Sparring is to improve our health, but in many cases, you may have experienced headaches after exercise, making your mental state more stressful and anxious.
You have to have a good insight into headache after sparring and take careful precautions so that the headache will not adversely affect your health.
Read on as our article will help!
Contents
Why Do You Have A Headache After Sparring?
After sparring, symptoms of headaches have varied manifestations, such as when exercising, there is pain throughout the upper half of the head, or you have a throbbing pain from the back of the neck running straight to the top of the head. Another one is jerky pain in the rhythm of the heartbeat.
The headaches after sparring can be caused by many reasons. One of them is sparring when you are hungry, and the body does not have enough energy to exercise. Or it can stem from an increased amount of CO2 in the blood.
First of all, you need to know about the two types of training headaches:
- First-on pain: Usually less dangerous, directly caused by overexertion. This kind of pain usually lasts only 5 minutes to a maximum of 2 days.
- Secondary headache: Very dangerous due to the influence of other pathological causes such as bleeding, tumor, so on. Manifestations: decreased vision, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, neck stiffness, painful state that lasts for a very long time, etc. Secondary headache requires urgent examination and treatment.
Headache after sparring is due to breathing too quickly, leading to constriction of blood vessels. It causes the vascular dilatation response and, as a result, vestibular pain. This type of headache is characterized by severe pain on one side of the head and lasts 4 to 6 hours.
Besides, the above kind of headache usually occurs after aerobic activity and is more frequent in hot weather.
Another culprit behind this problem might be the neck with an unfavorable position. The body is dehydrated when exercising, or you hold your breath too long while exercising.
What Should You Do To Reduce The Headache After Sparring?
#1. Before Sparring
Keep yourself hydrated, and make sure you eat enough meals to get your body nourished, especially on the days you train. Don’t skip warm-up steps. After this step, the muscles are relaxed and ready for you to step into the workout. It can reduce the risk of injury and sudden stress relief.
#2. During Sparring
It is necessary to consider and choose exercises that best suit your condition. If you have headaches during or after exercise, consider reducing the intensity of your physical activity next time. It’s advisable to add more nutrients for the body to produce energy.
Also, you should limit being hit on the head, shoulders, nape, and face to avoid direct impact on the head.
#3. After Sparring
Doing exercises to stretch and relax is a must. Also, consider adding the necessary nutrients and get proper rest. If the pain is persistent and severe with vomiting and nausea, you should see a doctor immediately.
Also read: Hands shaking after boxing; and White heavyweight boxing champions.
Conclusion
Exercise is to make the body healthier and more resilient. Don’t overdo it and get a headache after sparring. It can cause another kind of “headache” – a mental headache that obsesses you the rest of your life. Remember to warm up well, replenish your nutrition, and cheer yourself up.
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With a passion for combat sports and a wealth of experience, Mike Colon stands as a seasoned figure in the world of martial arts, hailing from the vibrant city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike has honed the skills of numerous fighters, guiding them through the intricacies of the sweet science of Boxing and the multifaceted challenges of MMA.
