Causes of headaches in the back of the head. Headaches in the back of the head: causes and treatment in adolescents

Headache in the back of the head different character: strong, sharp, constant, pressing, pulling, tingling, prolonged and squeezing. The back of the head also hurts for various reasons, among which pressure, pinched nerve and other pathologies. That's why it is important to immediately determine the reason why it hurts in the occipital region, the symptoms of what disease it is, and then begin treatment.

Therefore, together we will try to figure out why the occipital region is compressed every day or periodically, why it does not go away, what it means and what to do.

Causes of discomfort

There may be several explanations for why severe pain is felt in the back of the head. more often this is due to the following reasons:

Neuralgia of the occipital nerves.
Pathologies and ailments of the cervical spine ( For example, osteochondrosis, spondylitis, migraine)
Constant spasms.
High ICP.
Hypertension.
Sleeping or staying in one position long time.
Constant stress.
Overstrain of the muscles of the occipital region.
Bite problems.

Condition Photos:

Neuralgia

Vasospasm

High ICP

Cervical diseases

Hypertension

Muscle strain

Malocclusion

The cause of a headache and treatment can only be determined after visiting a specialist, because it may hurt for several days, but it will not be possible to determine the symptoms of which disease based on the nature of the pain.

Types of occipital pain in various diseases

If you constantly have a headache in the back of your head, especially when you press on the back, it is necessary to start treatment immediately, but this is done after determining the cause of the discomfort.

Type of sensation can tell, what kind of disease we are talking about.

Disease	Peculiarities
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine	With this pathology, there is a change and deformation of the cartilage tissue, intervertebral discs of the occipital part, which causes pain. In addition, nausea, dizziness, and a blurry picture before the eyes may occur. If you turn your head sharply or throw it back, the ability to move becomes more difficult. Also, against the background of the disease, a cervical migraine may occur, which is characterized by a sharp pain in the occipital part of the head, which can cover the temples and superciliary area.
Cervical spondylosis	In this case, growths appear on the bones and spinal column, and physical activity decreases. The pain in the back of the head continues constantly, the headache can last for four days in a row, and intensifies when turning the head.
Hypertension	If the problem is high blood pressure, then the pain is pulsating and occurs quite often. Additional symptoms include a rapid heartbeat, weakness, and may feel dizzy.
Cervical myositis	Pathology develops due to hypothermia, injury or prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position. Pain in the back of the head intensifies when turning the head, and can be felt in the shoulders, between the shoulder blades. The main feature of myositis is that pain may be felt more strongly in one part of the back of the head than in the other.
Cervical myogelosis	With pathology, compactions appear in the tissues of the cervical spine, which cause severe pain and dizziness.
Neuralgia of the occipital nerve	Pain with neuralgia is located in the back of the head, but can spread to the ears, back, neck and increase over time. More often the pain is shooting in nature.
Spasm of the arteries	Then the pain will appear during activity and disappear when lying down. You may also experience a pins and needles sensation on your scalp.
Occupational pain syndrome	Pain and discomfort develop, such as in office workers due to prolonged stay in an unchangeable position, drivers.
High intracranial pressure	The pain can be located throughout the entire head area, but it is especially severe in the back of the head. Symptoms also include dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. It is important to note that sharp pain localized in the eyes in bright light is often observed.
Malocclusion	The pain in this case can last up to three days, intensify in the evening, and affect the entire jaw apparatus. It is important to note the dull nature of the pain.

Pain in the back of the neck, behind the ears and aching, tingling in the back of the head also indicates about the presence of problems with pressure or pathologies of the spinal column.

There are also other causes of similar manifestations in the back of the neck, which differ in clinical picture and type.

If there is pain and nausea, and the pills do not help, it is likely not a matter of hypothermia, but a serious pathology. More often the muscles below the back of the head ache with osteochondrosis, and aching and frequent pain in the back of the neck occurs in the presence of infections, inflammations, tumors.

Useful video:

We offer in details become familiar with the type of pain and diseases that may accompany them.

Severe pain in the occipital region

Often severe discomfort in the back of the head develops due to inflammation and infections, such as:

Inflammation of the nerve in the back of the head. Feels like burning headache, paroxysmal.
Meningitis ( may also be observed manifestations such as convulsions, fever, vomiting, loss of consciousness).

Pain in the back of the head and feeling of nausea

More often, constant, cutting and pressing pain in the back of the head appears due to:

Concussions.

