$Unique_ID{BRK01128}
$Pretitle{Ill Defined Symptoms and Rare Diseases}
$Title{Weight-lifter's Cephalgia}
$Subject{headache weight-lifter's cephalgia}
$Volume{N-23}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Weight-lifter's Cephalgia


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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?

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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 non-aerobic 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.
ÿ
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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.
