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Pain in the back of the head causes nausea. Why does the back of the head hurt and feel sick? Upper spine

The condition, when you feel sick and have a headache, can appear at any age, in people of different sexes.

In order to stop discomfort, it is necessary to establish the exact causes of discomfort.

The sooner the causes are found, the faster you can recover and not get negative consequences.

Main reasons

Quite often, when the head hurts and feels sick at the same time, a person may experience other unpleasant symptoms:

There is dizziness.
Possible abdominal pain.
There is a general weakness in the body.
The temperature is rising.
It hurts not only the head, but also the ears, teeth or eyes.

Based on the symptoms, you can determine the causes that lead to this condition.

Among the main reasons, doctors distinguish the following:

Migraine.
Hormonal reorganization.
Osteochondrosis.
Hypertension.
Meningitis.
High intracranial pressure.
Borreliosis.
Encephalitis.
Poisoning.
Cold.
Fatigue.
Head injury.
Tumors and other neoplasms.

To understand, you need to familiarize yourself in more detail with each of the reasons why people feel sick and hurt in the head area.

If the cause is a migraine, then a person often has a feeling of squeezing the head, while the sensations can move to a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe head, for example, to the back of the head, temples, ear.

When bright lights are turned on or there are loud noises, the symptoms get worse.

Some time after a migraine attack, people feel sick, vomiting is possible, and the patient cannot do anything in this state.

Doctors still cannot determine the exact causes, and migraines can occur regularly or very rarely. By duration, the head hurts in the back of the head from 2 hours to several days.

In the back of the head, it can hurt due to hormonal failure or restructuring, in the same case, people feel nauseous.

As a rule, discomfort appears in a certain category of people, which include:

Young girls.
Pregnant women.
Women before menstruation.
Women at the age characteristic of menopause.

You can determine the exact causes and violations with a doctor and it is recommended to do this faster, especially if there is no necessary item in the described category of patients.

With osteochondrosis, a person will have difficulty moving the head and neck. With such a diagnosis, the back of the head often hurts and can feel sick, as well as dizzy.

As a rule, pathology appears in people who lead a passive lifestyle, the risk group includes such persons:

Workers who have to be in an uncomfortable position all day.
Office workers whose work is more sedentary.
Obese people.

Osteochondrosis can appear due to hypothermia or fatigue, as well as strong emotional and physical stress.

If the disease is not treated, then pains in the back of the head and other symptoms will appear constantly, which causes complications, migraines, as well as failures in coordination.

If hypertension is diagnosed, then a person often has increased pressure, a fever on the face is possible, and there is also a pulsation in the head, pain in the back of the head.

In some cases, it can be nauseating and vomiting. Patients with hypertension develop shortness of breath, as well as severe weakness, possibly pressure in the chest.

Hypertension is more common among overweight people and older people.

Pressure changes for various reasons, such as the weather or stress. Relief can be provided by inducing vomiting.

With high pressure in the skull, patients experience severe nausea, which is always supplemented by endless vomiting.

Vision becomes worse immediately and clouding in the eyes is possible. Concentration is reduced, and a person simply cannot think normally.

The causes of this condition are injuries, tumors or infections. Meningitis is an inflammatory disease that affects areas of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in pain and nausea from the back of the head.

The infection causes the disease and, when affected, the temperature increases in patients, which is often above 40 degrees. The whole body aches, and dark spots may appear.

In just a day, the condition of patients worsens significantly, and at the first signs of meningitis, you should consult a doctor so that he prescribes the necessary treatment.

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that causes pain in the back of the head. Depending on the type of disease, the condition of patients may be different and the pain is often severe, constant, may be in the back of the head or in the entire head.

In some cases, neck pain is minor, appears from time to time. In severe form, convulsions and paralysis appear.

Treatment should be carried out exclusively by a doctor. When a person is bitten by a tick, the back of the head hurts a lot, the compounds break, it starts to tickle in the throat, and a cough also appears, this indicates borreliosis.

This is an infection that is in the saliva of the tick and in a short time the damage to the nervous and circulatory system begins. On the same day, you need to contact the doctor for the quick elimination of the disease.

