Nobody knows head pain quite like Prince Oberyn Martell…
In the world of fitness, athletes are prone to all sorts of injuries – broken bones, strained muscles, torn ligaments, herniated disks, you name it. But what most heavy weightlifters don’t consider is the injury that can result from the overexertion on the cardiovascular and arterial system. Allow me to educate you on a little injury I’ve experienced twice in my lifetime and why it is quite possibly the worst injury an athlete can go through.
In August of 2014, I was doing a deadlift workout and decided it was time to hit a new 3-rep max. I warmed up properly, built up to the desired weight, and went after it. I pushed myself hard, but maybe a little too hard. After finishing my 3rd rep, I dropped the weight to the floor, took a big inhale, and nearly fainted on the spot. I got extremely light-headed and instantly it felt like a bomb had gone off inside my head. It was the single worst migraine I had ever experienced in my life. For the entire fall semester, I was practically crippled and unable to workout because, in the days following that horrendous event, it took no more than the very first set at the beginning of my workout for the headaches to come back. They were equally as strong and equally as painful. Day after day, I would drive to the gym, warm up, get a migraine, and give up and go back home. I was stubborn and too addicted to being active to realize that what I was suffering from required a full 2 months of rest and recovery to properly heal. Eventually that’s exactly what I had to do, and it wasn’t fun. It wasn’t until just a week ago (almost exactly a year later) that I experienced the same injury and researched well enough to discover what was causing this problem – they call them EXERTION HEADACHES.
When an athlete experiences an exertion headache, what actually happens is the blood vessels within the head dilate so far beyond their threshold, that they apply external pressure to the meninges (nerves) surrounding them, causing intense head trauma. Once the blood pressure and heart rate lowers, the artery relaxes and slowly relieves pressure against the meninges, but the aftermath leaves an inflamed and extremely sensitive nerve that, once touched even lightly, will cause the same intense pain as the day that threshold was met.
So what factors lead to my demise? A combination of vasodilation, hypertension, dehydration, heavy lifting, valsalva maneuver, and poor neck position. I use preworkout supplements. It’s a staple in every lifter’s diet after their first trial run. Most preworkout formulas have supplements in them that induce vasodilation – citrulline malate, nitrates, niacin, arginine, etc. A dilated artery along with high blood pressure (heat, increased heart rate, thick dehydrated blood) causes a large amount of volumetric pressure to the walls of the artery. When forcing the movement of heavy weight and holding your breath or exhaling slowly during the concentric movement, this causes a lot of barometric pressure to build up in your thoracic cavity, thus further increasing your blood pressure and cardiovascular stress. Finally, a poor neck position – anything other than neutral – will also cause pressure and poor circulation of the carotid artery leading up to the brain. All of these factors combined are a recipe for cranial disaster.
Being a victim of these headaches myself, I can assure you there is no greater pain than the crippling migraines that hinder your abilities to practice your favorite act of the day. At 21 years old, an athlete should feel invincible. You are in peak physical condition and healthy as an ox. The only thing strong enough to take you down is yourself. Remember that. Don’t push too hard, stay extra hydrated, stay cool, and if you feel too much pressure in your head building up, STOP IMMEDIATELY!
Rule #1: Don’t Get Hurt
– TJ Williamson, NSCA-CPT
KDS-Strength 