# Migraines/headaches after riding.



## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I have migraines, but not related to riding. What really helps me is taking magnesium every morning and working out on a regular basis. If I miss either I can definitely expect a migraine.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Well, have you seen a chiropractor? it could be that something in your neck is 'out' just enough that the position you carry your head while riding causes it to trigger the nerves. Or, you are becoming highly dehydrated, something that I'm told can trigger migraines. 

A good helmet is paramount. I used to get headaches from my Troxel helmet, since it pressed on the front and back of my head, while gapping at the sides. When I switched to a Tipperary, No headaches! contact is even . The Tipperary is best for oval shaped heads, while the Troxel is better for rounder heads.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

oh, yes, @Knave is right; magnesium is also helpful . It's good for all of us, too.


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

I get sinus headaches and then they turn into a migraine, so my sinuses were my trigger point for migraines and I would be out for at least 2 to 3 days after a migraine attack, now that I know its my sinuses that will cause the migraines I have my migraines pretty much under control,by keeping my sinuses in control. I have been having these issues since I was a teenager now I'm in my sixties and finally figured it out and how to control them. Never got a migraine from riding.


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## baysfordays (Oct 14, 2021)

tinyliny said:


> Well, have you seen a chiropractor? it could be that something in your neck is 'out' just enough that the position you carry your head while riding causes it to trigger the nerves. Or, you are becoming highly dehydrated, something that I'm told can trigger migraines.
> 
> A good helmet is paramount. I used to get headaches from my Troxel helmet, since it pressed on the front and back of my head, while gapping at the sides. When I switched to a Tipperary, No headaches! contact is even . The Tipperary is best for oval shaped heads, while the Troxel is better for rounder heads.


Troxel helmets hurt my head so much too! I now have a Tipperary. Thanks!


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## LooneyTickAcres (Jun 23, 2015)

If you haven’t already done so, I’d recommend having some imaging done in your neck, shoulders, upper spine, etc. If other general tests have shown nothing,I’d be inclined to think that you have something out of whack in those regions that triggers a migraine. A friend was having similar issues and it turned out she had fractured vertebrae in her neck that was developing bone spurs. Years of suffering came to an end with a small surgery and she’s been migraine free ever since!

On a side note, I have suffered migraine issues that were hormone, sinus or stress related. I do my best to stay on top of those issues, but if I slack and need help, I use peppermint and lavender essential oils on my neck and forehead along with ice. It won’t fix it, but definitely takes it to a more tolerable level.


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## Ela (11 mo ago)

i got these a lot mainly during the summer though i tried changing my helmet and that has helped soooo much! also drinking water obvi but i would bring a big bottle of water with cucumbers and chia seeds in it out to the barn with me and feel like that helps prevent them for me. i was using a troxel helmet but now I'm using depending what I'm working on that day i use a tuffrider helmet and a KASK star womens helmet.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

My Salty Pony said:


> I get sinus headaches and then they turn into a migraine, so my sinuses were my trigger point for migraines and I would be out for at least 2 to 3 days after a migraine attack, now that I know its my sinuses that will cause the migraines I have my migraines pretty much under control,by keeping my sinuses in control. I have been having these issues since I was a teenager now I'm in my sixties and finally figured it out and how to control them. Never got a migraine from riding.


I have the same issue. It started when I was a young child and I didn't figure out the cause until I was in my 30s. I would be totally out of commission every time I got a headache. Such severe pain, and vomiting. I absolutely could not function.

I accidentally discovered the problem when somebody offered me Advil Cold and Sinus for a migraine that was just coming on, about 20 years ago. My headaches have been under control ever since! I've told so many people about the solution and had a really hard time getting anybody to try it but when they finally listen it usually works.

Advil Cold and Sinus works for me 100% of the time if I catch the headache soon enough. If I catch it a little too late, I also have to take Imitrex with it. For some reason it has to be the solid tablets, and the gelcaps will not work. I've even tried to take plain sudafed with some ibuprofen and that didn't work. It's something about the way the tablets are formulated. The generic tablets work too - but have to be solid, not gelcaps. You have to get it behind the pharmacy counter and show ID because it has sudafed in it.

Baysfordays, if I were you I would buy some and give it a try. It's literally changed my life. My headaches are worse certain times of years - worst of all in the fall. IDK what I'm allergic to. Sometimes I think I might actually be allergic to horses....I know I'm allergic to leaf mold, don't know what else.


