Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It boosts your mood, strengthens your heart, improves your sleep, and helps you manage your weight. An active lifestyle can also reduce your risk for some chronic diseases and support your mental well-being.
It can take time, trial, and effort to get into a workout routine. So you may feel incredibly frustrated when you finally commit to exercise, only to find that it leaves you with a pounding migraine.
Migraine attacks triggered by physical activity are more common than you might think.
The good news is you don’t have to stop exercising. With expert support from our team at SEPA Pain & Spine in southeastern Pennsylvania and the right strategies, you can get back to moving your body in a way that feels good again.
In this blog, we explore why workouts can sometimes cause migraines, what symptoms to watch for, and how we can help you get back on track with your fitness routine.
It might seem counterintuitive that something as healthy as exercise could trigger a migraine, but there are several reasons this can happen.
First, intense physical activity can increase blood pressure and stimulate changes in the brain that set off a migraine. Dehydration, skipping meals, poor sleep, and hormonal shifts can also make you more likely to get a migraine when you work out.
For some, specific types of movement are the trigger, like heavy lifting, high-impact sports, or sudden exertion without warming up properly. In others, the issue may be linked to posture, breathing technique, or the body’s response to overheating.
At SEPA Pain & Spine, we help you track your symptoms, evaluate your triggers, and rule out other possible causes.
Exercise-triggered migraines usually feel the same as any other migraine, though they may come on more suddenly. You might feel a throbbing or pulsating pain on one side of your head. Some people experience nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, or visual disturbances known as auras.
These symptoms may show up during or shortly after your workout, making it hard to continue or recover afterward.
The first step is getting an accurate diagnosis. Not every post-exercise headache is a migraine. At SEPA Pain & Spine, we perform a thorough assessment to determine whether migraines are the true culprit.
Once we have a diagnosis, we develop a plan that often includes:
We may also recommend working with a physical therapist, tweaking your warmup or cooldown routines, or exploring alternative forms of movement that are less likely to trigger symptoms.
Small adjustments can make a big difference. For example, don’t exercise on an empty stomach. Eat a balanced snack with some protein and complex carbs before your workout to help stabilize your blood sugar. Drink water before, during, and after your session.
Keep track of your workouts, what you ate, how you slept, and your migraine symptoms. A pattern may emerge that will help guide us with your treatment.
Avoid going from zero to one hundred in your workouts. Build up gradually, especially if you’re new to exercise or returning after a break. If high-intensity workouts are a trigger, switch to low-impact options like walking, yoga, or swimming.
If working out has become a migraine trigger for you, don’t give up. At SEPA Pain & Spine, we’re here to help you get back to enjoying the benefits of movement without a headache.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation at any of our offices in Horsham, Langhorne, Meadowbrook, Chalfont, East Norriton, or Limerick in southeastern Pennsylvania. You can also request one online here.
