Headaches after caving
Tim Waldo
This may sound funny, but I've noticed a proportional rate the more I
need a haircut, the more likely I have headaches during and after
caving. :) Think its due to the tightness of my hardhat... also
something else I've recently had a slight problem with (thank god I
caught it) was high bloodpressure, although that was bothering me more
while caving than afterward. Seems I got a bit out of shape :)
no mater what, I'd get it checked out with a doctor.
hope that helps :)
-Tim
PINHOLE616 wrote:
>
> Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
>
> Christopher Allen
> NSS 43023
--
Visit my Page at http://www.cei.net/~twaldo
or Page me at mailto:twa...@cei.net and put "alphapage" in the subject
you can also visit my second home http://www.micro-inc.com
Wavy Caver
PINHOLE616 wrote:
>
> Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
>
> Christopher Allen
> NSS 43023
Well... after wearing my helmet for more than 8 hours, I get sore
areas on my head - kinda like mild bruises. Not usually headaches
though.
--
-Wavy Caver nss# 42250
(to reply remove NOSPAM from e-mail address)
PINHOLE616
CrushStone
Christopher Allen wrote:
What kind of helmet and light source do you have? We used to get headaches
when we used carbide lamps with construction hardhats, and some of the earlier
style climbing helmets. The problem was the front suspension pressing against
the sinuses for several hours. The solution was to either counterbalance the
lamp with a chunk of lead on the back of the hardhat, or add a suspension
element under the back of the head. We were too frugal (LOL!) to just go
purchase another, better suspended, helmet. The problem doesn't seem to exist
with any helmet when one uses electric lights that have the batteries attached
on the back.
Steve Stokowski
NSS 14425
Boston Grotto
CaverShack
>PINHOLE616 wrote:
>>
>> Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean
>by
>> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most
>caving
>> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
>> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has
>expierenced
>> this.
>>
>> NSS 43023
It could be your choice of helmet, light source, etc. I did see the post
concerning blood pressure. You should look into this. There is also the
possability that you are somewhat photophobic. Based on first hand
experience, I can tell you that the more time I spend in a dark environment
with a sudden exposure to bright light (eg. exiting a cave) the stronger and
more painful the headache will become. Knowing that I am photophobic, I
prepare myself to the exiting of a cave by milling around the exit for awhile
while my eyes adjust to the light above ground. You may want to try a night
caving trip to see if this helps.
Caver...@AOL.com
Not all of Mother Nature's beauty is above ground.
RFE Advanc
>A00...@ladder02.news.aol.com>
>
>Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
>
>Christopher Allen
>NSS 43023
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
make sure your drinking enough, mild dehidration causes headaches, i get the
same thing when i go snow skiing,
your body uses alot of liquids, and activities like skiing or sepllunking, you
don't feel like drinking cause of the climate.
George Taylor
On Mon, 20 Oct 1997, John Hellstrom wrote:
> In article <344ACB...@cei.net>, twa...@cei.net wrote:
>
> >This may sound funny, but I've noticed a proportional rate the more I
> >need a haircut, the more likely I have headaches during and after
> >caving. :) Think its due to the tightness of my hardhat... also
>
> If I cave for a few hours with a helmet with a tight headband, I'll get a
> headache every time - usually the headband is tight because my hair has
> grown, and I forgot to adjust it. But sometimes you need the headband
> tight, to stop your helmet slopping around - the Petzl Ecrin Roc is an
> awesome solution to this, as you can easily adjust the headband and
> harness tension while you're wearing it.
>
> John.
>
>
More likely to be to do with dehydration, I also had the same problem
until I started to carry a water bottle with me down caves, its amazing
how much you sweat with all that stuff on.
George
Black Moon
On 20 Oct 1997 00:42:27 GMT, pinho...@aol.com (PINHOLE616) wrote:
>Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
>
>Christopher Allen
>NSS 43023
Caves with bad air always get my head a hurtin', even after the trip
is done. At the onset of a headache pull out yer Bic lighter and
check the air. If they occur only when you get out of the cave then
it's something else. Also try to avoid caving with especially
flatulent people as this significantly reduces the air quality in the
cave environment.
-j-
OnRope3900
Past experiences and several studies have shown that long exposure and extended
periods of caving with people named Will have had this same effect on other
people.
Wavy Caver
WOW! You mean you know that guy too?!?!
I.E. "Wild Bill".. W.R.??
I drove him to Houston and back to pick up a big
sewing machine of his that I needed - his canoe
too as a part of the deal... Ever hear that song
called "Old Blevins" by the Austin Lounge Lizards?