Intracranial bleeding.
Hematoma.
For a tumor located in the back of the head, a dull pain is felt.

Throbbing sensations

Pulsation in the lower part of the occipital region of the head develops due to high pressure or vascular spasms. In the case of the latter, pain intensifies with physical activity and may affect the temples and forehead.

Also, at first there may be a slight ache in the back, a ache, a feeling of heaviness, but with increased physical activity the throbbing pain will intensify.

With hypertension, you may feel dizzy and experience double vision.

Sharp headache in the back of the head

It starts to hurt sharply, hits the temples and frontal area, there is a feeling of something hot and squeezing - this is due to several reasons:

Myositis.
Migraine.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (a rare and dangerous type of stroke).

Myositis

Type of stroke

Constant occipital headache

Constant severe pain below the back of the head that does not go away for the third or fourth day may indicate about the presence of pathologies of the spinal column, which include osteochondrosis, spondylosis, pinched intervertebral discs.

Pain and dizziness

Almost always with acute discomfort, which is located in the back of the head, others are also developing signs such as dizziness, nausea.

It may speak about such pathologies, such as osteochondrosis, hypertension, myogelosis. At the same time, the pain may feel throbbing and bursting.

It will be useful to view:

If he shoots from behind

Shooting headache occurs after hypothermia, inflammation, it intensifies after an increase in activity. Could also be a sign exacerbation osteochondrosis in chronic form.

Also this type pain is inherent in neuralgia of the nerves located in the back of the head.

Pressure in the back of the neck

Pressing and dull pain develops for the following reasons:

Overexertion or staying in the wrong position. Also this could become cause of increased blood pressure.
Intracranial hypertension. May also nausea, dizziness, vomiting.
Stress and emotional tension.

What to do if the back of your head hurts?

Constant, frequent and severe pain in the back of the head and the back of the head may indicate a serious illness. Therefore, you should not undergo treatment or buy medications without a doctor’s prescription, better right away go for examination.

Initially, you can contact see a therapist who will conduct an examination and prescribe further examination.

For bite problems need to contact to the orthodontist. The installation of braces will probably be considered.

Photos before and after treatment with braces

Most often prescribed such analyzes:

External examination and history taking.
Blood and urine tests (to detect inflammation in the body).
X-ray, CT or MRI (to detect changes in nerve endings and blood vessels).
Monitoring blood pressure indicators, determining the condition of the fundus.
Encephalograph test (to analyze the condition of blood vessels).

Treatment

Subsequent therapy depends on the type of pathology the person has, but main directions in therapy are the following:

View	Peculiarities
Taking medications	Prescribed in the presence of inflammation and chronic diseases. Drugs are prescribed to improve blood circulation in hypertension. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for acute infections and inflammatory processes of nerve endings, antibiotics for severe conditions.
Physiotherapy	It should only be taken after taking medications for such ailments as myogelosis, osteochondrosis, spondylosis, inflammation of the nerves in the occipital region.
Gymnastics	Prescribed for cases of deformity in the spinal column.
Acupressure, treatment with needle injections, manual treatment, traditional medicine	Used after consultation with the attending physician and when the diagnosis has been accurately established.

Headache is familiar to many. It can occur only occasionally, under the influence of certain factors, or be a constant concern. Aching, stabbing, pressing, pulsating - this is not a complete list of its varieties. Often, poor health is associated with changes in atmospheric pressure, overwork, and lack of sleep. And that's true. But the pain that occurs in the area of the back of the head has a number of other causes. Lasting for a long time, it can bring the patient to extreme emotional stress. And even if it occurs periodically, headaches greatly “poison” life.

When the location of the pain is the back of the head, it is especially difficult to determine the factor that influenced this. In general, you don’t want to move your head; any movement causes a pulsation in the occipital region. There is only one desire: to clasp your head with your hands and squeeze hard, feeling momentary relief. But sometimes just touching the head is unbearable, not to mention turning and bending.

Painful sensations do not arise on their own. And it may happen that when the back of the head hurts, this signals a serious illness.

