Headaches While Tumbling?

[Molly_joanne]

Hi all
I've been doing cheer for three years now, and just this past year I started getting really bad headaches when I tumbled. It usually starts about ten minutes into class, and then every time I do a front walkover, attempt a back walkover, forward or backward roll it progressively gets worse. It stops me from learning skills, and a lot of the time I have to sit out, or just stand for five minutes until it subsides enough for me to continue. Since then I haven't gained any new skills in tumbling at all, and so far my only skill is a front walkover.
A few times they've had to call my parents to pick me up, and I generally can't fill the whole hour of tumbling with actual tumbling, most of it I just spent trying to stop my head from pounding. Usually dizziness comes along with it.
Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening? I only drink water, and usually drink at least a bottle during tumbling. I don't always eat a full meal before cheer, as it makes me feel sick, so that could be one possibility, but I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas?
I do 2.5hrs of cheer before my tumbling class starts, which goes for an hour.
I've tried osteopaths and chiropractors (which I visit often for my back and neck pain anyway) but it hasn't seemed to help at all. I'm really tall and thin for my age also.
I would really love to progress in cheer, and I'm finding it really frustrating not being able to get any new skills. I'm going into a level three team next year purely for my stunting abilities, but I know it's lucky I made it onto this level, and know I'm not going to be able to move forward any further.
I also feel bad because my parents are paying for me to attend tumbling classes, in which I often can't do a lot. I've tried to just suck it up, but if I keep going, it turns into a really bad migraine, and once or twice I've nearly passed out.
Help?

 

[Flexiii_Lexiii]

This isn't any help but Id really like to know what it is because I get the same thing

 

[Elle]

Have you been to see a doctor about this?

 

[Molly_joanne]

Have you been to see a doctor about this?

No, My parents are planning on taking me to the doctor, but thought I'd see if anyone else had any ideas in the meantime
Someone else helped me a little while ago and we had suspicions that it might be TMJ, which is a joint problem, so I've been seeing a chiro for that, but at the moment I don't think its helping (its holidays so not getting the chance to tumble) I wanted to see if anyone had any idea before I went to the doctor. Because with the TMJ no chiro had ever picked it up before, but when I mentioned it specifically I got told that I do have the symptoms.

 

[CheerBank]

No, My parents are planning on taking me to the doctor, but thought I'd see if anyone else had any ideas in the meantime
Someone else helped me a little while ago and we had suspicions that it might be TMJ, which is a joint problem, so I've been seeing a chiro for that, but at the moment I don't think its helping (its holidays so not getting the chance to tumble) I wanted to see if anyone had any idea before I went to the doctor. Because with the TMJ no chiro had ever picked it up before, but when I mentioned it specifically I got told that I do have the symptoms.

The good news is that if it is TMJ (which might be very possible - now that it was mentioned to you, have you observed yourself clenching your jaw/grinding your teeth before/during/after tumbling?) I can be easily resolved with anti-inflammatories and a bite plate/retainter to keep you from doing it. I was diagnosed with TMJ by an ENT in my early 20s - I thought I had double ear infections, because that was where I was feeling the pain. I would suggest you see an ENT if this is what is suspected.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Definitely go to the doctor. Any advice someone on here gives you will be purely a guess.

Also, I don't know a whole lot about chiro, but I would think it's best to see a medical doctor before trying to treat mysterious issues at the chiro. My understanding is that they're not trained to identify medical issues.

 

[12stepCheermom]

I have no idea if it's related to yours but cp14 has always gotten headaches when she tumbles. But her issue is that she holds her breath when she tumbles and doesn't breathe. Does the same thing in jumps, so if they're working either of those hard, the headache will come. At the very least I try to get her to say hit, hit, hit, hit, pull in jumps because if you're talking you're breathing...but she won't.

And I'm not so sympathetic.

Mom I have a headache.

Try breathing, I hear that's helpful.

#momoftheyear

 

[Keep_Believing]

You really need to see a Medical Doctor. Every situation is different. My oldest CP has vertigo and migraine issues. She takes topiramate / topamax to prevent her migraines. The majority of the time; as long as she is on her medication, getting enough sleep/rest, staying hydrated, and eating enough she is able to tumble headache free.

 

[CheerTeamNerd]

Definitely go see a doctor. If you have had any head injuries in the past year it is important to mention that as well. I broke my nose playing another sport and have had recurring (not severe) headaches caused by sinus pressure/pain since the incident. This occurs when I am being very active (any kind of head movement involved in jumping, dancing, tumbling, even swimming, however not when I am upright - running, biking etc.)

 

[Fierce_Elite]

You should go see a doctor. You could be suffering from migraines.

