exercise. If you haven't eaten for 3-4 hours before a workout, that can sometimes cause headaches. A snack of complex carbohydrate and protein can sometimes solve the problem if the headache is related to blood sugar. <br /> <br />IMPORTANT: Headaches are complex and can have many causes. If they continue, even if only precipitated by exercise, I recommend that you discuss it with your doctor. <br /> <br />Take care,<br />Rich
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Molivia replied to Rich Weil, MEd, CDE's response:
Thank you very much for this information. At this point I've stopped attending zumba classes al together because, I have strainned both my ankles while attending zumba. I honeslty belevie it was due to my overweight. I am 4o years old, 5'2
' and weight 171 pounds. I sincerely believe it was to much weith for the type of exercise. The Dr. at the Urgent care placed recommended I rested and elevated my feet, iced them (20 min on 20 min off) and use gauzes to help with the inflamation, for 3 or 4 days and follow up with my PCP. I am feeleing down because I desperately want to loose weight but due to my "bad luck" do not seem to achieve my goals. Thank you again for the information.
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseThank you very much for this information. At this point I've stopped attending zumba classes al together because, I have strainned both my ankles while attending zumba. I honeslty belevie it was due to my overweight. I am 4o years old, 5'2<br />' and weight 171 pounds. I sincerely believe it was to much weith for the type of exercise. The Dr. at the Urgent care placed recommended I rested and elevated my feet, iced them (20 min on 20 min off) and use gauzes to help with the inflamation, for 3 or 4 days and follow up with my PCP. I am feeleing down because I desperately want to loose weight but due to my "bad luck" do not seem to achieve my goals. Thank you again for the information.
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Rich Weil, MEd, CDE replied to Molivia's response:
You're welcome. I'm sorry you're feeling down. Why don't you keep a record of your food intake this week. Write down everything you drink and eat, and estimate the portion sizes as best you can. Then go to the Food and Fitness Planner http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/summary to see just how many calories you are consuming, and then you can visit the Diet Community with questions about how to make modifications in your intake to lose weight.http://exchanges.webmd.com/diet-exchange

And you can select one of the Diet Clubs based on how much weight you want to lose.

http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-10-25-lbs-exchange

http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-25-50-lbs-exchange

The support and advice will help you feel better. Weight loss can be isolating, and so support is always helpful.

And here are some excellent WebMD resources for starting exercise:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/fitness-overview

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/questions-to-ask-before-starting-a-fitness-program-topic-overview

The government also does a great job with physical activity resources.
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/adultguide/default.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html

Of course, if you have more exercise questions feel free to post back.

Take care, Rich
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseYou're welcome. I'm sorry you're feeling down. Why don't you keep a record of your food intake this week. Write down everything you drink and eat, and estimate the portion sizes as best you can. Then go to the Food and Fitness Planner <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/summary"><u><a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/summary">http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/summary</a></u></a> to see just how many calories you are consuming, and then you can visit the Diet Community with questions about how to make modifications in your intake to lose weight.<a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/diet-exchange"><u><a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/diet-exchange">http://exchanges.webmd.com/diet-exchange</a></u></a> <br /> <br />And you can select one of the Diet Clubs based on how much weight you want to lose.<br /> <br /><a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-10-25-lbs-exchange">http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-10-25-lbs-exchange</a> <br /> <br /><a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-25-50-lbs-exchange"><u><a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-25-50-lbs-exchange">http://exchanges.webmd.com/dieting-club-25-50-lbs-exchange</a></u></a> <br /> <br />The support and advice will help you feel better. Weight loss can be isolating, and so support is always helpful. <br /> <br />And here are some excellent WebMD resources for starting exercise:<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/fitness-overview">http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/fitness-overview</a> <br /> <br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/questions-to-ask-before-starting-a-fitness-program-topic-overview">http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/questions-to-ask-before-starting-a-fitness-program-topic-overview</a> <br /> <br />The government also does a great job with physical activity resources.<br /><a href="http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/adultguide/default.aspx">http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/adultguide/default.aspx</a><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html">http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html</a> <br /> <br />Of course, if you have more exercise questions feel free to post back.<br /> <br />Take care, Rich
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Molivia replied to Rich Weil, MEd, CDE's response:
Thank you very much for the information and the links. I will use them and will try to keep possitive on my road to a healthier life style. I really appreciate your time.
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseThank you very much for the information and the links. I will use them and will try to keep possitive on my road to a healthier life style. I really appreciate your time. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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Rich Weil, MEd, CDE replied to Molivia's response:
You're very welcome. Do check back in and let me know how it's going. Have a great weekend. Rich
Report This| Share this:headaches after exerciseYou're very welcome. Do check back in and let me know how it's going. Have a great weekend. Rich
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