Migraines & mountain biking

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Migraines & mountain biking
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flag devin-m
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Posted: Mar 3, 2020 at 7:32 Quote
Just curious if anyone else is dealing with something similar.

Over the past few years tiring / fatiguing rides have become a trigger for migraines. I usually get them at the end of the ride, or shortly after returning home.

I believe it’s to do with rides where I either don’t eat enough before, or don’t drink enough water during.

Anyways, just looking for any advice from someone who might have experienced something similar. It’s starting to make me nervous to go on more strenuous days as I’m worried about headaches.

Cheers.
flag jurassicrider
Posted: Mar 3, 2020 at 7:37 Quote
Maybe you can try to slow down your pace a little bit during the climb? This very rarely happen to me: only when I am feeling sick or very tired. Also, maybe you are too much tense during the descent? Anyway, drinking more will definitely help I think.
flag jamesashton
Posted: Mar 3, 2020 at 7:41 Quote
check your helmet, I used to find that certain pressure spots on my head, as a result from my helmet gave me migrains. since have solved that issue, but worth a check
flag devin-m
O+
Posted: Mar 3, 2020 at 9:07 Quote
Yeah might be worth exploring the Helmet angle.

Definitely need to focus on staying hydrates as well.


Cheers
flag sim0miet
Posted: Mar 7, 2020 at 13:08 Quote
devin-m wrote:
Just curious if anyone else is dealing with something similar.

Over the past few years tiring / fatiguing rides have become a trigger for migraines. I usually get them at the end of the ride, or shortly after returning home.

I believe it’s to do with rides where I either don’t eat enough before, or don’t drink enough water during.

Anyways, just looking for any advice from someone who might have experienced something similar. It’s starting to make me nervous to go on more strenuous days as I’m worried about headaches.

Cheers.
I have same kinda problems. If i just drink water requlary thru out the ride ill be fine with it.
flag somercycle
O+
Posted: Jul 7, 2020 at 10:12 Quote
Migraines are neurological events that generally have a specific trigger(s). Certainly dehydration and extreme fatigue could be a trigger. Another type of headache that is sometimes confused with migraine is the type of headache that originates from your upper neck (cervicogenic headache). With long hours in the saddle, it can be triggered by having your neck in an extended position for long periods of time. I'll attach a video I did that could help you rule this in or out and possibly help self-treat it if so. Regardless, for new headaches of unknown cause, a medical evaluation is not a bad idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiiCGYjWLVk&list=PLtTFikNAy7hgePx2-d9xQTYkXOqCS9lTu&index=1
flag JordanLLowe
Posted: Jul 10, 2020 at 18:28 Quote
Devan,

Thanks for posting this. I just wandered into the forum section wondering if anyone else here was having the same issue as me... bingo!

I don’t have any wisdom, but I just started to try and change my diet to see if that has any impact. Mainly because its more straightforward than reducing stress levels (work and COVID related). I’m seeing if there’s any luck with eating less dairy and gluten in my situation. I love biking more than those foods so I’m willing to try just about anything at this point.

The hardest thing is that they hit after the ride for me as well. And I’m not feeling ill during the ride, so knowing when or how to pace myself is difficult.

Again, thanks for starting this thread.
flag paulsendavidjay
O+
Posted: Sep 7, 2020 at 10:54 Quote
I was actually on here looking up about trainers, but I have this problem too. It’sbeen going on for a few years. Usually with rides where I’m pushing hard, over exertion? Headaches don’t come on until after, sometimes up to hours. Part of me thinks it’s due to hydration. They don’t seem to be as bad when I drink lots of fluids, so I take a full bladder and a bottle with Gatorade, and try not to go out in high temps. But part of me thinks it can be triggered by muscle stress, for example trying too hard to hold a line when I’ma little off-balance, or gritting it up a technical climb. I tend to be okay after shorter rides where I’mtaking it real easy on myself.
flag coltshreds
Posted: Sep 23, 2021 at 20:30 Quote
Been dealing with migraines since childhood. and yes I mean migraines not headaches, visual, cognitive, paralyzing, nauseating, head crushing migraines.

Went years without them being a big problem but this summer has been a doozy. Usually they were an every once in a while thing, but I am now getting one after every ride. I've been stranded on top of the climb hurling my guts out and blind by myself. Not fun. It's made me quite depressed as mountain biking is my favorite thing in the world and these migraines are making it hard to want to go.

typically I will get one about an hour after a good bit of exertion, sooner if its an especially strenuous climb.

I keep sumatriptan with me and historically those have worked very well at stopping a migraine, but they have become less effective.

Ive tried to make sure i drink lots of water and make sure to eat before I go but it hasnt been making a difference, I get them anyway.

I do have a theory that bad air could be making it worse as its been an especially smokey summer in Salt Lake. My friends also just started getting them as well and also believes the smoke is contributing.