A tick that has been pulled out does not need to be thrown away, it should be given away for research.

Regardless of whether the infection was found, prophylaxis is carried out, and after the possible confirmation of the causative agent of borreliosis in the tick, further necessary measures are taken to protect the body from the development of the infectious process.

Often, with poisoning, pain appears in the back of the head. If alcohol poisoning occurs, then additional muscle weakness appears.

Similar symptoms are observed with food poisoning or intoxication as a result of the use of medicines.

Additional symptoms of poisoning are as follows:

Nausea and urge to vomit.
Eyes hurt.
There is a fear of light and noise.
Hands and feet are trembling.
An increase in body temperature is possible.

If the poisoning is severe, then the person develops diarrhea, dehydration. Patients experience dryness in the mouth, dizziness, and the heart begins to beat faster and stronger.

For treatment, you just need to drink more water, as well as use a solution of glucose and salt.

With colds in the back of the head, it can also hurt. The patient develops weakness and aches, the eyes turn red, and the pain may move to other areas.

In some cases, the stool may change. With severe fatigue as a result of various kinds of stress, people feel pain in the back of the head.

As a rule, the symptoms appear in the evening, and then the nausea begins. Strong tension can provoke quite severe headaches.

In addition, the causes of discomfort may be different:

Sleep is disturbed and the person sleeps little or poorly.
There are frequent stresses, a person is nervous.
Perhaps a depressive state, which is accompanied by discomfort in the back of the head.

Symptoms for this reason can appear not only in the back of the head, but also in other places, for example, in the temples, cervical region.

By nature, they are pulsating, aching, and throughout the day they may not pass and not stop with pills.

By evening, the symptoms only get worse. Sometimes the nature of the symptoms can be oppressive.

When people injure their heads, serious consequences are possible. In addition, they can appear even if the injury is minor.

The main symptoms of a concussion are discomfort in the head area, as well as nausea, in some cases there may be fainting.

Any head injuries and bruises can disrupt the brain. After that, drowsiness, weakness appear and a person can get lost in space.

In severe cases, there may be memory lapses, convulsions. If a person hits his head, falls, then it is necessary to monitor his condition and perhaps it is better to call an ambulance if there are certain symptoms.

When drugs do not help, the symptoms in the back of the head appear daily, then the causes may be in neoplasms in the brain.

It is the causeless symptoms that cannot be stopped that must be diagnosed by a doctor using various methods.

The earlier the examination is done and the causes are found, the easier the treatment will be.

Treatment at home

Many people try to find different methods of pain relief and do not turn to doctors in a timely manner.

If the symptoms are provoked by colds, intoxication of the body, osteochondrosis or simple fatigue, then you can get rid of the discomfort yourself.

To relieve pain in the back of the head, painkillers can be used:

Analgin.
Citramon.
Spazmalgon.
Ibuprofen.

After that, you can use preventive measures, which will prevent pain in the back of the head from appearing in the future.

You just need to do therapeutic exercises, morning exercises, and during the same type of work, change the position of the body. Sports are very important for people with a sedentary lifestyle.

At home, you can use a massage of the collar zone and head, which will improve blood circulation and relax the muscles.

After that, the spasms in the back of the head should go away. In case of evening malaise after work, you just need to lie down and relax, a quarter of an hour will be enough.

The main thing is to lie down in darkness and silence. If the back of the head hurts due to alcohol poisoning, then for treatment you should drink activated charcoal in the usual dosage.

You can also take a couple of aspirin tablets. During a migraine attack or symptoms in any area of the head due to a hormonal imbalance, pain medications can be used.

For example, for migraines, such medicines are perfect:

Sumamigren.
Triptan.

Some people get relief after a warm or contrast shower, as well as small evening walks along the street.

When symptoms in the back of the head occur quite rarely and the cause is stress and emotional instability, then sedative herbal infusions can be used for endowment.

Great in place of tea

Chamomile.
Mint.
St. John's wort.
Melissa.