Severe nervous tension caused by stress. The accelerated pace of life leaves little time for proper rest, which sooner or later “goes to your head”!
Physical or mental stress for a long time without sufficient rest causes fatigue and, as a result, fatigue.
Osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease today. Moreover, as well as the neck and temples. Intensifying when bending over, it can bother you for a long time.
Head injuries or diseases of the cervical spine are a source, especially when moving the head.
A chronic disease characterized by bone degeneration of ligaments. So called spondylosis. With this disease, the cervical spine is overloaded with osteophytes, which are the main cause of pain. Stiffness when turning the head and sleep disturbance are the main symptoms of the disease.
Frequent stressful situations, coupled with monotonous work in one position, and as a result - poor posture, lead to stiffening of the neck muscles. A disease develops - myogelosis, characterized by the back of the head, dizziness, and stiffness in the upper back. With this disease, pain can be localized on one side of the back of the head, usually on the right.
The diseases listed above can contribute to the development of occipital neuralgia. In this case, pain occurs not only in the back of the head, but also in the back, neck, ears, and even radiates to the jaw.
High blood pressure is a source of pain immediately after waking up from sleep. At the same time, there is a pulsation in the head, the back of the head seems to be bursting from the inside. Spontaneous vomiting can alleviate the condition.
Intracranial pressure is characterized by a pressing headache with a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head. Loud sound and bright light act like a red rag on a bull! In this case, vomiting does not relieve the pain.
Cervical migraine is primarily due to inflammation of the neck muscles. Darkening of the eyes, hearing loss, and dizziness are associated with this disease. A possible cause is hypothermia.

Forewarned is forearmed

Without ignoring the pain in the back of the head, you can miss such a serious disease as a stroke. A cerebral hemorrhage is accompanied by a sharp, sudden pain in the neck, and here it is necessary to act with lightning speed: any delay is fraught with irreversible consequences.

A brain tumor or meningitis is manifested not only by pain in the back of the head, but also by dizziness, decreased visual acuity, and vomiting. These symptoms occur more often in the morning.

No less dangerous is pain on only one side of the back of the head: right or left. Such pain warns of a serious disease of the spine or brain. Don't delay your visit to the doctor! By starting treatment on time, you can avoid serious consequences. First of all, it is necessary to check the blood vessels and spine. Pay attention to the neck, this is where the pain most often begins, and then moves to the back of the head.

Problems with blood vessels cause their spasms, during which blood does not flow in the required amount to the brain, when the spasm weakens, the opposite happens - the release of blood in larger quantities. And then a pulsation occurs in the occipital part.

Infectious disease, excessive coffee consumption, smoking, uncomfortable sleeping position, inappropriate pillow, incorrect body position at the computer, all this negatively affects well-being. By changing your lifestyle, these types of pain will go away on their own.

If the pulsation is felt constantly, especially on one side of the head, this is vegetative-vascular dystonia. Maybe vomiting and nausea.

Stages of treatment

Before starting treatment, you should determine exactly what the cause of the pain is. And for this you need the help of a specialist who, after conducting an x-ray examination, will make an accurate diagnosis.

As an “ambulance” for pain in the back of the head, you can use proper rest and sleep. Overwork is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance. If possible, you should lie down, massage the back of your head with light movements, relax and try to fall asleep.

When the headache is so severe that it is impossible to fall asleep, drug treatment is usually used. It is quite acceptable to take the medicine at once, but you should not abuse self-medication to avoid serious consequences!

In certain cases, for example, with pain in the cervical spine as a result of osteochondrosis, manual therapy, massage, and physiotherapy have a good effect.

And for hypertension (high blood pressure), medications will be appropriate, but only those prescribed by a doctor.

If the pain occurs on the right side of the back of the head or on the left, the culprit is occipital neuralgia. You need to wrap your neck warmly and not make sudden movements.

The use of traditional medicine recipes in some cases is very reasonable. Herbal treatment has always been popular. Aromatherapy has a beneficial effect not only on the head, but also on overall well-being. The following oils are suitable for this purpose: mint, lavender, lemon. Applying a hot compress to the back of your head can relieve pain from extreme fatigue. Or, conversely, massage the back of your head with an ice cube.

First of all, you need to visit a therapist. After reviewing the medical history and listening to the patient’s complaints, the doctor will advise you to undergo an examination. Namely: a visit to a neurologist, surgeon, traumatologist, physical therapy doctor, chiropractor. And they, in turn, based on the results of general tests, pressure measurements, X-rays of the neck, rheoencephalography (to identify problems with blood vessels), computed tomography, will draw appropriate conclusions and prescribe treatment.

