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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffExercise headaches tend to occur more often when the weather is hot and humid, or if you're exercising at high altitudes. If you're prone to exercise headaches, you may want to avoid exercising in these conditions.
Some people experience exercise headaches only during the performance of certain activities, so they may prevent their headaches by avoiding these activities. A warm-up prior to strenuous exercise also can help prevent exercise headaches.
References
- Headache: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/detail_headache.htm#142883138. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9094791. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Lange SE. Primary headache disorders in the emergency department. Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal. 2011;33:237.
- Pasqual J. Other primary headaches. Neurologic Clinics. 2009;27:557.
- Primary exertional headache. International Headache Society. http://ihs-classification.org/en/02_klassifikation/02_teil1/04.03.00_other.html. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Wong WS, et al. The "other" headaches: Primary cough, exertion, sex and primary stabbing headaches. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2010;14:41.
- Exertional headaches. National Headache Foundation. http://www.headaches.org/education/Headache_Topic_Sheets/Exertional_Headaches. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Evers S, et al. Treatment of miscellaneous idiopathic headache disorders (group 4 of the IHS classification) — report of an EFNS task force. European Journal of Neurology. 2011;18:803.
- Bartleson JD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 13, 2012.
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