With hypertension, painkillers and drugs that lower blood pressure help.

anxiety symptoms

There are several alarming symptoms when the back of the head hurts, you feel sick and you need to see a doctor.

Often, even with the flu, complications arise, so you need to know when to quickly seek help:

If, after a tick bite, fever and vomiting appear, then you should go to the hospital as quickly as possible for diagnosis.
If seizures in the back of the head do not go away for about a day, and medicines do not help.
In the back of the head, discomfort is constantly felt, which appears in the morning and persists all day.
Symptoms appear abruptly and are supplemented by convulsions, fainting.
Discomfort occurs after hitting the head.
Chills begin, the temperature rises and the arms and legs are shaking.

The described symptoms are quite dangerous, indicating the development of serious diseases and complications.

A quick reaction will allow you to get high-quality treatment and leave a negative impact on the body.

Useful video

When the back of the head hurts, it brings a lot of inconvenience to a person. Headache is a rather unpleasant symptom in itself, which occurs for a variety of reasons. An unpleasant sensation in the back of the head is most often combined with nausea, dizziness. By the nature of the sensation in the occipital part, there are pulsating, aching, squeezing and dull.

An unpleasant set of manifestations in the back of the head, pain can appear for various reasons. Common causes of pain symptoms in the neck, back of the head are overstressed muscles due to incorrect position of the head during sleep. An accompanying symptom is nausea. The pain is aching, interfering with the normal functioning of a person.

Loads on the cervical region are provoked by the specifics of the work, the performance of exercises. Even being in a calm position, the symptoms remain. The pain is not like a migraine, not throbbing. Often with the back of the head, the area of \u200b\u200bthe temples of the head and forehead are disturbed. Any movement causes an increase in manifestations.

Unpleasant sensations in the back of the head, cervical region, disturb the ears, eyes with spondylosis. This disease is not treatable at home. You can eliminate the symptoms with the help of a specialist. The disease is characterized by the formation of osteophytes along the edges of the vertebrae. Symptoms appear even at rest.

Feeling in the back of the head, along with possible loss of consciousness, dizziness with nausea, are not just a one-time syndrome. A complex of manifestations can be the cause of cervical osteochondrosis.

Possible diseases

Diagnostics

Diagnosis requires care. First of all, the specialist conducts a conversation in which the patient talks about the symptoms. The frequency, location, nature of sensations is important.

If there are pronounced symptoms, which include an unpleasant symptom of the back of the head, vomiting, fear of light, sounds, you should immediately go to a neurologist.

Diagnostic methods used to establish a diagnosis for nausea, pain in the back of the head:

Magnetic resonance imaging helps to check the brain for tumors.
With the help of tonometry, a specialist determines blood pressure.
The pressure inside the skull is measured by transcranial Doppler sonography.
Echoencephaloscopy helps to assess the displacement of brain structures.
Electroencephalography is performed to diagnose migraine attacks.

Solutions

Depending on the cause of the disease, the method of treatment varies. With cervical osteochondrosis, stress, neuralgia of the occipital nerve, massage is suggested. Do not use manual therapy for high blood pressure.

Experts consider physiotherapy, which includes laser treatment, electrophoresis with magnetotherapy, to be a common, effective remedy. It is prescribed for osteochondrosis of the cervical region, increased pressure inside the skull. Physiotherapy exercises are used for some of the listed ailments.

traditional medicine

Medications are prescribed only by a specialist, depending on the diagnosis. If you feel sick, and the occipital part hurts due to high blood pressure, Hypothiazid, Captopril with Kordipin are prescribed.

Sibelium, Pyrroxan and Redergin are prescribed for headaches due to vascular pathology.

Headache implies an integrated approach, where medications are combined with manual therapy. From medical preparations, antidepressants are prescribed, as well as muscle relaxants, designed to relieve tension from the muscles of the neck.

Folk remedies

Methods of alternative medicine in this case are not effective. Folk remedies for pain in the back of the head, which are of a different nature, require an individual consultation. The presented methods should be used as preventive or additional to medicines, manual therapy. If a person has a serious problem, alternative therapy methods will be ineffective.

