Splitting headaches, as I start my tour of NZ

[Steam]

Ouch, I am getting terrible headaches every afternoon and evening, as I ride around the South Island in the first part of my month-long riding holiday.
Has anyone had a similar experience?
I don't know why I'm getting these headaches. There are several possibilities:


Muscular soreness from being unused to riding for so long. I haven't done any long-distance riding for about 5 months, so maybe my neck muscles have wasted away, and are having a hard time supporting my head in the 100kph wind buffeting?
But I ride every day for about 35 mins, commuting around the city, so my neck should be plenty strong I reckon.

Stress-headaches... from going on holiday? It's a possibility I guess.

Dehydration. Although I am cold most of the time, so I'm certainly not sweating. My piss isn't too yellow though, and I'm peeing regularly, so I don't think it's dehydration.


Nothing has changed from the last time I went on a long ride, and I was fine then... same gear, same bike, same helmet... strange.

[FJRider]

Try a good pair of sunglasses, the glare would cause headaches...

[98tls]

Harden up,this sounds like a "im from Auckland and today i rode my Harley 15kms from cafe to cafe:gob:"thread.:sweatdrop

[1 Free Man]

Harden up,this sounds like a "im from Auckland and today i rode my Harley 15kms from cafe to cafe:gob:"thread.:sweatdrop
:D LOL Not a lot of sympathy here!!!:no:

[Steam]

LOL Not a lot of sympathy here!!!
That's okay, I'm not looking for sympathy. Just advice.

Harden up,...
I save my hardness for YO' MOMMA. She lurrrves it all night long.

[98tls]

That's okay, I'm not looking for sympathy. Just advice.

I save my hardness for YO' MOMMA. She lurrrves it all night long. Bullshit,your the one she threw out of bed cause your dick was to small.

[Bikernereid]

I have had some stonking headaches whilst on a bike and I would agree with purchasing good sunglasses or a tinted visor as eye strain is a major cause of headaches. You might want to invest in 4head if you guys have it over there, you rub it on your head and it stops the transmission of pain to the brain somehow. Or you can put similar acting patches on your head (usually menthol based).

It is important that you keep hydrated and make sure that you eat regularly as both can trigger headaches. Hope this helps.

[SixPackBack]

Visit a Dr and inform him/her that you get headaches occasionally and that a friend/relative gave you some 'Paradex' and [more importantly] 'Cafergot' and that they worked well. If one of each of these does not stop your headache you have real issues. Try taking them at the first hint of pain.
It does sound like you have issues with your bike and /or position, if you are riding many k's on straight roads your cervical spine maybe locking [at least the muscles around this area] and without real movement lactic acid is building up.
Plenty of fluid and light food until your off the bike at night will make a big difference as will keeping a light grip on the bars and actively moving around while riding. Longer breaks more often before the issue arrives will also help. A neck warmer is a must in this weather.

[magicfairy]

Some other ideas.

There IS such a thing as "weekend" or "let down" headache. When you have been under a lot of stress and it eases up, for example going on holiday when you have a stressful job, you get pounding headaches. When the pressure comes off. I suffer these post-exams. So your second guess may not to too far from the truth.
Not much you can do but try and catch it early with pain killers. It should pass.

Also wind noise... do you have good ear plugs? Sometimes you don't realise how tiring it is, until it stops.

Another possibility - do you normally drink a lot of coffee, coke - and with the holiday are you drinking a lot less? It may even be caffeine withdrawl, don't laugh, it can be a real problem.

[CookMySock]

maybe youre not eating properly ? Get a fat juicy steak and salad down ya, and drink a litre of water by 2pm and I betcha they are gone. Dont drink anything but water and drink lots of it.

[mouldy]

Does your helmet fit properly , my race helmet is fine at the track but gets annoying after about an hour on the road , I have to frown to be comfortable

[MSTRS]

Nothing has changed from the last time I went on a long ride, and I was fine then... same gear, same bike, same helmet... strange.

Something has changed...perhaps you need a haircut? Long(er) hair will make your helmet too tight, with subsequent headaches.

