Almost everytime I'm out for more than a couple of hours, I get an unbelievable headache that last for hours after I've stopped riding. Does anyone get this, or know why it might be?
I don't think my helmet's too tight - it doesn't feel too bad, though it is pretty snug.
I wondered if it was down to drinking just water, and not replacing the lost salts. Can that lead to headaches?
Bike Forum
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Post-ride headache
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Yup, dehydration gives a big big headache. Apparently.
Posted 2 years ago # -
OK - I'll have to look at making up a home brew isotonic drink then...
Posted 2 years ago # -
I get the same. I always drink electrolyte stuff (SIS) though, and was actually thinking it was because of that e.g. maybe mixing it too strong?
Posted 2 years ago # -
So maybe I'm not mixing it strong enough?!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Maybe not strong enough? Guess it depends if you're a bigger guy, or just sweat more than average when on the bike. Both of those apply to me, I overheat quickly.
Think I'll go back to my old orange juice, water, salt mixes...Posted 2 years ago # -
I mixed mine weaker than normal today to see what happened and I've got a headache again. Will do it extra strong on my next ride and see if that helps.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Sitting here now with the exact same problem. I normally get these headaches after rides of 2+ hrs at a quick-ish pace.
I don't think it is dehydration causing mine as I am drinking plenty during and after my rides and I get the same headaches whether I use ready made drinks e.g Lucozade Sport or made up from powder e.g SIS.
I sometimes wonder if it is just the result of my brain getting rattled around in my skull! Thinking about it I never get the same headaches from road riding for similar duration/intensity.
Posted 2 years ago # -
this is weird !!! i was about to post the same subject!!!
i always get this problem too, i have several helmets and neither seems
to cure it so it can't be them, i do wear a bandana under my helmet could it be this??? it's always rolled into a sort of sweatband tho'i drink high5 carb iso mix with electrolytes so it can't be dehydration, umless i too am making it to weak ? 1.5 scoops per 750ml, usually carry around 3 litres and 'do' the lot ?
i have a slight headache now behind the eyes, always feels to me like trying to negotiate all those trees,roots and drops rattles them around and my brain ends up hurting !!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I get big headaches due to tensed shoulders & neck.
Posted 2 years ago # -
It's harder to make sure you drink regularly off road than on. I get headaches sometimes too, dehydration thing for me I think. Not just drinking enough, but replacing salts also.
Simple cure that works for me is to remember to eat salty foods on the ride, or just have a bag of crisps post-ride, often works for me. Nice bonus is some salty crisps will make you want to drink, so makes you want to rehydrate.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Also for some folk - do you normally drink tea/coffee? Maybe when you're riding, you are out in the morning/few hours so skip your regular caffeine fix, thus a headache. Try a cup of tea/coffee.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I don't leave the house until at least one cup of tea has gone down!
I'm going to try extra-salty drink mixes from now on, see how I get on.
I wish I knew the answer. My last really big ride (8 hrs) was marked by a really painful headache for the last couple of hours. It actually got so painful that I was squinting, and every little bump in the trail aggravated it.
I had got to the point when I was carrying packs of Ibuprofen so I could drop a couple when it happened...Posted 2 years ago # -
tensed neck and shoulder muscles perhaps?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Agree with skilboy, it feels like my brain is being rattled painfully around my head!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Could be, psychle, could be - but if it is, it's subconcious, so I'm not sure how to stop it...
Posted 2 years ago # -
I find that the back restraint of most new helmets sit right on the nerves on the back of my head which can be quite uncomfortable. I tend to ride with a lighter road one as the rear restraint is more flexible. Alternatively a beanie underneath helps a bit.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I get sore behind the ears from my helmet (sometimes), it's really weird and annoying
Posted 2 years ago # -
Another 'vote' for neck/shoulder involvement.
Keep elbows bent and loose and every now and then do a 'funky chicken' move to relax the shoulders, try and avoid the 'death grip' on the bars too.
Check your backpack - wearing a pack tends to make you more hunched and the position of the straps may be adding to shoulder/neck tension.Posted 2 years ago # -
Try the lemon SIS with extra salts and minerals in. Sounds like De-Hydration to me. This worked for me, also reduced the chance of cramp in the old calf's after a long ride.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I find the nuun tablets work a treat. I put one in a half pint glass of cold water at the end of a ride and the headache goes away instantly.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Dehydration as said above although in the past I have had a dodgy fitting helmet which has caused issues and also in cod weather the cold air venting through the helmet has caused headaches but that's towards the end of a ride that it will start
Posted 2 years ago # -
Nuun-works for me.