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

newtrailriders said:


> I have the same issue. It started when I was a young child and I didn't figure out the cause until I was in my 30s. I would be totally out of commission every time I got a headache. Such severe pain, and vomiting. I absolutely could not function.
> 
> I accidentally discovered the problem when somebody offered me Advil Cold and Sinus for a migraine that was just coming on, about 20 years ago. My headaches have been under control ever since! I've told so many people about the solution and had a really hard time getting anybody to try it but when they finally listen it usually works.
> 
> ...


@newtrailriders, I could never figured why I got migraines so bad and so often and then to feel bad days later after the migraine was over, I called them the migraine hang over. Then years later I noticed my sinus would drain down my throat befor a migraine would start and so I tried with the sinus meds and did noticed a different.
I would wake up with a sinus headache and then as the day worn on it would just keep on coming and then turn into a migraine and then I was done for the next couple of days, I had a couple of migraines get so out of control that I would need to go to the ER a few times. Finally someone told me to try sinus over the counter meds when a headache would start so tried that and wow it helped a little bit and like you @newtrailriders I had to take it at the right time to get these headaches under control if I didnt they would turn into a migraine.. SO NOW I take a Zyrtec every night befor I go to bed and has helped so so much, but at times I still get headaches but NOT as bad and when I wake up with a headache I take a Advil pill for sinus and pain and if that dont knock it out in a few hours I take (Mucinex sinus and pain) and if my headache is still hanging on then I will go to Advil Migraine and it helps get the headaches under control, it dont work all the time but 90% it does. I did alot of experimenting with different meds and everyone is different what might work for one person might not work for the other person. But I do know its my sinus thats the trigger for Migraines. I even did Chiropractor work for 2 years never did a thing for my headaches and I did have a neck injury (whiplash), but still got Migraines so now with the way I'm taking sinus meds when I feel a headache is coming on has helped me so much. When these cold fronts start rolling in I can feel the pressure and I hate that feeling so much because I know what thats going to do to me if I dont watch myself.


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## baysfordays (Oct 14, 2021)

My Salty Pony said:


> @newtrailriders, I could never figured why I got migraines so bad and so often and then to feel bad days later after the migraine was over, I called them the migraine hang over. Then years later I noticed my sinus would drain down my throat befor a migraine would start and so I tried with the sinus meds and did noticed a different.
> I would wake up with a sinus headache and then as the day worn on it would just keep on coming and then turn into a migraine and then I was done for the next couple of days, I had a couple of migraines get so out of control that I would need to go to the ER a few times. Finally someone told me to try sinus over the counter meds when a headache would start so tried that and wow it helped a little bit and like you @newtrailriders I had to take it at the right time to get these headaches under control if I didnt they would turn into a migraine.. SO NOW I take a Zyrtec every night befor I go to bed and has helped so so much, but at times I still get headaches but NOT as bad and when I wake up with a headache I take a Advil pill for sinus and pain and if that dont knock it out in a few hours I take (Mucinex sinus and pain) and if my headache is still hanging on then I will go to Advil Migraine and it helps get the headaches under control, it dont work all the time but 90% it does. I did alot of experimenting with different meds and everyone is different what might work for one person might not work for the other person. But I do know its my sinus thats the trigger for Migraines. I even did Chiropractor work for 2 years never did a thing for my headaches and I did have a neck injury (whiplash), but still got Migraines so now with the way I'm taking sinus meds when I feel a headache is coming on has helped me so much. When these cold fronts start rolling in I can feel the pressure and I hate that feeling so much because I know what thats going to do to me if I dont watch myself.


I also get the headache after the migraine and I also call it a hangover headache. When I wake up later than usual, I get a horrible sinus headache.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I don't get migraines but a lot of my family members do. They are all getting special prescriptions, injectables, all kinds of stuff. Apparently the same thing doesn't work for everyone, and most of them had to go through some trial and error to find what worked for them. So that would mean multiple doctor visits. I can't believe a doctor just told you to take ibuprofen. I mean what kind of doctor would do that? It's like they just heard "I have these little headaches..."