[fatzx10r]

what about ear plugs? could be wind noise causing the problem

[Mrs Busa Pete]

Go to a phsyio get them to do some bone crunching shit put everything back in line and see how you go.

On other thing say you fell down the stairs or something to get acc to pay for it.

[jrandom]

Something has changed...perhaps you need a haircut?

Jesus, dude, next you'll be suggesting that he get a real job.

[marioc]

Possible eye strain?
Had your eyes checked recently?

[EJK]

Panadol. It'll buff any pains out! ;)

[mstriumph]

............ My piss isn't too yellow though, and I'm peeing regularly,............

waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much information!! :shutup:..... what am i? your gynacologist??

[nodrog]

its farken cold down there, you have brain freeze.

[Number One]

Bugger I get headaches all the time. Everyone has said all that I'd suggest and all that I have tried...though thanks for the name of two drugs I have not tried!

What I would say that I didn't notice though is to check your riding position and especially the position you hold your head in...are you craning forward at all?

Good luck :sunny: hope it eases and doesn't impact on your enjoyment...crikey I am jealous. (must start planning my own trip actually)

[jrandom]

Historically, I've gotten headaches from:

- extreme stress (as in, only happens once every few years)

- dehydration (as in running a half marathon and not drinking anything for the first 10km, or staying up all night boozing and throwing up without remembering to take in anything else)

- head and neck injuries from bike crashes.

A paracetamol, codeine and ibuprofen cocktail, washed down with a couple of litres of water, always sorts it out for me. If that doesn't work for you, I'd say something's pretty wrong.

Aside from the above, make sure you're getting enough sleep...

[jrandom]

Bugger I get headaches all the time.

In Victorian times, this was known as 'the vapours', and was commonly cured by the application of smelling salts and extensive sympathy.

:Pokey:

[Number One]

In Victorian times, this was known as 'the vapours', and was commonly cured by the application of smelling salts and extensive sympathy.

:Pokey:
Sounds good to me...I'll skip the salts and take a round of sympathy thanks :rofl:

[GaZBur]

I used to drive all day and get headaches mid to late afternoon. I used to take shitloads of panadol till I was told to try peppermints. Bugger me they worked - not sure if it was the peppermint itself which they said is a natural headache remedy or the sugar that came with it. Don't think the sugar free ones worked for me. Caffine withdrawl as said before by others brings on migraine like symptoms.

[Steam]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.
I'm in Wellington tonight, and riding on to parts North once the forecast weekend rain stops, so I'll try some of them then.

Cheers!

[Number One]

I'm in Wellington tonight,
Cold aye?! Oh that's right you from Dunners...must be like the tropics for you then :lol:

[Steam]

Cold aye?! Oh that's right you from Dunners...must be like the tropics for you then :lol:

It is pretty okay here, I don't even have the heater on.:sunny:

[Number One]

It is pretty okay here, I don't even have the heater on.:sunny:
We got the fire cranking here BRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr

[jrandom]

Oh, yeah, caffeine withdrawal.

I tried going off caffeine cold turkey for a fortnight in 2003.

Blinding headaches and the shakes for almost a week.

And then when I finally tried a coffee again it was like being on speed. I couldn't believe what it did to me.

I've just stayed on it ever since. Seems safer.

Edit: hypoglycaemia and/or ketosis will cause headaches, too. Keep those complex carbs going in, don't skip breakfast.

[FJRider]

In Victorian times, this was known as 'the vapours', and was commonly cured by the application of smelling salts and extensive sympathy.

:Pokey:

Mabe a course of LEECHES... it was popular then...:whistle:
Just check helmet straps are'nt too tight or helmet itself isn't too tight...

[kiwi cowboy]

Cold aye?! Oh that's right you from Dunners...must be like the tropics for you then :lol:

actualy number one its probly colder in wellington than down here at the mo.
were not getting any frosts [well 2 at minus 4]and its that wet we would almost think we were in wellington lol

[alanzs]

All the advice given sounds pretty right on, so hope you feel better and have a great ride. :done: