Headaches after riding (sorry long!)

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Annagain

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I've always suffered from headches after I've ridden away from home but recently they've been getting worse and lasting much longer (still got a headache today from Sunday). I just wondered if anybody else has had this and found any solution?

It's all a bit strange as it only happens when I've gone somewhere in the trailer, ridden and driven home again all in one day. I can ride out from home for hours and be fine, and I can go away for a weekend and be fine, but if I do it all together in one day I really suffer. It doesn't matter if I'm driving or a passenger, if I'm competing or just doing something for fun or how long I'm in the saddle. The only time it doesn't happen is if I have a lesson in the evening after work.

I've tried eliminating different things -I'm on my third hat, I always make sure I eat and drink plenty when I'm there. I had been guilty of not eating before I competed as I'd feel sick, but I make myself eat now. The only thing that makes me nervous before competitions is the thought of hurting myself so I only really get nervous if there's jumping involved so I don't think it's stress related. I'm not a nervous driver either so I don't think it's that, especially as it happens if I'm not driving as well. I do suffer with sunstroke but I always make sure I have a hat of some sort on, and it happens in winter as well. I've had my eyes tested and they're fine.

If I was reading this, I would suggest it was psychosymatic (sp?) but I really don't think I'm that sort of person, and I never think about it until it actually starts. On the few times it hasn't happened, I've got to about 9pm and suddenly realised it hasn't happpened, and that doesn't make it start.

So any ideas please? Paracetamol and Twirl Bites for getting this far.
 
3 things to look at :

1. Drink - you say you drink plenty, but if you are sweating you really do need a lot to prevent headaches - try isotonic brands of drink that give you electolyte balance (cheapy at tesco are only £1.49 for a 4 pack and I will drink 2 if exercising hard)

2. Hat - is your hat squishing your head. You head will naturally change shape depending on your water volume and time of day, therefore the hats with an adjustable disk system can be made to cope with changes without compromising on safety. If your headche is "high" then I would suggest reviewing your hat

3. Light - Some people just don't cope well with sunlight and my mother needs to where sunglasses to prevent triggering a migraine. Invest in some nice sunglasses you can wear with a hat and be comfortable.
 
I don't think its in your mind, but I suspect the stress of concentrating hard on a long drive and then riding, maybe gives you some sort of migraine ?
 
Sunglasses! I get headaches if I squint into the sun, wear them for driving and everything even if not too bright.

The other big things could be:

- Over heating - try to keep cool, wear less than you think you need and aim to stay slightly too cool.

- neck tension - see a osteopath and get your neck checked, make sure you aren't holding tension in your neck and shoulders, roll your shoulders regularly. Check the driving position in the car.
 
Thanks - the hat thing is quite interesting as it's always in the same place, at the front right hand quarter of my head from behind my right eye to my right ear (which also hurts on the outside at the top) I've tried a few hats though and still get the same issue.

Can anybody recommend a good one please? Would a vented or a very lightweight one help?
 
I sounds like it could be a migraine triggered by tension built up over a day or two.... Without realising it you'll be worrying about thing the day or before you go to a show, and on the day, then when its all over and you relax releasing the stress and you'll get a head ache. It wont happen when you ride from home or you go to a lesson as that isn't stressful for you.

I suffer from Migraines and they're triggered off by all sorts of things, but i do often find i get one after a show. I only do inhand showing so dont wear a riding hat...
 
Suffolkangel said:
I sounds like it could be a migraine triggered by tension built up over a day or two.... Without realising it you'll be worrying about thing the day or before you go to a show, and on the day, then when its all over and you relax releasing the stress and you'll get a head ache. It wont happen when you ride from home or you go to a lesson as that isn't stressful for you.

I suffer from Migraines and they're triggered off by all sorts of things, but i do often find i get one after a show. I only do inhand showing so dont wear a riding hat...
Click to expand...

Ditto this sounds similar to me although mine arent as frequent as yours they are bought on by stress normally a jumping lesson!! So i take migraleave preventer before any planned jumping and my instructor doesnt tell me my jumping lessons so i dont have time to wind myself up before a lesson!!

Might be worth seeing your docter and trying some migraleave or similar...
 
It sounds like migranes to me. Get yourself down to your local GP. You can get tablets called Simatripton (sp?) and you take them at the first sign of a migrane. They work very well.

As a migrane sufferer myself I feel your pain! I would look at your hat again, I have 2 hats, one gives me an awful migrane, the other I can ride in for hours and be fine. Light is also another trigger to me, I avoid looking directly into sunlight and wearing sun glasses. I also get them If I over sleep!
 