[And he said: 'Blah Blah Blah-Blah Blah-Blah-Blah-Blah']
As he mercilessly plowed on about why Apple computers was
heading for trouble, I quitely sang this tune and through
his ramblings he didnt even notice.
Jo Schaper
In article <19971020004...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
pinho...@aol.com (PINHOLE616) writes:
>
>Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
While there are any number of medical conditions which result in
headaches, one of the commonest,(after things like tight helmets are ruled
out) and easily remedied is low blood sugar. That, combined with
dehydration, can cause one doozy of a headache, because the extra exertion
of caving can excerbate it with little effort. Obviously, the opposite
(diabetes) can be debilitating, but low blood sugar (simply from lack of
eating) is usually easily fixed with a meal. Considering that food is
usually the first thing on one's mind after a cave trip, that may be the
reason that the headache "goes away." Do not consider this a diagnosis, and
it may not be worth the expense of a trip to the doctor, but consider
asking him or her the next time you do go.
Jo Schaper
josc...@aol.com
Brian Davis
In an article, Christopher Allen wrote:
> Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has expierenced
> this.
As Jo Schaper mentioned, low blood sugar and dehydration are two of the
biggies. I used to have this problem a lot, until I learned to *drink
lots* (of water, that is). My problems were mostly due to dehydration.
Others include neck strain from a helmet-mounted light, or plain old
stress ("I wonder if I'm going to fall down this pit *this* time?").
-Brian Davis
Wavy Caver
CavMan wrote:
>
> Honestly, I think it may be the helmet!!! Another grotto member mentioned
> the same thing. We both wear the same brand of helmet (Petzl Ecrin Roc).
>
> I would be curious to know if anyone else notices a problem possibly
> associated with helmets and headaches.
>
> 35131
I use an Ecrin Roc too - and yes I get "head-ouch". Not exactly
headaches (as those experienced on long trips with people named
Will) but the helmet causes something like "bruises" on my scalp.
(I.E. I'm fine after I take the helmet off.)
CavMan
Black Moon <luna...@mail.utexas.edu> wrote in article
<344b7304...@newshost.cc.utexas.edu>...
> On 20 Oct 1997 00:42:27 GMT, pinho...@aol.com (PINHOLE616) wrote:
>
> >Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont
mean by
> > banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most
caving
> > trips.
> >Christopher Allen
> >NSS 43023
>
I get headaches allot. I know there is no bad air in the caves I visit.
Allen Dale Hutchison
Depending on the intensity of the caving you do it could be dehydration.
I try to drink 1 liter of water per 8 hours of caving, and I still come
out with a headache from dehydration.
Allen
--
Al...@Hutchison.org
http://www.hutchison.org/~allen
Butch Fralia
Every who has caved for very long experiences headaches for all the reasons
already posted. I find that cavers named Al cause as many headaches as
cavers named will. I'm sure that blood sugar and dehydration are also
factors.
Most headaches are caused by diminished blood flow to the brain causing
oxygen deprivation. There are many things that can cause this - not the
least of which is stress or muscle tension. As a Texas caver, I find
myself in a lot of hands and knees crawl situations. Having to keep my
head raised causes my neck muscles to tense up causing a reduced blood flow
and sometimes headaches. It was mentioned that caving in bad air can cause
headaches. The headaches usually show up after coming out of the bad air.
If you're lucky enough to be in a cave that has a transition zone from the
worst of the air to normal Co2 levels, you can stop where the CO2 level is
about half-way in between normal and worst case. Give yourself about
fifteen minutes for your blood gases to normalize and there wont be as many
headaches.
Butch Fralia
NSS 27041
PINHOLE616 <pinho...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19971020004...@ladder02.news.aol.com>...
> Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont
mean by
> banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most
caving
> trips. They go away after an hour or to. It may be just the dirt and mud
> affectting my sinuses. Just curious if anyone else out there has
expierenced
> this.
>
> Christopher Allen
> NSS 43023
>
Timothy Joseph Schafstall
>> >Has anyone ever expierenced headaches after a caving trip (and i dont
>mean by
>> > banging your head either)? I seem to expierence headaches after most
>caving
>
>Honestly, I think it may be the helmet!!! Another grotto member mentioned
>the same thing. We both wear the same brand of helmet (Petzl Ecrin Roc).
>
>I would be curious to know if anyone else notices a problem possibly
>associated with helmets and headaches.
>
Tim S
CROYCOTT
Most people I go caving with have a headache when they start the trip-from
drinking too much beer the night before!The caving usually improves this and
obivates the problem of developing another, or if you do you cant`t tell it
from the one you started with anyway