Other than that, when I go to into a loud facility all day, I know I can't tolerate much. Sometimes I go to band competitions literally all day long to support people and when I don't take medication before I leave for the day, I have a killer headache by lunch or shortly after night time.

I usually take two dosage of Ibuprofen before I leave to go to the comps, and then two more a couple of hours later. (around lunch) than I'm good. Maybe you should think about that? After you get diagnosed from a doctor of course. Over the counter medication can be harmless, but it could be potentially dangerous if you don't know what you have.

ps: i'M USING BAND COMPS AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY I TAKE PILLS BEFORE AND AFTER I GET THERE. I KNOW THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOPIC. JUST USING AN EXAMPLE

 

[njallday]

Definitely go to the doctor. Any advice someone on here gives you will be purely a guess.

Also, I don't know a whole lot about chiro, but I would think it's best to see a medical doctor before trying to treat mysterious issues at the chiro. My understanding is that they're not trained to identify medical issues.

i'm not saying not to go to a medical doctor; she should, but chiropractors are fully trained and licensed to make diagnoses. depending on the school, our curriculum actually includes about 3x the amount of time spent on making diagnoses compared to medical schools. if the diagnosis made by the chiro is outside of the realm of what we can treat and our scope of practice, the patient will, of course, be referred out.

*stepping down from soap box and backing away from thread*

 

[Flexiii_Lexiii]

I have no idea if it's related to yours but cp14 has always gotten headaches when she tumbles. But her issue is that she holds her breath when she tumbles and doesn't breathe. Does the same thing in jumps, so if they're working either of those hard, the headache will come. At the very least I try to get her to say hit, hit, hit, hit, pull in jumps because if you're talking you're breathing...but she won't.

And I'm not so sympathetic.

Mom I have a headache.

Try breathing, I hear that's helpful.

#momoftheyear

That right there is probably my problem lol

 

[alexacheer2010]

Hi all
I've been doing cheer for three years now, and just this past year I started getting really bad headaches when I tumbled. It usually starts about ten minutes into class, and then every time I do a front walkover, attempt a back walkover, forward or backward roll it progressively gets worse. It stops me from learning skills, and a lot of the time I have to sit out, or just stand for five minutes until it subsides enough for me to continue. Since then I haven't gained any new skills in tumbling at all, and so far my only skill is a front walkover.
A few times they've had to call my parents to pick me up, and I generally can't fill the whole hour of tumbling with actual tumbling, most of it I just spent trying to stop my head from pounding. Usually dizziness comes along with it.
Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening? I only drink water, and usually drink at least a bottle during tumbling. I don't always eat a full meal before cheer, as it makes me feel sick, so that could be one possibility, but I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas?
I do 2.5hrs of cheer before my tumbling class starts, which goes for an hour.
I've tried osteopaths and chiropractors (which I visit often for my back and neck pain anyway) but it hasn't seemed to help at all. I'm really tall and thin for my age also.
I would really love to progress in cheer, and I'm finding it really frustrating not being able to get any new skills. I'm going into a level three team next year purely for my stunting abilities, but I know it's lucky I made it onto this level, and know I'm not going to be able to move forward any further.
I also feel bad because my parents are paying for me to attend tumbling classes, in which I often can't do a lot. I've tried to just suck it up, but if I keep going, it turns into a really bad migraine, and once or twice I've nearly passed out.
Help?

I've had similar issues with headaches related to tumbling. I went to a neurologist who sent me to physical therapy (and I was totally anti pt before I went). The PT place found that I was having muscle spasms in my back which were causing awful headaches. They were not just during tumbling but all the time. I was advised to stop tumbling, but of course I didn't want to cut down on anything, so I just went to PT for three years. My doctors prescribed me a muscle relaxer, which helped after I competed, but since they basically knock you out I couldn't take them all the time. I would recommend seeing the doctor, who will probably refer you to a neurologist. But I did want to mention I went to a chiropractor for it and whatever he did wasn't making a difference (for the particular issue), however I go to a different chiro for adjustments on my back and I do love what they do! Just didn't work for my particular headaches because he (my particular chiropractor at the time) didn't focus on muscle like the PT people did.

 

[mstealtoyou]

I honestly was going to suggest breathe. My CP used to keep raging headaches and it was from holding her breath when tumbling and stunting. (Opening your eyes when you're tumbling helps you land , WHO would have guessed? Lol).

In good company with @12Step as "Mom of the Year!" Lmao.

 

[vannahlexis]

Do you wear glasses? I get the most awful headaches when I don't wear my glasses, and obvi you don't tumble with them on lol

I have hyper extended knees and I guess if you lock them for too long it can give you headaches and make you light headed. When I prep for my tumbling/begin a routine I always have everything locked out and that was an issue for me.

These are just the reasons I get/got headaches from cheer lol


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