Throbbing Headache

[Chicago1287]

Hey Mark,

I just found this forum and since I'm following your routine and have your book, I'm assuming you could help me out. Recently I started back on your 3x5 routine again. A while ago, when I was doing squats I would use the valsalva maneuver but a BAD headache would come up on one or both sides on the back of my head.

I went to the doctor and the first question he asked me was "do you hold your breath while you're lifting weights" and I told him about the valsalva maneuver. He said that's the problem. It's building too my pressure in my head or something like that. He told me to try to lift a week without doing the valsalva maneuver but if it's hard for me not to do it, then take a week off and then come back to see him. So I took a week off, pain was gone.

Recently, this happened again after rereading "Starting Strength" and trying the valsalva maneuver with my lifts again. My question is...is this normal and something I just slowly have to adapt to? I get pain to the point where when I'm done with the movement, it's so bad that I can't say a word for at least 20 seconds. And then I just have a bad headache for days (this has been day 4 now with a headache). Forgive me for mentioning this but even when I pass a bowel movement and I have to force it out, I guess I unintentionally use the valsalva and the headache comes back.

By the way, I'm so glad I found a forum you actually post on. I have another important question regarding an injury that I hope you can help with in another thread.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It is absolutely not normal that a Valsalva maneuver causes pain in your head, either when lifting weights or taking a crap. Your doctor, as usual, is wrong about the rest of the population, but he might just accidentally be right about you. Get it checked ASAFP.

[BozFDNY]

I've had something similar to that although in my case I think it turned out to be improper form when it came to neck positioning. It looked good but I was just straining my neck a little and it kept building up. I also thought it was the valsalva maneuver. I still do the valsalva maneuver although I begin to exhale a little bit early because it does become a bit hard for me to hold it. I'm getting better at it though. Hopefully you find out exactly what the problem is.

[TravisRussellDC]

Hypertensive headaches can be warning signs for bigger problems: diabetes, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis (plaqueing of arteries) etc. What's your average blood pressure? You may want to look into some diagnostic ultrasound of the carotids and other arterial vessels. If your doctor just said don't valsalva while you lift but didn't do any more testing, press the issue.