$Unique_ID{BRK01128} $Pretitle{} $Title{Weight Lifter's Cephalgia} $Subject{headache weight lifter's cephalgia Ill Defined Symptoms symptom brain activity induced headaches footballer's migraine Exertional effort trauma-triggered migraines angiography CT scans} $Volume{N-1} $Log{ Classic Migraine Headaches*0003902.scf Common Migraine Headaches*0003903.scf} Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc. Weight Lifter's Cephalgia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTION: I have a good friend who has made weight lifting his hobby ever since college days. He has frequently been plagued by headaches during both practice and competition. Now a doctor has defined this condition as "weight lifter's cephalgia", and I am curious about the seriousness of this disease. I don't want my friend to suffer the fate of other athletes we have read about lately. What can you tell me about this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANSWER: I am sure by now you have discovered that the word "cephalgia" is just another way of saying "headache". Just like the rest of us, athletes may suffer the same headaches that afflict all mortals, with about the same consequences, severity and seriousness. However, there are a classification of headaches, called "activity induced headaches," that may more often affect individuals that participate regularly in sports. They bear many descriptive names such as "weight lifter's cephalgia", "footballer's migraine" and others. They share the same characteristic in that they all occur during the exertion that accompanies an athletic effort. At present they are grouped into three categories; exertional headaches, effort headaches and trauma-triggered migraines. For the most part they are all benign, but require a careful examination and investigation to determine the precise cause and diagnoses. Exertional headaches last for but a few minutes, can occur in any part of the head and tend to move about. Though many experts classify exertional and effort headaches together, some investigators distinguish the effort headache as one that comes on during weight lifting or other nonaerobic activity. Trauma-triggered migraines result from contact sports, such as hockey, football and wrestling. If any of these headaches recur frequently, and despite the fact that simple analgesics may control the pain, they should receive the attention of a physician, and the necessary tests such as angiography, CT scans and other analytical evaluations should be conducted to determine if any serious condition exists. A good coach may be the vital link between the athlete and the physician, as the competitive player is often reluctant to seek out the needed medical attention for so "trivial" a reason as a headache. Perhaps some caring advice from you to your friend will be helpful in this situation. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.