And in order to avoid such a disease in the future, prevention is required:

Follow the regime. Healthy sleep is 7-8 hours.
Replace feather pillows with orthopedic ones.
Watch your blood pressure. Sometimes it is enough to follow a diet and hypertension will recede.
Stop drinking alcohol and try to quit smoking.
Organize your workspace properly with a comfortable chair and sufficient lighting.
Take vitamins, especially during the off-season.
Avoid stress and overwork.

By observing prevention and, if necessary, starting treatment on time, you can forget about headaches forever. Just no amateur performances! Only a doctor has the right to prescribe medicine. Do not look for the cause on your own and, succumbing to advertising, do not buy new-fangled drugs.

Does your head hurt very often and you don't know what to do?

Most people in this case simply take a pill and forget about the pain, but the problem will not go away.

Pain in this part may indicate that some disease is developing. That is why you need not just take a painkiller pill, as is usually done, but run to the doctor.

Causes of pain in the back of the head

Pain in the head can have a different character, it can be aching, pressing, dull, etc. In some cases it is concentrated in one part of the head, and sometimes it radiates to all parts of the head. Moreover, in each case the reason for its occurrence may be different.

So, if the back of the head hurts, the causes of this condition may be the following:

Diseases of the thoracic spine or cervical spine

If such a disease develops, it is quite difficult to determine exactly where the pain is localized - in the back of the head or neck.

When moving, the pain may intensify, and the pain will be very sharp. The main reason for the occurrence of such sensations is the proliferation of bone processes; they are localized at the edges of the vertebrae or are compressed by vessels that go to the brain.

Body position was wrong

If you remain in an uncomfortable or incorrect position for a long time, the muscles of the cervical spine or spine may become very stiff, resulting in severe or moderate pain in the head.

Unpleasant sensations usually make themselves felt in the evening, but immediately after rest the condition will improve. This problem mainly occurs among office workers or drivers, because they are the ones who have to stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

Myogelosis

The disease is characterized by the fact that thickening occurs in the muscles of the cervical spine, and posture is disturbed. Anything can lead to this - staying in an uncomfortable position, hypothermia.

Gradually this will cause the muscles to become tighter. Movements will become difficult, and a dull, aching pain will appear in the back of the head.

Neuralgia

The occipital nerve can become inflamed due to hypothermia or the development of diseases of the spinal column. In this case, pain will occur when it is not expected at all, and the attacks can be severe. The pain radiates to the shoulders, back and even to the ear. The moment you make any movements, the discomfort will intensify.

Arterial hypertension

High blood pressure means frequent and regular pain in the back of the head, which can be accompanied by nausea or so-called spots before the eyes. Hypertension increases in the morning, as well as after prolonged physical exertion.

Mental or muscle tension

Frequent stress, inability to relax, constant problems - all this can lead to pain in the back of the head. It is not difficult to explain them - the muscles in the neck area are constantly tense, vascular spasms are observed, stress hormones increase. In the evening and at night the pain becomes unbearably strong, and over time it will become stronger. In most cases, such problems are faced by women who are over thirty years old.

Cervical migraine

Migraine is a rather unpleasant disease; it occurs due to vascular pathologies. There is a burning pain in the temples, back of the head, and on the face. Moreover, attacks of pain will be accompanied by tinnitus, frequent dizziness, and blurred vision. The patient is literally in a state of fainting.

Physical inactivity or lack of oxygen

Dull or aching pains occur in the back of the head, which are especially noticeable in the evening. The patient cannot fully engage in his business. The disease is common among office workers who work in poorly ventilated areas.

The optic nerve is tense

Pain in the back of the head can occur due to incorrectly selected glasses or lenses. The optic nerve is under severe strain. Pain can also occur in those people who constantly work at the computer; their vision is also under constant strain.

Other diseases

Severe pain in the back of the head can be a sign of any disease related to the brain. If they recur periodically, and constantly with renewed vigor, it is necessary to visit a doctor and undergo an examination. During the examination, many serious diseases can be identified, for example, a brain cyst, cancer, etc.

As you can see, if the back of the head hurts, there can be numerous reasons and it is simply impossible to diagnose yourself.

What to do when the back of your head hurts

If you experience severe pain in the back of your head, you should first visit a medical facility and undergo an examination. However, if it is possible to go to the doctor right now, no, You can try to alleviate your condition yourself at home:

1. Pay sufficient attention to your rest and work. Most often, in order to completely get rid of pain, it is enough to rest well. The daily routine needs to be clearly developed - you get at least eight hours of sleep, you need to go to bed at the same time. It is better to get up earlier in the morning. Before going to bed, be sure to take a contrast shower, this will help relieve tension and strengthen blood vessels.

