Headache after rides
Re: Headache after rides
Are you taking it easy for the last few miles of the ride? Sounds like your blood pressure is remaining high after the effort has stopped.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
Re: Headache after rides
PaulS wrote:Worth considering the effects of the sun on your eyes too. Squinting for 2+ hours can give a bad head. Solutions : cap with a peak, good sunglasses with plenty of coverage, eye test and check your prescription.
I was going to say much the same as this, I've been getting headaches too, later in the day after cycling but when I've also been on the computer, so unsure if either is the cause, but as I need glasses and have prescription sunglasses, I don't know if it's the sun being in my eyes or my sunglasses being slightly different to my everyday glasses and leading to a headache, or staring at the computer. I do have large pupils so always have reaction lenses in my glasses, but on a sunny day it's clear there are a lot of gaps around the lenses.
Re: Headache after rides
Helmet? One of mine feels fine but much over an hour and the headache just starts. Must be pressure in a particular place. Others are fine. All different.
Re: Headache after rides
mattsccm wrote:Helmet? One of mine feels fine but much over an hour and the headache just starts. Must be pressure in a particular place. Others are fine. All different.
I was going to suggest the same thing then re-read the OP’s comment suggesting the problem was post-ride. I has a problem with severe headache when I used a headband under the helmet straps. It made the thing just a bit too tight (although not enough to feel it) and the strap must have been pressing on a nerve.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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Re: Headache after rides
In really hot bright weather I think it is best to stay at home
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Re: Headache after rides
How much sleep are you getting ? If your exercising or working long hours a lot and not getting enough sleep you can get migraine headaches or worse.
I took a thing called a migraine aura -- sudden bright lights for 20min on one side ( my left ) of my vision, no headache at the time but a dreadful one the next day then it was a bit like having the flu for about 3 days after that. Thought I was taking a stroke or something.
I have never been the sort that takes headaches so the doc sent me for mri scans etc -- nothing wrong I'm glad to say -- doc says drink plenty but even when I did that the auras kept happening.
The reason I wasn't getting enough sleep was because I was spending every waking moment doing strenuous work involving climbing or (pumping iron) exercising. It was one of those times there's not enough hours in the day, I was stealing sleep hours from waking hours and had been doing that for a while.
As soon as I started paying attention to how much sleep and tried to take 7 -- 8 hours per night the problems went away -- that was 7 years ago . ( one or two bad nights sleep won't bother me much as long as I make it up another time ) just at the time I was taking things to the extreme end of what's humanly possible.
I came to the conclusion sleep is the most important thing to get right. I bought a book
called " Why We Sleep " and the one thing I took away from the book is that, if over thousands of millennia evolution / nature (call it whatever you like) couldn't remove the need for sleep considering it's when most animals ( except my wife ) are at their most vulnerable, it must be incredibly important to your health and wellbeing.
I took a thing called a migraine aura -- sudden bright lights for 20min on one side ( my left ) of my vision, no headache at the time but a dreadful one the next day then it was a bit like having the flu for about 3 days after that. Thought I was taking a stroke or something.
I have never been the sort that takes headaches so the doc sent me for mri scans etc -- nothing wrong I'm glad to say -- doc says drink plenty but even when I did that the auras kept happening.
The reason I wasn't getting enough sleep was because I was spending every waking moment doing strenuous work involving climbing or (pumping iron) exercising. It was one of those times there's not enough hours in the day, I was stealing sleep hours from waking hours and had been doing that for a while.
As soon as I started paying attention to how much sleep and tried to take 7 -- 8 hours per night the problems went away -- that was 7 years ago . ( one or two bad nights sleep won't bother me much as long as I make it up another time ) just at the time I was taking things to the extreme end of what's humanly possible.
I came to the conclusion sleep is the most important thing to get right. I bought a book
called " Why We Sleep " and the one thing I took away from the book is that, if over thousands of millennia evolution / nature (call it whatever you like) couldn't remove the need for sleep considering it's when most animals ( except my wife ) are at their most vulnerable, it must be incredibly important to your health and wellbeing.
I am here. Where are you?