I have a problem with hats giving me migranes aswell. I can't wear your standard skull cap at all, a normal riding hat is ok as long as its abit loose, so not particularly safe. But I got the harry hall legend hat, which is vented, quite lightweight, still looks smart, and is affordable! :) and so far I've had no problems!
Hope that might be useful!:)
 
Thanks for all the ideas people.
Eyes are fine. work is very strict on getting them tested every two years, last time was a month ago, no change in the last 10 years and the optician says I've got the best vision he's ever seen (not sure if that's something to be proud of:confused::p)

I'm grateful about the stress migraine suggestion. I'm not totally convinced as I really don't stress or get tense about these things, I'm generally a pretty laid back person and if anything my job is a lot more intense and stressful than anything I do with the horses! It could be subconsious though so I'll go to the doctor about it and ask for something to give it a try though. I'll do anything to stop these headaches. Paracetamol and Ibuprufen don't touch it, if I take Co-codamol at least I sleep as they knock me out but I wake up with the same headache the next day.

Will try the Harry Hall hat as well. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
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Hats wise
I have a Casco Arcus which is very lightweight and highly vented, however not sure that model is still available. However all Cascos have disc fit, but are German kitemarked so Riding Clubs don't like them

I also have an equitheme hat on a disc system, which is not quite as ventilated, so warmer but still has disc fit

I have a champion universal which is nice and ventilated, but standard fit and prone to giving me headaches as I cannot adjust it. I only use this one when BSEN1384 is required at the competition
 
Migraines work in mysterious ways... and it could be a combination of several factors all putting stress on your body. I used to get them after competing, but now only really get them after long runs (on my feet, I do lots of marathons) or really vigorous training sessions. I find I can prevent them by making sure I am really well hydrated, regulate my blood sugar and fill myself with electrolytes afterwards! Also have trouble eating afterwards, but find that these are absolutely yum and have got me through my last 2 marathons and numerous training runs headache free!
http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/

Anadin extra work best for me if the headache does come. (paracetamol + aspirin + caffeine)

and one more thought: do you normally drink a lot of tea/coffee? And if when you compete you have less? Could it be caffeine withdrawal? Maybe that's a long shot :)

I hope you can find the cause. Nasty nasty business headaches!
 
Again thanks for the idea, but don't drink tea and not a big coffee drinker, maybe 2 cups a day in work and another one if I have meal out. I don't really drink it at home.

Will give the sweets (can you call them that?) a try. Often if I have an early start I don't have breakfast as I find it hard to eat unless I've been up for an hour before. I always eat something in the car on the way, but it's normally crisps so maybe not great for blood sugar?
 
I would definitely go and see your GP and find out if they could be migranes. I get migranes which last for days and are incredibly painful - they can give you medication to prevent it as well as relieve it. It is definitely worth getting a referral to a neurologist and trying out different drugs to see what you get on with. Good luck.
 
Disrupting your normal eating patterns or eating a food you do not normally eat could be a trigger. Do you buy something to snack on you do not have on other days?
 
You say you dont have any stress, but have you been tested for example with a tiny portable blood pressure machine where readings are taken automatically throughout the day & night over say 5 days?

I didn't have any problems so I thought & was looking for practical problems instead... till this showed up how much the pressure changed when I was doing particular things!

Worth a chat with your GP to check anyway - and hope you get this resolved :)
 
Another thought - is it after you have driven the same vehicle (car/lorry?)? Could it be that there is some kind of leak in the exhaust that's entering the cab? I understand that exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide) will cause headaches.

I have a selection of hats and my new one (Bought from Decathlon in France, if you are going over anytime soon! ;)) is sooooo comfy and padded, that it doesn't cause me my usual headaches (sorry, that's actually not much help :rolleyes: )
 
Although many here are talking about your hat I note that you are not having these headaches when you ride for a long time at home. As another poster said, migraines are weird and can happen for many many different reasons - looking at your info, it looks like either your driving position in your lorry, or possible fumes, or dehydration and stress over the day. You say you get a headache if you oversleep which is sometimes due to your neck muscles becoming compressed as you remain immobile ( which could link to your driving position) or could be due again to dehydration due to you not getting up and getting refreshment, which suggests that hydration might be relevant in your case. As anyone who has migraines will tell you, it can be really difficult to pin down consistent triggers - sometimes you have to look at a general range.
 
As a fellow migraine/headache sufferer I sympathise!

I agree with what other posters have said about sunglasses, especially when driving and also blood sugar levels.

Also check what you eat when you are out - if you are buying different food to what you would normally eat is it possible that that is what is triggering your headache?
 
Hi,

1) are you getting enough sleep - a decent nights sleep min of 6 hours solid?
2) are you eating much chocolate or cheese (these will start migraines)
3) Go to GP NOW! your body is telling you its not happy - get it checked out asap. I used to suffer with migraines similar to yours but they would last upto a week with only a small let up - i tried allsorts - the only thing that worked was betablockers - i had a course of BB and since then (2002) i havent had one since.
 
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