With mild pain in the back of the head, a hot compress is made. Use it in tandem with hot drinks. A common compress option for discomfort in the neck is a cabbage compress. To do this, you will need a cabbage leaf, crushed by hand. It should be applied to the affected area. A compress from a mixture of two components is considered effective: onion and horseradish. Mix the grated horseradish with chopped onion, and put the mixture on a cotton cloth, roll it up and attach it to the neck.

To improve the condition, eliminate unpleasant symptoms, including nausea, pain, it is worth using a decoction of herbs. Linden tea is often used or from a mixture of mint, sage and meadowsweet.

Prevention

Heaviness in the neck, nausea will decrease, subject to the actions prescribed by the specialist: the use of medications, the passage of a massage and the conduct of independent physical therapy. For a particular disease, separate recommendations are assigned.

The first thing to do to eliminate the symptoms is to give up alcoholic beverages and cigarettes for the reason that they cause increased pain. If the reason was the consequences of sedentary work, it is worth reorganizing the workplace so that it becomes comfortable. It is worth reviewing the schedule, adjusting it. A person with this diagnosis should spend outdoor recreation.

To achieve a positive effect, you can improve sleep with the help of an orthopedic pillow, which will help relax the muscles of the neck and head during sleep.

Headache in the back of the head or, more simply, the back of the head often worries people. This unpleasant symptomatology can only sometimes overcome a person, and can be present for years. Is it a trifle that you should not pay attention to? Many believe that yes, 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 a particular pathological process. Pain is always an unfavorable sign, so you should not let go of the situation with painful discomfort in the back of your head and engage in useless self-medication.

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

Acute headache is not unreasonable. The causes of a headache in the back of the head often lie in vascular, neurological pathology and diseases of the spine. According to this or that pathology, the occipital headache has its own characteristics, which, as a rule, the patient can clearly state to the doctor.

Isolated cases of headache are not necessarily associated with the disease. Such a painful manifestation can be triggered 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 a pain syndrome should not cause unrest, but long-term and often 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. The pain syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis is purely permanent and, in addition to the back of the head, is localized in the neck and temporal region. With movements and tilts of the head, pain manifestations become stronger.

With the development of vertebrobasilar syndrome, occipital pains are combined with tinnitus and hearing loss, nausea and vomiting, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, and coordination disorders are observed (see,). A person is disturbed by visual disturbances - a veil, fog and double vision. Severe dizziness often occurs, and when throwing back or suddenly turning the head, a person may fall, losing the ability to move for a while, but remains conscious.

For osteochondrosis, cervical migraine is also characteristic, the pain attack of which comes on suddenly and is projected on the right or left side of the occiput, spreading to the temporal and superciliary region. At the same time, there is dizziness 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 vertebral ligaments degenerates into bone. Bone growths appear on the vertebrae, significantly impairing the mobility of the neck, causing stiffness with any turn of the head.

Pain in the occipital region is characterized by constancy and spread to the ears and eyes. Turns, as well as tilts of 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 labor 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 arching pains in the occipital segment of the head with pulsation, which often begin already at the moment of awakening. Occipital pain is accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of a "heavy" head, general weakness and palpitations may be observed. The pain becomes more noticeable when the head is tilted. Such occipital pain becomes less intense after sudden vomiting.

Increased intracranial pressure

A constant pressing headache corresponding to this pathology can be felt on the entire head or localized only in the back of the head. The nature of the pain is pressing and arching, exposure to bright light and loud sounds sharply increases the intensity of the pain syndrome. Characterized by vomiting, which does not relieve pain. A feeling of heaviness in the head, as well as pain in the eyeballs, joins the occipital pain.

cervical myositis

When there is inflammation of the muscles of the neck. The cause may be hypothermia, an uncomfortable position of the neck and trauma. The pain occurs when the head moves and starts from the neck, then spreads to the back of the head, shoulder and interscapular region. Pain is asymmetric.

Myogelosis of the cervical spine

Myogelosis of the cervical spine is characterized by a violation of muscle circulation, which leads to the appearance of painful seals in the neck. There is an occipital headache, which is accompanied by obvious dizziness, as well as stiffness of the muscle tissue of the shoulders and neck.