Anyway, hey everyone. So incredibly sorry youre all suffering. I wouldnt wish my migraines on anyone.
flag naptime
FL
Posted: Sep 23, 2021 at 22:48 Quote
@coltshreds Hi, I don't suffer migraines while riding but have had them bad at times in my life so, was interested in this thread. Just replying to say the biggest 'trigger' for my migraines during my late teens, when they started and adolecent years was if there was a strong bad smell, fumes or smoke in the air. So there's definitly something in your experience.

nowerdays I only get a couple a year an (for me) it's 99% dehydration.
flag devin-m
O+
Posted: Jun 21, 2022 at 15:02 Quote
Anything anyone does to help prevent beyond the obvious (hydration, nutrition, 8 hours of sleep)?
flag ShawMac
O+ FL
Posted: Jun 21, 2022 at 16:09 Quote
devin-m wrote:
Anything anyone does to help prevent beyond the obvious (hydration, nutrition, 8 hours of sleep)?

Any result on the helmet angle? I started getting a headache when I first put on goggles. Turns out my helmet was putting pressure on the goggles and I was flexing my face and neck muscles to hold them up without realizing it. Changing the angle of the helmet adjustments made a huge difference.
flag hotrotors
Posted: Jul 18, 2022 at 3:38 Quote
I wonder if looking into supplementing magnesium would help those of you who are dealing with this. Dr. Carolyn Dean is considered an expert on the topic, and has a website that may be helpful. If you wind up deciding to take magnesium, take a highly absorbable version of it, don't just go to the grocery store and buy a bottle of "whatever." Otherwise, you won't see a benefit.

And for those who suffer, what are you eating and drinking on the ride, before the ride, after the ride? What are you doing for a source of potassium? Avocados are an excellent source, so I wonder if eating 1 per day would have a positive affect? Pineapple, and bananas are also good sources, and if you let your pineapple ripen until the top is starting to turn brown, it will be fantastic inside, and you can even eat the core.

During the ride, you might consider fueling the way ultra-runners fuel. If you're drinking straight water, I'd suggest an electrolyte mix like Liquid I.V., Tail Wind, Genius Electrolytes, etc., and break a few magnesium pills in half and add them to the hydration bladder/bottle, along with one B complex pill. Bring some gels, like GU Roctane, and have one every 45min, whether you feel like you "need" one, or not. There are a ton of flavors, and versions with and without caffeine. A bag of peeled tangerines can be heaven during a long ride, as well.
flag werdnam
O+
Posted: Dec 10, 2022 at 7:44 Quote
I'm on the back door of 50 yrs old (male), and I've been riding and training at various levels since i was a young teen. I've also had migraines since my grade school days so I'm "feeling your pain". Here are the observations that I've made over the past 35+ yrs as it relates to training and cycling specifically:
- my biggest saviour has been the drug Zomig (zolmitriptan) if I do feel a migraine happening as a dose as small as 1.25 mg can stave off a painful day and turn a frown upside down. This drug has allowed me to function so much better as I'm able to function if I do end up with an irreversible attack, which I'd say is at least a couple of times a month at a minimum.
- during high volume or high intensity work, my electrolyte balance is directly related to onset of migraine. I've been able to pre-load with an electrolyte supplement such as Endurolytes or E-load capsules and then add in additional doses as needed to help avoid triggering a migraine.
- closely related is the moderation of blood sugars. I am diligent to not allow myself to run myself into a deep deficit as I know that can trigger me. It's very hard to avoid during competition, or very heavy loads, but I have learned that it's very important to monitor and do self check-ins to remind to eat.
- Related, but not directly, is the quality of sleep as a trigger. Sometimes heavy training disrupts sleep which in turn causes migraine.
- Lastly, activity that causes a lot of muscle damage (resistance training, a new activity that I'm not conditioned for like running, heavy outdoor work like shovelling, hammering, etc) will likely trigger migraine and I suspect it's inflammation based. Sometimes Advil or similar will turn things around, but not often. This is where getting I notice a change as I age... it's predictable that heavy work will get me one way or another!

The best thing is to keep a log / journal and try to monitor for all the variables. Soon you will begin to see relationships in everything you are doing / not doing so adjustments can be made. And if you have good luck on a bail-out solution like Zomig, that can be a game changer to keep your life on track. Good luck on the quest!
flag dividebyzero
Posted: Apr 17, 2023 at 11:23 Quote
I get headaches after long rides if I don't stay on top of my electrolytes. Water was never enough but once I started electrolytes the headaches stopped happening for the most part.

Not sure if it's anecdotal but last time I had a long headache after a day of hot weather riding I drank some Pedialyte and it went away almost immediately when nothing else was working. So now I keep a packet of Pedialyte on hand incase I need a big electrolyte boost.

I also get actual migraines every once in awhile, they are not the same and nobody knows what causes them. Migraines are medically different and symptoms usually include visual auras and blind spots before the headache starts, the headache usually includes motion sickness and spinning. I always have Sumatriptan in my car and bike bag just incase one pops up since it's just random. You definitely would not want to take Sumatriptan for something like a dehydration headache.
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