Running with a migraine or headache, how do you deal with this?

by time news

If you regularly suffer from migraines, this can really mess up your training schedule. In the midst of an attack, you’d rather sit inside with the curtains drawn than walk out. Is it true that running triggers a headache? And how can you train as a migraine patient? Professor of neurology Gisela Terwindt gives advice.

Migraine and running: this is how you tackle it

Do you get a headache after running? Then there could be several things going on. We distinguish between two different types of headache: primary or secondary headache. Migraines, tension headaches and cluster headaches are primary headaches. This means that you are predisposed to this type of headache. Certain factors then trigger the headache. Secondary headaches are headaches that are triggered by a clear cause, such as high altitudes, drinking too little or a condition such as meningitis or a stroke’, says Gisela Terwindt.

‘If you get a headache after running, ask yourself if you are just prone to headaches. Or have you never been bothered by it, but are you dehydrated now? Or are you a migraine sufferer? Some people only get headaches specifically from sports, which we call primary exercise-related headaches.’

Does Exercise Trigger Migraines?

‘Yes that is possible. Top athletes who have to endure a lot of blows to the head, such as football players, can develop migraines due to the minor trauma to their head. Running is also mentioned as a trigger for migraine attacks. Often patients say they have a seizure after going really deep. You can only find out experimentally what is feasible for you, for some it will be 5 kilometers, for others a half marathon.’

‘Migraine patients usually also have seizures independent of exercise. Sometimes you happen to have an attack after exercising: your attack was coming anyway, you went for a run and then you have an attack that you think was caused by running.’

What to do if an attack arrives?

Should you or should you not exercise if you suspect you are going to get a migraine? ‘There are sometimes people in my consulting room who say they can avoid a seizure. Sometimes an attack succeeds, other times it doesn’t. Walking around can help, because all kinds of substances are released, such as endorphins, which have a pleasant effect on your body and mind. But this doesn’t work for everyone: listen to what your body is saying. If you feel really bad, don’t force it. Skip your workout and move it to another day.”

Migraine and your schedule

If you have an attack on the day you were going to train, then sometimes there is nothing for it but to reschedule your training. ‘Typical for migraine patients is that their planning regularly goes wrong. You have to plan your activities around your attacks and as a result, it can be difficult to stick to your schedule. There is no other option than to be flexible and let go of your schedule.’

‘But: don’t stop exercising for fear of seizures. On the days when you feel good, find relaxation in things you enjoy. Like running. If you like sports, it’s good to keep doing it. Not because exercise reduces your migraines, but because balance is important. Sometimes I see that people get very depressed from their migraines. You usually feel better after a run, which is nice, especially if you have such a bad disease.’

Balance and own limits

‘There are top athletes with migraines who win gold medals. This proves that some migraine sufferers can exercise at a high level. But one suffers more than the other, you have to find the balance yourself and find your own limit. Go for a distance and pace that suits you and doesn’t provoke attacks.’

Seek good help

Gisela Terwindt advises to seek help if you suffer from a migraine. To start with your doctor. ‘There are simple preventive medicines that can work well. If you are unable to resolve the matter with your doctor, have yourself referred to a headache center. There is a whole arsenal of resources available. Discuss with the doctor what migraine bothers you. Like running. Mind you, some medication is less suitable for athletes.’

‘Taking painkillers just before running doesn’t help, that doesn’t prevent attacks. I also see no difference in methods offered by physiotherapists, such as working with your muscles or dry needling. A sports physiotherapist can help you gain more confidence in your body and build up exercise tolerance.’

Participate in migraine research

Gisela Terwindt and her colleagues from the Leiden University Medical Center are conducting research into the triggering factors for migraine attacks. You can help with that. In an app you keep a diary in which you write down your triggers and attacks. This will give the researchers more insight into the relationship between triggers and migraines, so that eventually it can hopefully be predicted when you can expect an attack. Look here for more information.

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