Headaches when Singing
Posted , 11 users are following.
Morning All - I hope someone can help.
I have been the lead singer of a rock covers band for the last 5 years. I have been singing since the age of 5 and had singing lessons during most of my childhood up until the age of 18. Needless to say, I have been doing it 'properly' for a long time.
Over the last 12-18 months, I have started to get some quite aggresive headaches when I am singing. When we play a gig, we usually do about 25 songs in a night over about 2 hours ish. However, towards to the second half of the night, I get these headaches which happen when reaching for slightly higher notes (although they are not out of my range or anything like that). I will sing the note and when I stop singing, the headache is immedaite for about 25 seconds before going away. During a gig, I very rarely drink alcohol as I will forget my words, so I usually drink water throughout the set with the odd lemonade in the evening. If I do decide to have a beer, its usually at the end of the gig.
I am generally healthy other than this, but I am worried as I am only 32 and these headaches are slowly getting worse everytime we play a gig or do a practice. I am not physically sick or anything like that, but it does beat the hell out of me and I am so tired afterwards. There have been occasions where I have had to nearly abandon the gig because of the pain.
Last weekend, we played a charity festival which we do each year. This has been the worst pain so far and even brought me to tears.
I am going to go and see a doctor about this, but does anyone have any suggestions on this? I love my music and the guys in the band are close friends. But the pain I am experiencing is questioning how much longer I can do this for.
Many Thanks in advance.
Damien
1 like, 11 replies
patricia44234 damienenglish
Posted
I wonder if this could be connected to your hearing - perhaps you've developed a sensitivity to too much sound or certain types of sound. This is only a guess, but it should be easy to check. Some branches of Boots Chemists, offer free hearing checks. I'm not suggesting that you're deaf, but the hearing specialists at Boots, or elsewhere, might be able to suggest a cause and cure.
Best wishes, Patsy
richard89308 damienenglish
Posted
Richard
nadine14107 damienenglish
Posted
Rockchick57 nadine14107
Posted
Hi Nadine,
I tried the indomethacin last night and it didn't work for me. Can you tell what dose you took? I am so sick of getting these headaches, it's making singing a chore instead of a joy!
Helene
els83 damienenglish
Posted
It sounds like an exertional headache, as you get it when you are reaching for slightly higher notes, hence exterting yourself. I have a similar problem. Did you ever find out what this was?
Els
Rockchick57 damienenglish
Posted
Hi Damien,
This exact thing has just started happening to me. I have been singing for 40 years and never got headaches. Now whenever I gig, and it sounds like the same situation, about 25 to 30 songs, no drinking booze, just lots of water, I get a terrible headache about halfway through the night. I am really upset about this. I love my band, I love performing and this sudden onset of headaches is very distressing. And it only happens at gigs. What the hell? Iwould tend to agree with Nadine that it's tension and I personally am going to talk to my doc about the meds she is using.
I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone, and I was relieved to find out that I am not the only one, even though I am sorry some of my fellow singers have to go through this horrible malady! Please keep me posted and I will do the same!
Be well,
Helene
dreaknight1 damienenglish
Posted
Iv been suffering with these very same symptoms as a singer for the past 18mths and came across this post whilst googling my symptoms . Going to now mention this to my GP as I have before but been fobbed off. Thanks for posting as it helps to know i'm not alone here and its not all in my head (Pardon the pun).
maria_64614 damienenglish
Posted
Same here. Horrible headache! I have a Cranberries tribute this weekend and rehearsed for it last night and my right eye was watering after one of the songs I sang so hard on it. I've been singing for 26 years but more dinner music lately. The songs require more than I've done of late, but I suppose I'm grateful I can still do them! But today I am I so much pain--wow! Thanks for the info and good luck everyone!
jim226 damienenglish
Posted
I use to a migraine for several days after singing, and ended up it was from singing a very high note in one particular song. I rarely sing that particular song any more, and when I do, it is in a much lower key which doesn't sound as good as the higher key. But in any case, hope this idea helps someone.
terry69432 damienenglish
Posted
if anyone has figured this out.. please post... this is a new phenomenon for me... i used to get similar headaches but i found it was because i was sometimes bending at the waist, thus cutting off blood/oxygen supply, but i don't do that anymore, and like you, Damien, this is new, after about a hundred years of singing... and its also, like you, usually when reaching for a sustained high note within range (and breath,) NOT a new song, just the instant headache is new... 😦
louann75804 damienenglish
Posted
Hello, I am not a singer, but i sang the National Anthem yesterday for fun in my house and i gave it all i had. When i was done, my eyes were watering, my head was hurting, I was dizzy and I had to lie down from what felt like exhaustion. It's almost 24 hours later and i still have a headache. i was worrying that i may have popped a vessel or something but it's not that type of blinding headache. Just a bad one that won't go away. I'd be interested to hear the outcome if someone goes to the doctor. I would take something and see if it goes away but i was afraid to mask a more serious problem. Reading everyone's posts about this makes me feel a bit better just knowing this is not an isolated incident.