Transient Hypotension / Head-rushes

McWotever

Been getting alot of head rushes recently when standing up after even short periods of sitting down, or being horizontal. They can be any where from very mild (walk through it) to severe (hold on to a wall/couch).

My blood pressure is a little on the low side, say 114/80, so I do expect to get head rushes most of the time but seems to be worse while I'm training.

For example if I'm recovering after an event, or take a month off (or a slow month) they don't seem to happen, or at least not as severe, but during a training schedule they can be very bad.

I would of thought that the body could compensate quicker while training than while not training.

Does anybody else suffer the same or have any remedies?

Of course if I just stood up slowly I could just avoid it completely:rolleyes:!

uberwolf

Suffer the same? Yes, when I've been fit they were a constant for me

ThisRegard

Are you sure it's not just a case of vertigo you have ?

McWotever

ThisRegard wrote: »

Are you sure it's not just a case of vertigo you have ?

No I don't think so. Its only when I stand up from a resting position and it will sort its self out in less than 5 seconds. Its to do with arteries contracting to maintain blood pressure, but I would of thought while at a heightened level of fitness they would react alot faster.

It is reassuring to know someone else suffers the same as me.

I am convinced one day I will collapse cos of it, and the only way round this that I can see is to remain horizontal all day and only move in case of house fire!:D

ThisRegard

Seems similar to a case of vertigo, or what the doctor diagnosed as vertigo anyway, that I had a couple of years ago. Sounds exactly like what you're suffering with, head went spinning usually when I got up off the couch or from bed or made a quick movement. Got a course of drugs of some form or another and never had a bout since.

BioDylan

114/80 is quite normal! What you experience when going from a resting to standing position so quickly happens to most people. In a resting position 'Thoracic Pooling' occurs where the blood in your venous system well..... pools, in the thoracic veins, upon standing this blood doesn't flow back to the heart straight away due to the low pressure of the venous system as a result you get a low venous return to the heart and thus less blood to the head etc which causes the dizziness due to low blood pressure, this is quickly corrected by the baroreceptor reflex and normal pressure is restored

I'm far from an expert but from what I do know it sounds to be like that, however if it persists you should probably go to a doctor just to make sure all is well

McWotever

That sounds about right. I suppose the question is now, why does it happen when fitter. You'd think the involuntary body responses would be quicker off the mark.

I'm open to correction here but I think vertigo is an inner-ear imbalance problem. Its not something that I've considered, but might look up. My situation is wholly isolated to standing from rest and has no other manifestations.

Like I said earlier, its just reassuring to know that others experience the same.

huskerdu

I suffer from the same thing. my blood pressure is usually 100/70 or 90/60.

The lowest it was measured at was 80/40.

Dehyrdration is a big cause of this with me ( that and pregnancy, but that is probably not your problem).

Maybe you are not hydrating enough when you are training heavily.

I realise that I just strayed into medical advice territory.
You really should mention this to your GP and maybe get a home blood pressure kit to monitor it.

McWotever

80/40 is actually quiet dangerous, but I'm sure you know that.

Actually, you may have knocked it on the head there, with hydration, not pregnancy.

I am brutal at keeping hydrated properly, i'd go months with out seeing clear, eh, output, shall we say!

And I do remember reading that somewhere at some stage. Right, double rations of water for me.

huskerdu

McWotever wrote: »

80/40 is actually quiet dangerous, but I'm sure you know that.

I'm sure it is, but the blood donor clinic were desperate that week.
They sent me out to the waiting room to eat and drink as much as I could for 20 minutes. As soon as my blood pressure was back to normal, they took the blood.

Mind you, an nurse once told me I had "lovely" blood pressure, which is the strangest compliment I have ever got.

Dont mess with hydration if you are training hard. Keep drinking the water.

daithi74

Hi,

I suffered from exactly the same thing and for me hydration solved it. Personally I squeeze either lemon or lime into the the water every now and again, just for some flavour and difference from plain water.

dev123

It may be a number of non-running related conditions related to the heart, brain or kidneys. But seeing as something as simple as a muscle ache can't be discussed on boards or treatments I would recommend you should go to your gp

RayCun

huskerdu wrote: »

I'm sure it is, but the blood donor clinic were desperate that week.
They sent me out to the waiting room to eat and drink as much as I could for 20 minutes. As soon as my blood pressure was back to normal, they took the blood.

I was never that low, but when I was under 100/60 they sent me outside to run up and down a set of stairs for a few minutes before measuring again. Not quite in the spirit of the rules, I think

clear thinking

I've low blood pressure but never get this problem anymore, until i read the thread, i then got light headed getting up for a cup of tea.

I used to hold my breath to get the blood pressure up when i felt the bp drop. Handy trick if you find yourself next to a cliff and about to faint.