Neuralgia of the occipital nerve

Neuralgia or inflammation of the occipital often accompanies osteochondrosis and other diseases of the cervical spine. Hypothermia can be the cause of this type of neuralgia. The pains in the back of the head are very severe, even burning and shooting, and are characterized by a paroxysmal course.

Then the pain spreads to the neck, ears, and also the lower jaw and back. Any changes in the position of the head, as well as coughing, lead to a sharp increase in headache. In the interictal period, there is a pressing pain 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

With spasm of the arteries located on the surface or inside the skull, there are throbbing pains that begin in the back of the head and then quickly spread to the forehead. When moving, the pain syndrome becomes more intense, and at rest it decreases.

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, lying down, it intensifies. Often such pains begin already in the morning and are accompanied by swelling of the lower eyelids.

Pain in the back of the head during exercise

Another name for the syndrome is tension pain. Pain is based on vascular pathology, such as narrowing of the lumen or increased fragility of the walls of blood vessels. There are pains during heavy physical labor, when performing certain physical exercises with a 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 squeezing of the head with a non-existent rope or hat. Pain of moderate intensity, not accompanied by symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

Neck 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 position of the body during a work shift, accompanied by tension in the neck muscles, leads to the development of sharp headaches in the back of the head. This syndrome affects drivers, programmers, jewelers, watchmakers, seamstresses, etc. The pains are prolonged, have a dull character and decrease with head movements kneading the neck. Rubbing the cervical region and the back of the head also helps to reduce the severity of pain.

malocclusion

Malocclusion can provoke dull pains in the back of the head, which spread to the ear and parietal region, it can be localized from below or in one of the sides. The pain begins in the daytime and gradually increases in the evening.

Pain during stress

Stress pains are most typical for women. Their nature and duration are different, the normalization of the psychological state leads to the disappearance of pain manifestations 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. In the presence of a severe headache in the back of the head, treatment is possible after contacting a therapist who will conduct an initial diagnosis and refer you to narrow specialists. As a rule, taking the underlying disease under control leads to the leveling of unpleasant symptoms, including a headache 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 methods are 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. A targeted massage of certain muscle groups with a pre-known diagnosis really works wonders. But only professionals should be entrusted with this responsible business. Massage is prescribed in courses that can be repeated in a month or two. You can lightly rub the tense parts of the head and neck on your own, while assuming a comfortable body position. With hypertension and 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.
Physiotherapy treatment (, ultrasound or laser treatment,) helps well with spondylosis, myogelosis, osteochondrosis, increased intracranial pressure, occipital neuralgia, vascular pain.
Manual therapy. This is a special therapeutic technique that is not related to massage, although it is performed with the help of a doctor's hands. It helps with pain in the back of the head, provoked by cervical osteochondrosis, myogelosis, neuralgia of the occipital nerve, with occupational and stress pain.
Acupuncture. The technique is justified in case of occipital nerve neuralgia, cervical osteochondrosis, stress and consists in a point effect on biologically active zones on the skin surface.
Cranial osteopathy has proven itself for the correction of cervical osteochondrosis.
Normalization of the mode of wakefulness and rest, a healthy lifestyle often solve 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.

This disease affects people who are in one position for a long time. This category includes specialists working at a computer or drivers. In this case, the neck muscles are in constant tension.

The nature of the pain:

The pain may last for a long time.
Neck and back pain.
It may be dull or aching.
Reduces if you rub your neck.

The reasons

Vascular diseases

Vascular pain includes:

All information on the site is for informational purposes and is NOT a guide to action!
Give you an ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS only DOCTOR!
We kindly ask you DO NOT self-medicate, but book an appointment with a specialist!
Health to you and your loved ones!

