Extreme headache while lifting

[Frank.S]

My dad has been getting extreme headaches when lifting heavy. It could be a bench press to a chin-up, but when it hits he is on the floor.

Its not dehydration, that was the first thought.

The doctor booked a cat-scan for it and scared him with talk of tumors and such.

Anyone have any other ideas or experience something similar? Hes 41yo, healthy, good shape, etc.

[RedWifey]

blood pressure too low or too high?

[Alcoholiday]

is he holding his breath while lifting?

[Frank.S]

blood pressure is normal, full bloodwork (for almost every sickness known to man), very complete physical (including several fitness tests) too.

Holding breath in hardest part of lift for sure. but breathing between reps.

[Alcoholiday]

i would watch him holding his breath and see if there's any correlation between the headaches and it. If he's exerting himself, and holding his breath through the lift, his BP could be spiking.

Read this too:

Physical Advancement - Headaches from straining?

[Lisa~]

My guess is that they are exertion headaches. I've only ever had one client who had them, but it'd knock her out of commission for the day for sure. In her case, it was just too much too soon. We backed off her workloads and built up work capacity more slowly. Keeping her head up as much as possible influenced my exercise selection for her. If I could keep her from getting the headache, she could continue to lift and she did make progress. After a few months she wasn't getting them any more and she was able to do more difficult exercises.

It's a tough situation for sure. That's all I've got in the way of advice. Here's a short article on exertion headaches: Beating Exertion Headaches

[Lisa~]

Here's another article, Recognizing Exercise-Related Headache, that says

As a means of preventing effort headaches, graduated exercise programs have shown limited success (20).

Which contradicts what I just suggested to you. I had success with a "graduated exercise program" for my client. So you'll have to decide for yourself what approach to take with your father.

[UConnJulie]

I would guess a blood pressure issue too ... and a normal pressure in the doctor's office wouldn't tell you that. You would need to take the pressures before, during, and after the exertion to know for sure. I also suspect a blood pressure issue with those exertional headaches. I've treated a few people with them, and found that a graduated increase in exercise intensity and volume worked too (just like Lisa~ found).

And might I say your dad is YOUNG!!!!

[Frank.S]

thanks for the help everyone!! it does sound exactly like what you mentioned lisa, he is the kind of guy who goes 'to hard' if thats possible, during a workout for sure.

It could be blood pressure related too, but hes like me, blood pressure is actually on the normal/low side of things. would be interesting to see it right after (or at the same time) as the headache for sure

yeah, he is pretty young, if I followed his lead, id have a kid already haha