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I think my running is causing my migraines

Hello everyone,

As you can from the title, I was wondering if you can give me some advice. On september 30 (monday), I had my first migraine after my athletics ( running ). It happened around 10-15 minutes after i finished. I automatically thought it was due to dyhydration because I hadnt a migraine since last feburary, so quite a while ago. Then a week went by and i forgot about it. I had running on tuesday the week after my migraine attack and i felt fine running and after i finished i had no sign of a migraine. A day later ( wednesday ) i had running after school and to be fair it was quite chilly outside and i was only in a shirt and shorts. I finished my running session and i went home, i remember having a cup tea when i got home. I went up stairs and around an hour after my running session i had an aura coming on, thats the symptom i always have before a migraine. I panicked and i had to go to bed. 2 days after that migraine i suffered from a aura while in pe. So i had 3 migraines in 10 days. Then i said to myself i'll i wont do any running the week coming up to see how i am and to recover. That week i didnt do any running and i started to try out my running again. The day i started running which was on a monday, i only did one 400m but i tryed my hardest, after that session i was fine that night. A day after, i did my running with my team and we did around a 1mile jog to the destination. Then we did 200m flat out,
400m flat out, 800m flat out and another 200 and 400 flatout. After my session ended the dreaded aura came on around 40mins after.
Im 16 and im wondering will i always have migraines if i exert to much? Is it puberty and will it stop, i had migraines when i was 14/15 and they stopped for a year. I have a good potential for my running and i dont want migraines to affect them. So i'll ask one more time, willl i always get migraines if i train hard, i've had migraines since i was 13/14/15. They stopped all of a sudden but theyve come back. Also i did lots of running in the summer and i had no migraines then. Thanks guys

  1. Hi,
    For me, exercise can and usually does cause migraines. Fluorescent lights, certain foods, and irregular schedules can also trigger my migraines. Also, was the weather changing? That is another trigger for me and many of us. Where I live, we have had several weather changes recently, which have sent me into the neurologist to get treatments. He told me that he has had a larger than usual number of patients for treatments because of the weather. Good luck.

    1. Exercise is good for you and often helps migraine. However, it is also a trigger, especially if you are getting overheated (likely as you are training, no just going for a slow jog). Do you see a doctor for the migraines? It might be time to talk to your doctor about starting a preventive medication or changing meds if you are already taking one. Be sure to let him or her know you are an athlete because that may influence which medications are recommended.

      Tammy

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