Pain due to obstruction of venous outflow	They often occur on waking and may be accompanied by swelling of the lower eyelids and a feeling of heaviness. The nature of the pain in this case is arching and dull, it begins in the occipital region and spreads throughout the head. It can also be aggravated by bending over, coughing, or lying down.
Spasm of superficial or intracranial arteries	In this case, the pain is throbbing. It can give from the occipital region to the forehead, and intensify with movement. Recedes at rest.
	At this point, there is a rise in blood pressure, which is a consequence of dysregulation of vascular tone or spasm of blood vessels. The pain at the moment of orgasm is pulsating and quite intense. It can both grow and appear suddenly.
	With the fragility of the vascular walls or narrowing of the lumen of the vessels, there is a feeling of heaviness in the head, gradually turning into a dull moderate pain "squeezing" the head. It occurs during strong physical exertion.

High blood pressure

With an increase in blood pressure, there is a bursting, throbbing pain in the back of the head. It usually appears in the morning after waking up.

Cephalgia may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and tachycardia. In some cases, the patient is dizzy and may experience sudden vomiting, which is not preceded by a feeling of nausea, and after that he experiences relief.

Often it is combined with the following symptoms:

Vertigo on raising the head. The patient begins to lose stability.
A person can fall when turning his head, while remaining conscious. In severe cases, he may lose consciousness, and when he comes to, he may experience weakness for a long time.
Nausea and vomiting.
Tinnitus and hearing loss.
Loss of visual acuity, feeling of sand in the eyes.
Sensation of a foreign body in the throat and difficulty swallowing.
Speech disorders.

With a sharp pain develops in one part of the back of the head, then radiates to the forehead and temple, accompanied by photophobia, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

cervical myositis

The reason that the back of the head hurts is cervical myositis. With this disease, the muscles of the neck become inflamed due to hypothermia or injury.

The pain is asymmetrical, more felt on one side. At the same time, it is difficult to turn your head, pain can radiate from the back of the head to the shoulder or to the area of the shoulder blades.

Malocclusion

Pain in the back of the head with malocclusion can last for several days. It occurs in the back of the head, parietal and parotid region. It is usually blunt, affecting the lower part of the occiput, and may be worse on one side.

When opening the mouth, a characteristic click occurs, which occurs in the region of the temporomandibular joint. The pain may appear during the day and intensify in the evening.

Increased intracranial pressure

With increased ICP, pain in the back of the head can be bursting, dull and pressing. It can appear at night or in the morning. It may be accompanied by nausea, and in some cases vomiting, which does not bring relief.

In addition, increased intracranial pressure may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

dark circles in the eye area;
dependence on weather conditions;
increased nervousness and excitability;
sweating;
arrhythmia;
fast fatiguability;
double vision.

Neuralgia

With neuralgia of the occipital nerve, there is a sharp, shooting pain in the back of the head, which intensifies at the moment of turning the head or coughing. It can give to the lower jaw, neck or back.

Between acute pain attacks, a feeling of heaviness in the occipital region or aching pain persists.

Neuralgia can occur against the background of diseases of the cervical spine, including those caused by hypothermia.

cervical spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis occurs when the ligament tissue attached to the vertebrae degenerates into bone tissue. In this case, growths form on the vertebrae.

The disease is characterized by dull, aching, prolonged pain in the back of the head. The pain may radiate to the eyes or ears.

The person feels stiff, and cannot actively perform head movements. When turning or bending, the pain intensifies. The patient's quality of life is impaired due to constant pain in the back of the head. This often results in insomnia.

Myogelosis of the cervical spine

A disease occurs when there is a violation of blood circulation in the muscles of the neck, and as a result of the appearance of seals.

The disease is characterized by stiffness and aching pain in the back of the head.

In some cases, cephalgia with myogelosis is accompanied by dizziness.

Stress and mental tension

If a person suddenly finds himself in a stressful situation or is in nervous tension for a long time, he may experience aching pain in the back of the head. A burning sensation may be felt.

Cephalgia lasts a long period and weakens after the person calms down.

It can be accompanied by apathy and does not depend on physical exertion, and with emotional stress it intensifies.

