Overheat causing headaches

I've experienced heat-related headaches for a while. They started when I began running 5Ks. After a race in the heat of a Texas summer, I felt terrible. But I kept running because I enjoyed competing. I made a big discovery after one hot race when I started eating the free food from the vendors. There was a lot of good food at this particular race and I kept eating. Guess what! No headache! After years of thinking it was a hydration issue, I discovered it was food related. I still get these headaches from time to time. Any kind of workout can trigger them if I get too hot. I keep food close by when I workout in the summertime. I haven't figured out exactly what kind of food my body needs to fight off the headache. But I have to eat and keep eating all day. Sometimes I have to eat food that's not too healthy but it's the price I pay to be able to function without a headache. Thanks to everyone who posted I'm gonna try a few things you mentioned. I don't know of anyone else who has this problem. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. God bless.

I just want to let you all know that I am a guy writing this as I found this discussion while doing a search for heat related headaches which I have suffered from for about 20 years. I used to race road and mountain bikes back in the 90's and early 2000's before my children were born as well as do long distance charity rides. It was almost inevitable that my rides were end up with me getting a migraine (debilitating headache, nausea up, vomiting). On top of that, a day at the beach or a really hot day doing basic activities would be enough to trigger a migraine. Thanks to my neurologist and my children I discovered two wonder drugs Topamax and Caffeine. With the Topamax, I was able to avoid popping Relpax, which I was taking almost constantly, and which was giving me rebound headaches. But what has been the real savior has been the caffeine. I never drank coffee before my children were born, and I find ironically that it will help fight my headaches significantly. I also started biking again after an 8 year hiatus and because of the caffeine use after my rides as well as I am using Nuun tablets (some which have caffeine) I am either not getting headaches at all, or they are going away much quicker. However, I am currently on vacation in a very hot and humid climate and even running for a couple of miles in this weather I have had two bad headaches. Hope this helps, I truly feel your pain.

When I had my second son I had a spinal block, ever since then I get headaches when I do anything in the heat. Went to the nuerologist and he gave me topiramate. You take it daily to prevent the headaches it has worked for me they are not as bad.

There's this brand of enduracool products called mission enduracool they come in caps and towels when you sweat or get it wet it cools you down to 58. Lowes carries this brand! I hope this helps because I deal with the same thing and this product really works!

OK all of u have described me, my sister and my nieces form of migraine. Summer is not my favorite time of year. I have tried depakote for the summer, ( so that i can stay at the beach house i rented one year)which worked, but had side effects that are not worth it. I am 50 and have suffered since I was 21. No answered from my neuro. I CANNOT use any type of hormones birth control ever. I use paraguard IUD, a copper form. No migraine side effects. When I overheat I need to go inside and will eventually get a migraine. We are not alone and that helps me realize this is not in my head which we once thought. Thank you for all your postings. Someday science we feel it is important enough to research more. Hang in there autumn is around the corner. I live in NH. Thinking it is some kind of broken body thermostat of some kind.

I have also had these all my life. It is comforting to know that other people have the same issue. I am thirsty often but I drink a lot. I do like Gatorade. Tonight I went to Zumba & the studio was hot when I opened the door. 30 min in, I started getting mild pain in my head. I just cut back on the exertion, but that didn't stop the headache from forming. Usually I have to sleep them off, or quite commonly, vomit. Sitting up seems to help somewhat, as I think it's sinus related as well. (Gravity makes sinuses drain...is that why I vomit maybe?) It is frustrating how there is a lack of awareness on this condition. I will try the V8 :)

I have this problem as well--in fact I'm sitting with a fan on my face as I write this. I have however found that, ironically, keeping myself warm helps a lot. If it's a cold, wet day like it is today and I don't keep a blanket on my legs, slippers on my feet and a light jacket on to maintain my body temperature in my drafty house, my head burns up. It's almost like my body goes into overdrive trying to warm me up, but then as I do there's some glitch with the register in my skull and it never shuts off. Like the person in the shower commented, I have found that when cold directly on my face doesn't help, really warming my entire body seems to reset my internal thermostat and kicks that upstairs register off. Showers can be a great way to do it. Otherwise, try to keep yourself from getting too cold and see if that helps.

I also have been cursed with heat related migraines for 20 years now. I used to be so active and loved being outdoors. If possible you would never catch me inside day or night. Now my life is spent being a prisoner of my own body. I can not be in temperatures over 70 degrees, I can not do any physical activity that causes me to get hot....no exercising, sports, bike riding, outdoor work, etc....my husband and children try to be understanding and my husband would so often put off activities because I couldn't do them. I finally got it through to him that it isn't fair to him or the kids so don't feel bad about doing things without me. I would be okay. I have been to many many doctors even neurologists, have done all kinds of testing and tried many many preventative medications to no avail. Reading all of the posts by all of you should probably make me feel better to show that I am not crazy or just making this all up but it doesn't. It makes me very sad because I know the misery that each and every one of you and your families are going through. I so wish that someone would figure out what to do to help us all. I have been on a quest of my own to try and find something that helps and I will continue, for us all.