Why does crying make your head ache?

Answer 1

I get headaches after crying because I hold my breath while crying (see next paragraph on what holding your breath does to your head). A few years ago I was seeing a therapist and working on relieving stress. I had dealth with daily headaches for most of my life. In the workbook, it went over things that no doctor had ever asked me. Come to find out, I held my breath most of every day. I would take a breath only when needed. The workbook made me re-train my breathing pattern. I have learned to control my headaches almost all the time. I still have issues when crying, laughing hysterically, or test taking. Those are the times when I just cannot breathe normally. Holding your breath reduces oxygen in your blood, therefore, reducing the amount of oxygen going to your brain. The capillaries become smaller with less oxygen. When you start taking in more oxygen, the capillaries are already smaller. Your body trying to pump the blood/oxygen through to your brain is painful (like a throbbing) now because the capillaries are smaller.