Types of headache in the back of the head

Acute	Acute pain is a severe headache in the back of the head. It increases with head movements and may be the result of diseases such as osteochondrosis, myogelosis or neuralgia. The pain is paroxysmal and can radiate to the lower jaw, eyes, ears, or the area between the shoulder blades. In order to get rid of it, you need to try to relax as much as possible.
Pulsating	This type of pain is the most dangerous. It can be a harbinger of cerebral hemorrhage. Throbbing pain in the back of the head indicates increased pressure, and is accompanied by the following symptoms: loss of orientation in time and space; dizziness; hearing loss or tinnitus; numbness of the limbs. Also, a throbbing headache can become a symptom of infectious diseases, vertebrobasilar syndrome, closed glaucoma. If it occurs, you must consult a doctor.
Dull	A dull headache can occur against the background of osteochondrosis, spondylosis, or muscle strain. It can give behind the ears or in the parietal region. With a dull headache, it is necessary to relax as much as possible and choose the correct position of the head so that the muscles of the collar zone are as relaxed as possible.
Aching	An aching headache can last for a long time. It occurs when the muscles of the cervical spine are overstrained, resulting from a long stay in one position or mental overstrain. You can get rid of such pain with the help of a cold compress on the forehead and massage of the collar zone.

Diagnostics

If you have a headache in the back of the head and neck, you need to seek help from a doctor.

First of all, you need to visit a local therapist, if necessary, he can refer you to a neurologist, traumatologist, chiropractor or massage therapist.

First you need to conduct an x-ray of the cervical spine, or tomography of the brain.

Prevention

Treatment

Folk methods

Cabbage leaf should be kneaded and applied to the back of the head.
Soak a towel in ice water and apply to the forehead, while drinking a cup of hot tea.
Apply a compress of grated horseradish to the back of the head in order to improve blood circulation.

Physiotherapy procedures

In diseases such as spondylosis, osteochondrosis, myogelosis and neuralgia, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed:

Magnetotherapy.
Electrophoresis.
Ultrasound treatment.

Physiotherapy

There is a whole range of exercises that will help unload the muscles of the back and cervical spine.

In order to choose them correctly, you need the help of a physiotherapy doctor.

The set of exercises depends on which disease is treated with exercise therapy.

Manual therapy

A chiropractor will help with neuralgia, osteochondrosis or tension headache. With spondylosis, massage is contraindicated.

To do a massage at home, you must first warm your hands, massage your ears, and then with light movements walk from the back of the head to the forehead and vice versa.

Acupressure is also an effective tool, but in this case, the help of a professional is needed.

If a headache in the back of the head does not go away for a long time, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you should seek medical help.

Pain in the back of the head is a very common symptom, and the causes of this pain can range from pressure problems to brain tumors. Neck pain is usually transient and can be easily managed at home. However, severe pain in the back of the head, especially if it does not go away when taking conventional painkillers (analgin, ibuprofen), or if the attacks are often repeated, is a reason for a visit to the doctor. During your doctor's appointment, you may be asked to have blood tests or X-rays to determine the cause of the pain in the back of your head. The doctor uses these tests to rule out diseases and conditions such as meningitis, tumors, and stroke, which can also cause this type of pain and cannot be treated at home.

Causes of neck pain

1. Common causes

Cervicogenic headache

Cervicogenic headache is, in a sense, one of the most unusual types of headaches, because the source of the pain is not actually in the head. Cervicogenic headache is referred pain (i.e., pain that occurs in a different place than its source) felt in the head, despite the fact that the cause of it is in the neck (for example, a herniated disc in the cervical spine , posterior osteophyte, spondylolisthesis, etc.).

Cervicogenic headache is one of the most common types of neck pain. This pain is usually felt on one side of the head and may radiate to the temple, eye, or forehead. Posture problems, neck injuries, and other minor injuries often precede this type of pain.

Most often, such pain occurs with discogenic pathology of the spine (protrusion and herniation of the intervertebral disc).

Although cervicogenic headache also occurs in young people, it is more commonly diagnosed in older people and people whose profession is related to working at a computer.

Occipital neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia is a condition associated with cervicogenic headache. An alternative name is occipital neuralgia. Often occurs on one side of the head, is acute, and may radiate to the forehead and eye.