2. Be actively involved in sports - if, due to your work, you have to sit a lot, you need to try to change your body position as often as possible, you can turn your head, bend over. Get up every hour and just walk around. If possible, join a pool or gym.

3. Normalize your blood pressure - if the pain in the back of your head hurts for this very reason, then the only way to get rid of it is to control your hypertension.

4. Pay attention to your diet - no matter how strange it may sound, it is thanks to the removal of all toxins that you can normalize your condition. It is recommended to drink at least one liter of water per day; avoid fatty and salty foods. Abuse of bad habits also causes irreparable harm, so you will have to give up bad habits.

5. Monitor your emotional state. If your life is associated with constant stress and depression, you need to learn to calm down first. Try to walk in the fresh air as often and as long as possible, do yoga. Before going to bed, take a bath; decoctions of motherwort or valerian are useful.

6. Visit a massage room - you can relieve muscle spasms with the help of massage, and in the same way blood circulation will be improved.

7. The head should always be warm - no drafts and no walks without hats in the cold season.

What to do if the back of the head hurts should be decided by the doctor; any treatment with medications is simply out of the question.

What to do when the back of the head hurts - traditional methods

Knowing the causes of pain in the back of the head, it will be difficult to diagnose yourself. At the first symptoms, you need to go to the hospital and undergo appropriate examination. In order for the diagnosis to be made correctly, you need to undergo examination by the following specialists:

1. Traumatologist or exercise therapy doctor.

2. Neurologist.

3. Cardiologist.

Often the pain is so severe that the patient cannot sleep. Today there are several common methods for treatment and these include the following:

1. Massage.

2. Medicines.

3. Use of manual therapy.

4. Physiotherapy.

The choice of treatment method will depend on what exactly caused the pain. For example, with osteochondrosis, taking any painkillers simply does not make sense. In this case, only manual therapy and massage can help.

If you have a migraine or fatigue, you can relieve pain with a glass of hot tea. In some cases, it is recommended to use ice; it is applied directly to the back of the head and relieves pain. Traditional methods say that pain can be relieved with the help of an ordinary cabbage leaf. It is applied directly to the part where the pain is localized.

In order not to encounter such a problem as pain in the back of the head in the future, you should not neglect exercises in the morning, take a walk in the air more often. When working on computers, be distracted for at least a few minutes and do gymnastics.

The occurrence of pain in the back of the head is a common occurrence that can affect people of different ages. The most unpleasant thing is that such a condition can be a symptom of not only a minor disorder, but also a serious disease.

Almost 75% of people do not pay due attention to this symptom and once again take an analgesic that eliminates them. Is this approach advisable?

The body will not send false signals, and if the pain is constant, a pathological process is occurring in some system or organ. Leaving the manifestation without proper treatment can provoke the development of severe complications.

Causes of pain in the back of the head and neck, features of various diseases

The main reasons include:

improper development of bite;
functional failures of the joints (temporomandibular);
staying in a certain position for a long time;
occipital neuralgia;
increased blood pressure;
spondylosis;
increased intracranial pressure;
spasm of arteries in the brain;
osteochondrosis;
migraine;
spondylitis

Pain has characteristic features, depending on the pathology that caused it and can vary dramatically.

1. With a broken bite

The pain is dull and lingering. Strengthening is observed in the second half of the day and at night. In tandem with occipital pain, the following manifestations also occur - dizziness, blurred vision, and tinnitus.

An incorrect bite can cause headaches in the back of the head and temples at the same time.

2. For myositis

The occurrence of painful symptoms with mosaitis is associated with:

with prolonged stay in one position;
with injuries of varying severity;
with frequent hypothermia.

Discomfort appears when turning, bending and other head movements. The pain radiates to the area of the shoulder blades and collarbones. The main characteristic feature is its asymmetry, when the greatest intensity is expressed on the right or left.

3. For hypertension

An increase in blood pressure often causes the development of acute pain.

In this case, a throbbing headache in the back of the head can be chronic and last for several days, periodically weakening, but not disappearing completely.

4. For spondylosis

It is characterized by the formation on the spine, in the cervical region, of small hard growths consisting of bone tissue. This phenomenon causes deterioration in the mobility of the cervical vertebrae.

With this condition, very frequent and almost continuous pain in the occipital area is observed. During any movement of the head and neck, the sensations become unbearable, which can disrupt sleep patterns.

