Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Exercise
        
(Message started by: LongRunner on Sep 30^th, 2004, 1:02pm)

Title: Exercise
Post by LongRunner on Sep 30^th, 2004, 1:02pm

I am a cross country runner in college and have discovered since the onset of my CH episode(Mid August) that exercise about 80% of the time has made shadows or headaches go away. So far this episode I have been fortunate enough not to have CHs wake me up in the night and have been getiing them mostly in the day time. I have had many on the way to practice and at the beginning and I have discovered after running for about 20 mins my headache disappears without a trace. Lastnight at about 10:30pm I started getting a CH(felt like a bad one) without a shadow to warn me so I decided to test this exercise phenomenon. I went to the basement and cranked out 120 pushups in about 7 minutes and my headache was erased!!! This may just work for me but I was interested in knowing if anyone else had encountered this or maybe you could try this if nothing else works.

Phil

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by nani on Sep 30^th, 2004, 1:45pm

I'm glad you found something that works for you. There are other threads here about the same thing. It works for some. I couldn't tell you if it works for me though - my only exercise is the 60 sec dash-getting up from the couch and dashing to the cupboard for my bag of chips before the commercial is over. [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Ruth on Sep 30^th, 2004, 6:14pm

Never tired it, but I will get an attack after excercise or getting to warm from like mowing the lawn etc.
Ruth

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Charlie on Oct 1^st, 2004, 5:52pm

Exercise usually has a positive effect. It's been posted many times. These are vascular headaches and exercise requires the body to move around bood to muscles. I think it draws just enough away from the head to make a difference. It has to be very vigorous though.

Charlie

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by K-9 on Oct 6^th, 2004, 2:44am

For me, exercise can abort an attack, but unfortunately, if I'm not having an attack, hard exercise can bring one on, but then again, I'm one of the weird ones that can sneeze and bring on an attack, and also sneeze to avoid one....go figure!?!?

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by karma on Oct 6^th, 2004, 7:06am

I works for me just about every time but Charlie is right. the exercise has to be vigorous.
It has the added benefit of being both physically and mentally good for you. It's one more weapon that you always carry with you to control the pain.

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by nani on Oct 6^th, 2004, 3:31pm

Quote:

I'm one of the weird ones that can sneeze and bring on an attack

that makes 2 of us... :)

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Valerie on Oct 7^th, 2004, 12:12pm

I tried this last night - It did NOT work for me - lead to a full scale kip 10 attack. I will not be trying this again. I'm glad it works for a lot of you, at least now I know - unfortunately I learned the very, very hard way :(

Valerie

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by karma on Oct 7^th, 2004, 1:10pm

Sorry to hear you had such a rough time Valerie. Don't give up, don't ever give up. There are things that work but not everything works for everybody. I had the same problem with Zomig and swore off it for life.

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Valerie on Oct 7^th, 2004, 1:23pm

Thanks, interestingly Zomig works wonders for me - at least it aborts the attack. I'm still not sure about the long term effects. It's so weird how different things work for different people. I just wish someone would find a cure - this is too much to handle :'(

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by floridian on Oct 7^th, 2004, 3:38pm

For some, intense exercise can abort. Not only does it improve oxygen and blood flow, but it is a major boost to the sympathetic nervous system (which is low in most clusterheads).

Quote:

When we exercise, our heart and breathing rates rise rapidly and blood vessels in our limbs dilate in order to deliver more oxygenated blood to our working muscle cells. The rapid rise in blood flow to the periphery -- especially to the legs -- can create a “heady” feeling, which reflects a temporary drop in blood pressure. This stimulates sympathetic nerves throughout the body to release substances that constrict blood vessels, even those vessels that feed working muscles.

http://www.the-aps.org/press/conference/ibe/3.htm

In the study quoted, the researchers stimulated the sympathetic nervous system by having people stick their hand in a bucket of ice.

So running, sticking your head on an AC vent, or a cold shower could all be good. You could fill your tub with water before bed, and a cold dunk would be waiting for you. Not sure how safe that is (slip-n-fall or heart attack wise). Not 100% effective for all people, but better than nothing.

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by yikes_another_one on Oct 7^th, 2004, 9:08pm

Don said exercise helps him, too.

I know when I am getting hit during the day,
racing and fetching at work can postpone the pain -
when I am stressed out and trying to beat a deadline
there is no time for stopping, just keep moving and
grooving....

Then when it's calm and peace is restored....
WHAAAAAMMMMM at least a k-7....outta left field.

It does seem to follow the relaxing / sleeping
can cause a drop in hormones..... is
cortisol to blame for all of this???? ugh.

We jsut gotta keep trying what works for us.
Liveing and learning....that's about it, huh?

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by holistic_love on Oct 7^th, 2004, 9:59pm

if you want to stop suffering from cluster headaches go to this website erinelster.com she will cure you

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by thebbz on Oct 7^th, 2004, 10:04pm

For me it only postpones the inevitable..as soon as I sit back down and relax ...whammo!!.. I keep up the exercise for the cardio to keep in shape for the trex.. ;)
BB

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by floridian on Oct 8^th, 2004, 9:56am

on 10/07/04 at 21:59:36, holistic_love wrote:

if you want to stop suffering from cluster headaches go to this website erinelster.com she will cure you

Hmm, that website contains one testimonial that Dr. Elster cleared up cluster headache in one person. That doesn't impress me. If someone has cervicogenic problems that trigger clusters, it might help. But there are genetic, metabolic, and brain anatonomy changes in people with cluster headaches that are the root causes of cluster headaches. Chiropractic does not address these causes directly.

I do get chiropractic care for my neck, but it doesn't stop clusters. It does help with the soreness in my neck that gets worse during a cycle (referred pain and muscle tension related). Calling chiropractic a cure for clusters is wrong - it is an adjunct therapy that may improve quality of life for some.

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Gator on Oct 8^th, 2004, 10:13am

on 10/07/04 at 21:59:36, holistic_love wrote:

if you want to stop suffering from cluster headaches go to this website erinelster.com she will cure you

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/public_html/yabbimages/smileys/referee.gif BULLSHIT ALERT!!!

If you were being sarcastic and trying to give us something to laugh at, then a smilie or some other emoticon would help to convey that.

If not then LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

Gator

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by don on Oct 8^th, 2004, 11:42am

One good turn deserves another. Heres a website for yo Holistic_Love:

www.gofuckyourself.com

I kid you not.

Title: Re: Exercise
Post by Ruth on Oct 8^th, 2004, 12:05pm

[smiley=laugh.gif]I say Ditto