Exercise headaches

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Exercise headaches occur during or after sustained, strenuous exercise. Activities most commonly associated with exercise headaches are running, rowing, tennis, swimming and weightlifting.

Doctors divide exercise headaches into two categories. Primary exercise headaches are usually harmless, aren't connected to any underlying problems and can often be prevented with medication. Secondary exercise headaches, on the other hand, are caused by an underlying, often serious, problem within the brain — such as bleeding or a tumor — or outside the brain — such as coronary artery disease. Secondary exercise headaches may require emergency medical attention.

References
  1. Headache: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/detail_headache.htm#142883138. Accessed Dec. 7, 2009.
  2. Cutrer FM. Primary exertional headache. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2009.
  3. Goadsby PJ, et al. Headaches. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2890365. Accessed Dec. 8, 2009.
  4. Pasqual J. Other primary headaches. Neurologic Clinics. 2009;27:557.
  5. Primary exertional headache. International Headache Society. http://ihs-classification.org/en/02_klassifikation/02_teil1/04.03.00_other.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2009.
  6. Bartleson JD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 22, 2009.
DS00641 Feb. 20, 2010

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