5. With myogelosis

The cause is painful lumps that form in the muscle tissue of the neck. In addition to pain symptoms, a person experiences dizziness, “flickering” before the eyes, and “congestion” in the ears.

6. When intracranial pressure increases upward

Discomfort appears not only in the back of the head, but also in the area of the temples and crown. The pain is “spread out” and has a constraining character. It seems to a person as if his head is surrounded by tightly squeezing steel hoops.

A frequent accompaniment of this condition is nausea and a headache in the back of the head, which becomes aching. Vomiting or retching may occur.

7. When in a certain position for a long time

Most often, such pain is present in people of such professions as drivers, machinists, programmers, and office workers. In this case, discomfort appears after several hours of staying in a certain position, intensifying in the afternoon.

For example, drivers have to constantly change the gearbox, therefore, their right hand is involved in the work process much more often, and the blood flow in it is much better.

And the left hand practically does not move, which leads to a condition where a headache occurs in the back of the head on the left side. Painful sensations may be present on the right side, but on the left they are most pronounced.

8. For osteochondrosis

The pathology is based on changes in the structure, anatomical shape and size of the intervertebral discs in the cervical region. The pain appears first in the back of the head, and then in the temples and neck.

Frequent companions of this condition are:

dizziness;
lack of coordination;
double vision;
blurred vision;
nausea.

In case of particularly severe cervical osteochondrosis, the patient, with a sharp turn or tilting of the head, may lose orientation and fall, losing the ability to move for some time. However, he will remain conscious.

Often patients with this pathology suffer from prolonged migraines, the pain of which can radiate to the area of the superciliary ridges.

9. With spasm of blood vessels in the head

When a spasm of the arteries occurs, severe pain appears in the back of the head. They intensify with movement, bending and physical activity, and weaken when sitting and lying down.

As the symptoms subside, a person may feel a tingling sensation in the scalp.

10. Neuralgia of the occipital nerve

Such pain most often has an inflammatory etiology and is paroxysmal, “shooting.” They can spread to the area of the ears, temples, lower back, shoulder blades, and lower jaw joint.

The process of coughing and sneezing, as well as moving the head, all increase the pain. During the period between attacks, the pain does not disappear completely; a slight discomfort of a pressing nature remains.

If neuralgia lasts for a long time, the patient may experience increased sensitivity of the skin in the back of the head.

When should you see a doctor, and which one?

If pain in the back of the head persists, you should contact a neurologist or your primary care physician, who will make a preliminary diagnosis and issue a referral to the appropriate specialist. You can also consult a neurosurgeon, traumatologist and vertebrologist.

For pain in the back of the head, which has developed as a result of frequent hypothermia, chronic fatigue, severe stress and excessive physical exertion, a radical change in diet, daily routine and lifestyle in general is recommended.

If the pain is of a different nature or the cause of its development is not obvious, consult a doctor immediately. You should also consult a competent physician in cases where the pain is prolonged and accompanied by:

nausea;
vomiting;
confusion;
epileptic seizures;
double vision of objects before the eyes;
hearing loss;
state of lethargy;
convulsions;
tremor of the limbs;
discomfort in the chest area,
an unpleasant bursting sensation in the face area, in particular the paranasal sinuses.

Before prescribing adequate therapy, it is necessary to carry out a number of diagnostic measures - CT scan and x-ray of the spine.

If it turns out that occipital pain is due to serious pathologies - for example, due to increased intracranial or blood pressure, the patient will need urgent itiotropic treatment.

If pain in the back of the head does not threaten a person’s life, but the diseases that caused them are constantly progressing, a number of treatment procedures are required:

Cranial osteopathy. It is used primarily for the treatment of osteochondrosis affecting the cervical vertebrae.

Acupuncture. This procedure involves influencing individual areas of the skin that are biologically active.

Used for neuralgia, emotional disturbances, osteochondrosis.

Manual therapy. This procedure is performed by a highly specialized doctor. It perfectly helps relieve pain from osteochondrosis, myositis, and neuralgia.

Electrophoresis, laser or ultrasound therapy, magnetic therapy. These procedures are prescribed for occipital pain caused by vascular pathologies, neuralgia, staying in one position for a long time, and myogelosis.

Therapeutic physical education. Exercises are developed by a specialist in each individual case.

Their implementation will improve blood flow through the vascular beds, relieve tension in the cervical and other parts of the spine. They will also help relax the ligaments and muscles of the neck.