Re: Headache after rides
I have suffered from headaches the day after a long ride (e.g. 70 miles plus), sometimes it feels like a hangover. What appears to work for me is the obvious one - hydration, little and often rather than quaffing bucket loads every time I feel thirsty, The other factor is that for another medical reason, I have been advised to reduce my salt intake. Since I started with both these measures I haven't had another headache after riding, maybe just coincidence but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Re: Headache after rides
Cyril Haearn wrote:In really hot bright weather I think it is best to stay at home
Possibly but as those days are few and far between some like to make the most of them
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Re: Headache after rides
Fantastic suggestions, thanks very much everyone.
I get migraines in normal life and these are very much like them, although without the visual aura that I occasionally get with a migraine.
I've been considering a bike fit for a while, might be time to bite the bullet and go ahead with that; see if I can improve matters.
The suggestion of little and often is a good one, although the problem I have is my frame is too small to have two 800ml bottles - the rear one has to be a 500ml, so I often run out on longer rides (+100km).
You are now filled in on my cycling life, congratulations .
I get migraines in normal life and these are very much like them, although without the visual aura that I occasionally get with a migraine.
I've been considering a bike fit for a while, might be time to bite the bullet and go ahead with that; see if I can improve matters.
The suggestion of little and often is a good one, although the problem I have is my frame is too small to have two 800ml bottles - the rear one has to be a 500ml, so I often run out on longer rides (+100km).
You are now filled in on my cycling life, congratulations .
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- Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am
Re: Headache after rides
Bike fitting has been mentioned here before, you could have a look
Someone paid good money for two bike fittings and got two quite different results
I think one should try to understand it for oneself
531Colin of these fora has some useful free info about bike fitting
Someone paid good money for two bike fittings and got two quite different results
I think one should try to understand it for oneself
531Colin of these fora has some useful free info about bike fitting
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Re: Headache after rides
Hi
Depending upon the problem you might be able to fit a larger bottle into a side-loading bottle cage like this one (link)
Or fit an additional cage under a frame tube (usually the down tube) like this (link). You can also get side-by-side double cages
Regards
tim-b
The suggestion of little and often is a good one, although the problem I have is my frame is too small to have two 800ml bottles - the rear one has to be a 500ml, so I often run out on longer rides (+100km).
Depending upon the problem you might be able to fit a larger bottle into a side-loading bottle cage like this one (link)
Or fit an additional cage under a frame tube (usually the down tube) like this (link). You can also get side-by-side double cages
Regards
tim-b
~~~~¯\(ツ)/¯~~~~
Re: Headache after rides
Barrettone wrote:Fantastic suggestions, thanks very much everyone.
I get migraines in normal life and these are very much like them, although without the visual aura that I occasionally get with a migraine.
I've been considering a bike fit for a while, might be time to bite the bullet and go ahead with that; see if I can improve matters.
The suggestion of little and often is a good one, although the problem I have is my frame is too small to have two 800ml bottles - the rear one has to be a 500ml, so I often run out on longer rides (+100km).
You are now filled in on my cycling life, congratulations .
But do you get enough sleep for the exertion you do? Sleep is as important as food.
I am here. Where are you?
Re: Headache after rides
Barrettone wrote:Fantastic suggestions, thanks very much everyone.
I get migraines in normal life and these are very much like them, although without the visual aura that I occasionally get with a migraine.
I've been considering a bike fit for a while, might be time to bite the bullet and go ahead with that; see if I can improve matters.
The suggestion of little and often is a good one, although the problem I have is my frame is too small to have two 800ml bottles - the rear one has to be a 500ml, so I often run out on longer rides (+100km).
You are now filled in on my cycling life, congratulations .
My current steed only has one bottle cage, as a result i take one 750ml bottle out on rides. When its warm i do sometimes empty it, today i got back with about half a bottle. Thing is, if its warm or i run out i take on more supplies, if i can't easily refill the bottle in these Covid times, i'll buy some water/pop on the way round. Today was just over 140km, fluid intake was about 1.5l as i bought some pop on the way back. A couple of times, on 200km plus rides i've had two 'extra' hydration stops (i realise that there are some on theses fora to whom buying anything is anathema but sometimes needs must). My point is, your ability or not to carry ever more liquid on the bike shouldn't stop you hydrating on a ride.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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Re: Headache after rides
I would suggest breathing through nose as much as possible while riding, at least on the inhale. Dehydration is greatly exacerbated through long periods of mouth breathing and hypoventilation.
Re: Headache after rides
Do you mean "hypoventilation".... breathing less than is appropriate?
Jonathan
Jonathan