I was bench pressing the other day, had just begun, and felt a sharp pain in my upper neck which then shot up to the back of my head. It subsided after awhile, but in the proceeding days the same pain (but just in my head, not starting out with a sharp pain in the neck this time) came back after beginning any form of lifting (not just benching) as well as just by doing cardio. I was just doing cardio in preparation for lifting again tonight and after only 2 minutes the same pain shot back into my head.

Any advice/ideas about what this is?? I have been lifting for about a month now and this only recently started happening. Thank you.

I was bench pressing the other day, had just begun, and felt a sharp pain in my upper neck which then shot up to the back of my head. It subsided after awhile, but in the proceeding days the same pain (but just in my head, not starting out with a sharp pain in the neck this time) came back after beginning any form of lifting (not just benching) as well as just by doing cardio. I was just doing cardio in preparation for lifting again tonight and after only 2 minutes the same pain shot back into my head.

Any advice/ideas about what this is?? I have been lifting for about a month now and this only recently started happening. Thank you.


Not to make light of your problem, but I had a similar pain while doing leg extensions a while ago. I freaked and called my doctor. I got MRI and MRA(?). It turned out to be nothing. But I would be very concerned and have it checked out by a doctor as quickly as possible. At least go to a clinic and tell them what happened.

Thanks for sharing, lefty. I didn't think much of it myself but the fact that just a bit of cardio is now triggering it where before I didn't have the problem at all is worrisome. How often did it occur for you? How long did it take to go away for good?

But: don't get yourself all scared. It's probably not a huge deal. I would see your primary care doctor to rule out anything serious. He might want to do an MRI (or xray) to be safe.

After your primary, I would go get a massage and see what the therapist says. See if he/she thinks they can help you with it. If they think they cannot, they will probably refer you to a chiropractor ... or they might tell you to see both.

I happen to be a chiropractor... and I am very leery of my own profession. (Sorry) So, I would try the massage therapist first, and then only go to a chiro (if need be) who is referred by the therapist or one who comes highly recommended by a very good friend.

If you live anywhere I know someone, I might be able to help you find one (pick one.) I can search out someone and help you pick someone whom I think is good and hopefully ethical.

If you see a chiropractor:
A couple of things:
1.If your medical doctor has already x-ray'd you, and has ruled out fracture or other pathology, have the xrays sent to the chiro- don't just get more and expose yourself again.
2. Don't just go to any chiropractor out of the yellow pages- especially not the guy who has the free visit coupon. This is not a good sign in my eyes... just my 2 cents. I haven't given away anything to "get" new patients in 15 years of practice. They come if the doc os good, and if not, well...
3. Don't sign up for some extensive treatment plan that you have to agree to complete and sign up for. You are in charge of your care. You can stop at any time. Signing up in advance for something you don't even know will help you is crazy.
4. Don't, don't, don't: pay in advance for care or a group of treatments. Some people's bodies don't like to be adjusted. You won't know until you try. If you don't react well, maybe it's not for you!

I don't mean to diss on Chiropractors. I AM ONE. I just know that there are some excellent ones... and some not so good ones.

If you want to write me at drjmilus@gmail.com... maybe I can help you find someone near you. Oh- wait- I have a mail box on this site too... you could use it...

I hope you feel better!

Jen

Could be the traps acting up a bit.

I get that once in awhile if my traps/upper back/shoulders have taken a shellacking in a previous workout.

I warm up every workout.

I notice that sometimes the aforementioned region is very tender and not conducive to big lifts right away. So I have to gently warm it up until there is no complaining by said muscles.

My wife got the same thing when she chest-presses on the home-gym.

But...she doesn't warm up.

I don't care what they say about stretching/warmup before a workout.

It certainly works for me. But all my stretches are of the "dynamic" type.
Not "static".

And I like to get in a set of 15 warmup reps at lesser weight before I do anything.

And I do around 5 to 6 minutes on the eliptical (using handles) at medium-light setting before every workout too.

I not a believer in lifting "cold" at all.

Thanks for sharing, lefty. I didn't think much of it myself but the fact that just a bit of cardio is now triggering it where before I didn't have the problem at all is worrisome. How often did it occur for you? How long did it take to go away for good?
It only had a single instance, but it was really scary at the time. I think it hurt for about a half-hour. I was just starting to do leg extensions seated. I was straining as hard as I could and boom my head just exploded. I stopped and waited for the pain to stop. Like I said about a half an hour later it was gone. I got tested and nothing showed up. It didn't come back again. I associate it with the extreme strain I made. I tensed up and strained like hell. My whole body strained and I probably wasn't breathing either. Now I don't tense up so much. I try to breathe and relax through my workouts.

Happened again. I was warming up, just doing a few pushups. On about the 4th one my head explodes and I have to discontinue. It's happened every single day I've attempted something now.

Happened again. I was warming up, just doing a few pushups. On about the 4th one my head explodes and I have to discontinue. It's happened every single day I've attempted something now.
Defintitely go have it checked out then!

BTW I've have had that happen twice. Both times I was straining on the bench press. Hasn't happened in years though.

Happened again. I was warming up, just doing a few pushups. On about the 4th one my head explodes and I have to discontinue. It's happened every single day I've attempted something now.

Don't work out again until you see the doctor.

I would go get it checked out...

Dr. Jen

Sounds to me like an exercise induced headache, or exertion headache.

This has happened to me twice before.

First time, it was doing bench i believe, and after that any exercise, even if warming up brought back the pain. It was like a sharp stabbing pain in the back of the head.

The most important thing is your breathing during the exercise. I remember when i was doing the bench i was holding my breath and this is most likely what caused it.

After you get this headache, its best to take 1-2 weeks off and do no gym at all. Nothing. This should be enough time to recover, because once you get the headache any other exercise will bring it on. So take a 1-2 week break.

This worked for me, and after making sure my breathing during exercise was correct and never holding my breath it never came back. There was one instance where i could feel it comming on, you usually have 2-3 rep warning (i'm guessing) if you're not breathing correctly. After i could feel it comming on i stopped the exercise went home and took 2-3 days off. Once back again i worked on my breathing.

Have not had them since...knock on wood..

"Sounds like an exercised induced headache"

I think those are often due to an increase in blood pressure due to valsalva maneuver when lifting.

I don't agree that htis is that at all. Sounds like the splenious capitus causing pulling on the insertion on the periosteom covering the skull.

Are you sure you're not just unknowingly tensing your neck when you lift? This can cause pain under a heavy bar. I get this sometimes. If that's the case, lower the weight a bit and concentrate on keeping everything relaxed but your chest during the lift.