If you have insurance, and I hope you do, you should find a better doctor, one who will work with you to figure out a treatment that works for you.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

My Salty Pony said:


> @newtrailriders, I could never figured why I got migraines so bad and so often and then to feel bad days later after the migraine was over, I called them the migraine hang over. Then years later I noticed my sinus would drain down my throat befor a migraine would start and so I tried with the sinus meds and did noticed a different.
> I would wake up with a sinus headache and then as the day worn on it would just keep on coming and then turn into a migraine and then I was done for the next couple of days, I had a couple of migraines get so out of control that I would need to go to the ER a few times. Finally someone told me to try sinus over the counter meds when a headache would start so tried that and wow it helped a little bit and like you @newtrailriders I had to take it at the right time to get these headaches under control if I didnt they would turn into a migraine.. SO NOW I take a Zyrtec every night befor I go to bed and has helped so so much, but at times I still get headaches but NOT as bad and when I wake up with a headache I take a Advil pill for sinus and pain and if that dont knock it out in a few hours I take (Mucinex sinus and pain) and if my headache is still hanging on then I will go to Advil Migraine and it helps get the headaches under control, it dont work all the time but 90% it does. I did alot of experimenting with different meds and everyone is different what might work for one person might not work for the other person. But I do know its my sinus thats the trigger for Migraines. I even did Chiropractor work for 2 years never did a thing for my headaches and I did have a neck injury (whiplash), but still got Migraines so now with the way I'm taking sinus meds when I feel a headache is coming on has helped me so much. When these cold fronts start rolling in I can feel the pressure and I hate that feeling so much because I know what thats going to do to me if I dont watch myself.


I went to the ER a few times in desperation. I hate doing that because they look at you like you're a drug seeker. I'm an RN and worked in an ER and had to have my coworkers treat me once when a headache came on at work. Since I had to drive myself home, I didn't want anything too strong. They gave me toradol (like IV motrin), IV compazine, and IV benadryl. It worked but IV compazine makes me crazy LOL. That was embarrassing. 

Once my sister called me from her vacation in Colorado. They were at Estes Park and my nephew had a bad headache - probably from the altitude. She wanted to avoid going to the ER for him if possible so she was calling to see if I had any ideas what she could do. I said "Well - in the ER they do IV toradol, compazine and benadryl. Toradol is like advil, compazine is like dramamine (motion sickness medicine available OTC), and of course you can get benadryl over the counter. Might as well try a combination of those three." We looked up the safe doses of those meds for a kid his age and it worked for him.

Cold fronts do it for me too. I've had a lot of headaches recently with the change in weather plus the leaves falling and all the mold. I got a bad one when I was saddling up for a group ride a couple weeks ago. I'd had one coming on during the day and made the mistake of not taking something right away. I bent over to tie my boot and a headache came on so strong and suddenly it was horrible. Do you ever get one that feels like you got a ton of water up your nose, or like you have a bad ice cream headache? This was like a combination of the two. Thank God I had some Advil C&S in my saddle bag. I took it right away and said my prayers as I got in the saddle. The first 30 minutes of the ride were just agony and letting my horse follow along. Then the medicine kicked in and it was a good ride after that.

Migraines stink.


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## baysfordays (Oct 14, 2021)

@newtrailriders i never thought about the cold front thing.. I had a migraine just two days ago and a cold front came in yesterday, though I did wake up with a headache thus morning.. it only cooled it down a few degrees but then tonight the rest of the cold front is officially coming in and it’s going to drop a good 10 to 20+ degrees than what we’ve been having.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

baysfordays said:


> @newtrailriders i never thought about the cold front thing.. I had a migraine just two days ago and a cold front came in yesterday, though I did wake up with a headache thus morning.. it only cooled it down a few degrees but then tonight the rest of the cold front is officially coming in and it’s going to drop a good 10 to 20+ degrees than what we’ve been having.


I think it's the atmospheric pressure shifts before cold fronts that cause the headaches? They even have "aches and pains warnings" on our TV station when there are pressure shifts. 

I'm so sorry you're suffering. People used to roll their eyes when I told them my migraines were as painful as being in labor but they were! I hope you get yours figured out soon. Another thing that really helps me is a hot water bottle - full of the hottest water I can get from the tap. I take my meds and put the bottle on my head until they kick in.


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## Morgan.taylor (Sep 1, 2020)

I would recommend a specialist, not a general health dr as they truly have a habit of just writing this stuff off. There are specific migraine medications you can take to either catch one at the beginning or take when one is in full effect (I've had both) however finding the root is much more efficient in treating. A friend of mine has a rare migraine 'disorder' that took her really advocating for herself and demanding to be seen by specialist. the first one ignored her and wanted to put her on meds that would actually have caused the migraines to worsen. So please keep advocating for yourself!

In the mean time magnesium is great as is seeing a chiropractor and a massage therapist, also are you staying tense in your neck/jaw? I find I will get bad headaches from doing this myself. My migraines are mostly under control now, every once in awhile I will ignore the signs but aleve dual action has been great for me when needed. I have been known to fill the sink or tub with cold water and stick my feet in, I don't know of the science but sometimes it shocks my system enough to bring it back to normal I guess.


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