Health
Fact-checked

At TheHealthBoard, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How Can I Deal with a Head Rush?

Rhonda Rivera
Rhonda Rivera

There are various ways of coping with a head rush, including learning to adopt a squat position to avoid falling and sitting or standing up slowly. If you recently had long-term bed rest, learn to sit and stand up gradually as your body adjusts to moving about again. In addition, sometimes hypotension is caused by certain medications or drugs, like marijuana, alcohol, and painkillers, in which case you can better predict it. You may also want to talk to a medical professional about changing the dose of your medication, eating a better diet, and other possible causes.

Some people can feel a head rush coming on and adopt a squat position. The most threatening part of this sensation in an otherwise healthy person is the chance of falling and injury. By squatting, you are lowering yourself to the ground and lessening your chance of injury. It may also be beneficial to sit back down or brace yourself with whatever sturdy objects are nearby.

Standing gradually might help eliminate head rush issues.
Standing gradually might help eliminate head rush issues.

If you frequently get dizzy when standing up, learn to sit or stand gradually. This can be especially helpful for people who have endured months or years of bed rest and are capable of moving around once again. Sitting up gradually, with plenty of time between efforts, can prevent a major head rush that might happen when trying to stand all at once. In addition, many people find relief in eating smaller meals further apart to encourage blood pressure stability, since digestion of large meals lowers the blood pressure and can cause this lightheaded feeling.

Donating blood may cause a person to feel lightheaded temporarily.
Donating blood may cause a person to feel lightheaded temporarily.

There are many known possible triggers to a head rush, but what triggers one person might not trigger another. If you drink alcohol, take medication, or smoke or eat marijuana, try to figure out which, if not all, of these possible triggers are causing the problem. Knowing what triggers it can be crucial to learning how to deal with it. Then, when you consume these substances — and for a few hours afterward — learn to expect and brace yourself for the lightheaded feeling when sitting or standing up.

A head rush may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
A head rush may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Seeking medical attention for this problem may be a good idea in some cases. While most people can experience this condition for reasons that do not indicate a medical problem, it is a possible sign of a serious condition. For instance, it can be a symptom of Addison’s or Parkinson’s disease in some cases. Medical professionals can test for possible causes as well as monitor changes in blood pressure to analyze the situation.

Discussion Comments

lighth0se33

I try to never stuff myself when eating with friends, as I've been known to do in the past. Whenever I get really full, I tend to get a head rush later.

I remember one afternoon after Thanksgiving dinner when I experienced a big head rush. I had eaten a couple of hours earlier, and I had been sitting on the couch with everyone for awhile. When I went to stand up, I actually fell back down on the sofa.

My head was spinning so much that I had lost all my balance. I put my head between my knees to let the blood flow to it for a few minutes, and then I was able to stand.

seag47

@OeKc05 – There usually isn't any pain involved. It's a little strange that it is called a “head rush,” because in my experience, all the blood seems to be rushing away from the head.

It feels like your head is suddenly filling with helium and you are about to float away. It also feels like your head is no longer attached to your neck, and it is spinning around while suddenly becoming heavier.

OeKc05

I've never had a head rush before. What exactly is it?

I gather from this article that it involves feeling dizzy. Is there any head pain involved, or is it all the feeling of extreme lightheadedness?

kylee07drg

There are really no head rush signs to look out for, and the rush hits you all at once. That's what makes it so dangerous.

I started having head rushes when I was taking an antidepressant. Any time that I had squatted down and had gotten back up, even if I rose up slowly, I would nearly fall down from the rush.

I read the side effects on my medication, and this was one of them. I had to get my doctor to wean me off of it, because I really thought I might pass out in a public place.

julies

I have a history of getting migraine headaches, and a head rush is often the first sign that I have one coming on. Some people would refer to this as an aura.

It's the first indication I have that I will be getting a migraine. This always puzzles me because there is never a shift in my position or change in activities, but somehow the blood is rushing to my head and causing this headache.

John57

If you get have a frequent head rush for no apparent reason, or the symptoms of dizziness or feeling light headed don't go away, I think it would be wise to see a doctor.

When I started to get a couple of these a day, I started to worry that something was seriously wrong. I went through a bunch of tests, and they couldn't find anything.

It is strange because after a couple of months, they just went away. It was at least comforting to know that all the tests came out OK. They can be kind of a strange sensation though, and I sure hope they don't come back like that again.

LisaLou

@ZsaZsa56-- I always thought a head rush came when you moved your head too quickly, or had it in a position where all the blood rushed to your head at once.

I notice this most often when I bend down to garden or pull some weeds. If I just bend down instead of squatting, I get a head rush and feel very dizzy.

If get up slowly and sit down for a bit I am fine, but this seems to happen to me anytime I put my head in this position.

ZsaZsa56

What causes head rushes? I seem to get them a lot, a lot more than my friends or girlfriend ever do. Is this a sign of some kind of medical condition or do I just stand up too quickly?

summing

Usually if you just sit down, take a couple of deep breaths and maybe sip some water you can get over a head rush pretty easily. The important thing is not to go dashing off. Head rushes are usually accompanied by dizziness and you can easily fall and hurt yourself even worse.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Standing gradually might help eliminate head rush issues.
      By: JPC-PROD
      Standing gradually might help eliminate head rush issues.
    • Donating blood may cause a person to feel lightheaded temporarily.
      By: Gina Sanders
      Donating blood may cause a person to feel lightheaded temporarily.
    • A head rush may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
      By: Piotr Marcinski
      A head rush may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
    • A person may experience a head rush after having endured long bouts of bed rest.
      By: Dmitriy Melnikov
      A person may experience a head rush after having endured long bouts of bed rest.
    • Sitting down gradually may help prevent head rush from occurring.
      By: javy
      Sitting down gradually may help prevent head rush from occurring.
    • It's possible for hypertension to be caused by alcohol.
      By: ambrozinio
      It's possible for hypertension to be caused by alcohol.
    • Confusion may occur with a head rush.
      By: Antonioguillem
      Confusion may occur with a head rush.
    • Drugs such as marijuana can cause hypotension.
      By: berc
      Drugs such as marijuana can cause hypotension.