Posted 2 years ago # -
+1 for Nuun tablets. i have suffered for years with this, someone recommended these to me and so far it has cured the problem by at least 90%. there have been a few occasions since but i think that has been down to me not taking enough in.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Could still be dehydration if you don't drink enough - rule of thumb is 1ltr fluids per hour
Posted 2 years ago # -
Dehydration and salt loss are two differnet problems. Salt loss has very similar symptoms to dehydration. I used to get headaches after bigger rides even though i drank enough water. Started using home made energy drink and no more headaches.
In a 1 litre bottle put…
-26g (2 dessert spoons) of Maltodextrin (a rapidly absorbed glucose polymer that doesn’t taste sweet) – £0.08
-13g (A dessert spoon) of glucose powder (dextrose) - £0.04
-Two 50mg caffeine tabs (£1.99 for 30 tabs from Superdrug), crushed
(or 100mg caffeine powder (0.1g)) - £0.03
-200ml of fruit juice of any kind (or cordial) - £0.12
-An electrolyte plus tablet (skip this if you are going to eat food regularly during the ride) - £0.04
-Fill to the top with water
27p/litre!All the bits can be bought from my protein.
Posted 2 years ago # -
+1 for tensed muscles. Used to get a sore head when out running cos I had my neck & shoulders tensed up, sometimes find on longer rides it still happens. Just need to stop & stretch it out at times.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Again, mebbe muscles at the back of the neck? - is the pain kinda over the top of the head from otwards the back.
First time it happened badly with me I had it for about a month - physio helped a little, muscles had gone into spasm. Can't ride a road bike now - too low - mtb's just about ok unless it's playing up (hence I now ride a recumbent on the road).
I normally only get it for a day or so, but it played up last summer whilst on holiday - dunno what set it off again, felt like a dull hangover for a month. I managed to work out what section of my neck to manipulate to relieve it, tho' it's been doing it on an off again since then
Posted 2 years ago # -
My two pence.
Make sure you're peeing clear when you leave on your ride and when you stop the ride. That's a pretty good indicator of hydration.
And steal a mate's helmet and see if the pain goes away with a different lid.Posted 2 years ago # -
+1 for PapaWheelie, you can drink all you like on your ride, but if you're dehydrated before you start you will always be behind.
Post ride, my little mantra, "You cant have a beer until you pee clear"
That saves me from headaches the next day!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I got headaches all the time up until I stopped using all the singing and dancing lets go drinks, I started using Robinsons diluting juice and I have never had a headache again, my mate was suffering the same and he also tried Robinsons and his headaches stopped.
Posted 2 years ago # -
dehydration quite likely.
Could also be lower blood sugar levels - does it happen whilst riding or afterwards? Could be once you stop, your body starts the recovery and releases more energy to up the sugar level - this can cause headaches (I can't remember why though) - but diabetics suffer them if they don't fix a hypo quickly enough...they are seriously sore and can take a few hours to subside.
I'm not suggesting you may be diabetic but a hypoglaecemic state might be happening and you aren't aware - are you eating as you ride? Keeping your energy levels up?
I'm still thinking dehydration is the primary though...
Posted 2 years ago # -
I get headaches a couple of hours after finishing long rides
I've started taking 2 paracetamol & 2 ibuprofen as soon as I finish a big ride now
No idea what it is but I don't believe it's de-hydration as I drink plenty & regularly stop for a pee & it's all nice & clear etc.Posted 2 years ago # -
i get them too.
I don't believe its down to dehydration either. Tried drinking various amounts until i was stopping too often to pee, also tried that energy powder stuff and it didn't make much difference.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm a 16.5 stone heffa .. used to suffer from this all the time .. also if just a hard (lots of lifting, carrying) day at work. Got to the point where I thought I may be suffering from Diabetes or something .. but no.
Dehydration is the answer. But don't just drink well while riding, If you're down on fluids before you leave, you're going to stay down on fluids and get worse.
Change your life habits, and drink more (water) period. Now I always always always start my day with a cup of half juice/half water and a cup of coffee, then another water in an hour. I try to remember to have a glass of water before bed also .. remember that's 6-10 hours of no fluid intake.
Numerous online sources will tell you your body can only really absorb 500 - 750ml water an hour, so that's about 2 large mugs .. no point drinking more.
And apparantly if you drink too much .. it can make it worse as the load of water starts to dilute your blood and thin out the electrolytes even more .. or something .. but not so sure about this bit.My miracle cure for catching up on post ride headache was tea with a teaspoon of honey every 45mins - hour. (or SIS Go ELECTRO if you're rich)
And as people have already said .. If you're used to having a certain amount of caffeine in the morning .. if you don't want the headaches, then make sure you still get that too.
Make sure you eat to.
Posted 2 years ago #
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