Massage. With an established diagnosis and in combination with other treatment methods, these procedures can relieve pain in a short time.

However, they cannot be prescribed if the patient suffers from spondylosis or hypertension.

Remember that even with minor pain in the back of the head, you need to seek help from doctors, and not self-medicate, which is fraught with the possible development of serious complications.

So is it worth exacerbating the problem with your own hands?

Headaches in the back of the head, or more simply put, the back of the head, often bother people. These unpleasant symptoms can only sometimes overcome a person, or can be present for years. Is this a small thing that you shouldn’t pay attention to? Many people think so, and for the hundredth time they swallow the usual Citramon tablet, causing addiction to this drug and nothing more. But the body never sends us false signals, and pain in the back of the head can be a symptom of one or another pathological process. Pain is always an unfavorable sign, so you should not let the situation with painful discomfort in the back of your head take its course and engage in useless self-medication.

Causes of pain in the back of the head and features of its manifestation in various pathologies

An acute headache is never without cause. The causes of headaches in the back of the head often lie in vascular, neurological pathology and diseases of the spine. According to this or that pathology, occipital headache has its own characteristics, which, as a rule, the patient can clearly explain to the doctor.

Isolated cases of headache are not necessarily associated with the disease. Such a painful manifestation can be provoked by a long stay in a forced or uncomfortable position, stress, hunger, sleeping on a hard surface, as well as due to smoking, high consumption of caffeine, products with chemical additives, etc.

Therefore, one-time cases of such pain syndrome should not cause concern, but long-term and frequently recurring symptoms, of course, are a reason to visit a doctor.

Cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is one of the common causes of headaches in the back of the head. The disease is characterized by destruction of the intervertebral discs of the cervical vertebrae. Pain syndrome with cervical osteochondrosis is of a purely constant nature and, in addition to the back of the head, is localized in the neck and temporal region. When moving and tilting the head, the pain becomes stronger.

With the development of vertebrobasilar syndrome, occipital pain is combined with noise in the ears and hearing loss, nausea and vomiting, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, and coordination problems are observed (see,). A person is bothered by visual disturbances - blurred vision, fog and double vision. Severe dizziness often occurs, and when throwing back or suddenly turning the head, a person may fall, temporarily losing the ability to move, but remains conscious.

Osteochondrosis is also characterized by cervical migraine, a painful attack of which occurs suddenly and is projected on the right or left side of the back of the head, spreading to the temporal and superciliary region. At the same time, dizziness occurs with noise discomfort in the ears, as well as an episode of darkening in the eyes.

Cervical spondylosis

With cervical spondylosis, the connective tissue of the spinal ligaments degenerates into bone. Bone growths appear on the vertebrae, significantly impairing the mobility of the neck, causing stiffness when turning the head at any time.

Pain in the occipital area is persistent and spreads to the ears and eyes. Turning and tilting the head cause increased pain, but even when the head is stationary, the pain syndrome persists.

As a rule, sleep is disturbed. The disease is most typical for people with peculiarities of the work process, expressed in a forced position of the body and inactivity during the shift, as well as for elderly patients.

Hypertonic disease

A hypertensive attack is accompanied by the occurrence of bursting pain in the occipital segment of the head with pulsation, which often begins at the moment of awakening. Occipital pain is accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of a “heavy” head; general weakness and rapid heartbeat may be observed. The pain becomes more noticeable when tilting the head. Such occipital pain becomes less intense after sudden vomiting.

Increased intracranial pressure

A constant pressing headache corresponding to this pathology can be felt throughout the entire head or localized only in the back of the head. The nature of the pain is pressing and bursting; exposure to bright light and loud sounds sharply increases the intensity of the pain syndrome. Vomiting is typical, but does not reduce pain. The occipital pain is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the head, as well as pain in the eyeballs.

Cervical myositis

When inflammation of the neck muscles occurs. The cause may be hypothermia, uncomfortable neck position and injury. Pain occurs when moving the head and starts from the neck, then spreads to the back of the head, shoulder and interscapular area. Asymmetry of pain sensations is characteristic.

Myogelosis of the cervical spine

Myogelosis of the cervical spine is characterized by impaired muscle circulation, which leads to painful lumps in the neck area. An occipital headache occurs, which is accompanied by obvious dizziness, as well as stiffness of the muscle tissue of the shoulders and neck.

Occipital neuralgia

Neuralgia or inflammation of the occipital region often accompanies osteochondrosis and other diseases of the cervical spine. Hypothermia can cause this type of neuralgia. Pain in the back of the head is very severe, even burning and shooting, and is characterized by paroxysmal progression.

The pain then spreads to the neck, ears, lower jaw and back. Any changes in head position, as well as coughing, lead to a sharp increase in headaches. During the interictal period, pressing pain remains in the occipital region of the head. With a long course of the disease, excessive sensitivity of the scalp on the back of the head occurs.

Vascular pain

When the arteries located on the surface or inside the skull spasm, pulsating pain occurs, which begins in the back of the head and then quickly spreads to the forehead. When moving, the pain becomes more intense, and at rest it decreases.

The pain associated with difficulty in the outflow of venous blood from the head is dull and bursting in nature and is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the head. The pain begins in the back of the head, and then “spreads” throughout the head. When lowering the head, coughing, or lying down, it intensifies. Often such pain begins in the morning and is accompanied by swelling of the lower eyelids.

Pain in the back of the head during exercise

Another name for the syndrome is tension pain. The pain is based on vascular pathology, such as narrowing of the lumen or increased fragility of the walls of blood vessels. Pain occurs during heavy physical labor or when performing certain physical exercises with high load.

In the occipital and frontal parts of the head there is a constant feeling of heaviness, “” and tingling. Sometimes a person feels a kind of compression of the head by a non-existent rope or hat. The pain is of moderate intensity, not accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Occipital pain during orgasm

This pain is of vascular origin, since orgasm is accompanied by a high increase in pressure. This pain is experienced by people suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Occupational pain

Being in a forced body position during a work shift, accompanied by tension in the neck muscles, leads to the development of sharp headaches in the back of the head. Drivers, programmers, jewelers, watchmakers, seamstresses, etc. are susceptible to this syndrome. The pain is long-lasting, dull in nature and is relieved by kneading the neck with head movements. Rubbing the cervical region and the back of the head also helps reduce the severity of pain.

Malocclusion

Malocclusion can provoke dull pain in the back of the head, which spreads to the ear and parietal region; it can be localized from below or to one side. The pain begins in the daytime and gradually intensifies in the evening.

Pain due to stress

Stress pain is most common in women. Their nature and duration vary; normalization of the psychological state leads to the disappearance of pain in the back of the head.

Treatment of pain in the back of the head

Treatment should be preceded by a full diagnosis and clarification of its causes. If you have a severe headache in the back of your head, treatment is possible after contacting a therapist, who will conduct an initial diagnosis and refer you to specialists. As a rule, taking control of the underlying disease leads to the elimination of unpleasant symptoms, including headaches in the back of the head.

Such serious pathologies as arterial hypertension and increased intracranial pressure require the use of emergency etiotropic therapy. When diagnosing diseases that do not directly threaten the patient’s life, but are constantly progressing, a set of therapeutic measures is prescribed, among which the following techniques are the most common:

Massage. Many have noticed that even simple rubbing of the back of the head and neck helps to significantly reduce the severity of pain. And targeted massage of certain muscle groups with a previously known diagnosis really works wonders. But this important task should only be trusted to professionals. Massage is prescribed in courses that can be repeated after a month or two. You can lightly rub the tense parts of the head and neck yourself, while taking a comfortable body position. If you have hypertension or spondylosis, massage is prohibited.
Physiotherapy. Specially selected exercises allow you to relieve tense muscles and ligaments of the neck and spine as a whole, thereby improving the movement of blood through the vessels. This technique has no contraindications, the main thing is the correct execution of the exercises.
Physiotherapeutic treatment (ultrasound or laser treatment) helps well with spondylosis, myogelosis, osteochondrosis, increased intracranial pressure, occipital neuralgia, and vascular pain.
Manual therapy. This is a special healing technique that has nothing to do with massage, although it is performed with the help of a doctor’s hands. It helps well with pain in the back of the head caused by cervical osteochondrosis, myogelosis, occipital neuralgia, and with professional and stress pain.
Acupuncture. The technique is justified for occipital neuralgia, cervical osteochondrosis, stress and consists of a targeted effect on biologically active zones on the surface of the skin.
Cranial osteopathy has proven itself for the correction of cervical osteochondrosis.
Normalization of wakefulness and rest, a healthy lifestyle often solves the problem of occipital headache without treatment. This recommendation is common to all pathologies and is of fundamental importance in the success of the treatment.