Migraine

Although pain in migraine is usually not localized in the back of the head, almost 40% of patients report pain in the back of the head of varying severity. It is not uncommon for these patients to also experience neck pain. Treating neck pain, in these cases, can help relieve some of the symptoms associated with migraines.

Stitching headache (ice-stick pain)

A stabbing headache is a sharp, piercing pain that usually lasts only a few seconds. Although this type of pain can be felt anywhere in the head, it can also be located in the back of the head.

Headache from exposure to cold stimuli ("cold" headache)

A "cold" headache is caused by exposure to cold temperatures (such as freezing, eating ice cream, or drinking cold drinks). As a rule, pain of this type is localized in the temples, but a small percentage of patients may feel pain in the back of the head.

Severe paroxysmal headache with occasional relapses

A severe paroxysmal headache with occasional recurrences is a type of migraine and can be located anywhere in the head. More than a quarter of patients report neck pain.

Tension headache

Recent research indicates that people suffering from tension-type headache appear to have an increased sensitivity to pain. This can cause tension in the muscles of the neck, which, as a result, can lead to pain in the back of the head.

Sinusitis

If you have ever had sinusitis, then you know that the pain is usually localized in different areas of the face and in the forehead. However, with severe inflammation, patients often experience pain in the back of the head.

Shingles (herpes zoster virus)

Shingles can cause burning pain in the neck and head, usually on one side. In herpes zoster, pain in the back of the head usually precedes rashes, which are an indicator of the onset of an exacerbation of the disease.

2. More serious problems

There are several serious causes of neck pain that need urgent medical attention.

Dissection (dissection) of the vertebral artery

Dissection of the vertebral artery is accompanied by very severe and sudden pain in the back of the head. This pain differs from the much more common cervicogenic headache in that the pain of a vertebral artery dissection begins suddenly and can be truly excruciating.

subarachnoid hemorrhage

Bleeding in or around the brain, called a subarachnoid hemorrhage, is a very dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention. At the same time, it is fixed in almost 10% of patients complaining of severe pain in the back of the head. People suffering from this condition usually describe such pain as the worst headache they have ever experienced. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and blackouts are the symptoms associated with this condition.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes

Any infection in the head is characterized by inflammation of the lymph nodes in the back of the head and neck. Scalp infections, ear infections, nose and throat infections can all be accompanied by swollen lymph nodes. The lymph nodes of the back of the head and neck are also often inflamed with childhood rubella. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck and back of the head can be very painful.

Meningitis

Neck pain caused by meningitis is the result of nerve damage due to infection, as well as severe stiffness in the neck, which usually develops with this disease. One of the defining symptoms of meningitis is a very high temperature, combined with pain in the head and neck.

pinched nerve

Sometimes neck pain can be caused by damage to nerve tissue. Most often, we are talking about the hypoglossal nerve, upper cervical nerves or accessory nerves.

Nodular periarteritis

Blood is supplied to the back of the head by several arteries. Periarteritis nodosa is a condition that is quite difficult to diagnose, caused by inflammation of the arteries found in the head. This is a very rare condition and is treated with steroid medications.

3. Physical stimuli

Sometimes neck pain can be caused by internal or external physical stimuli.

Height

Headache is a fairly common symptom in people who are not accustomed to high altitude. Among those who experience headache at high altitude, only about 4% of people noted pain in the back of the head. Most feel the pain as generalized.

Cough

For some unknown reason, coughing can cause headaches. In about 35% of cases, patients reported pain in the back of the head.

Cardiac cephalgia

One of the rather strange causes of pain in the back of the head can be a heart attack or coronary heart disease. Although studies on this issue conflict with each other in terms of statistics, one study indicates that approximately 33% of people who survived a heart attack experienced pain in the back of the head. Opening the coronary arteries should solve this problem.

Neck muscle injury

One of the very common causes of neck pain is damage to the muscles of the neck, which happens, for example, with a whiplash injury to the neck. In this case, the pain usually starts in the neck or shoulders and radiates to the back of the head.

Low blood pressure

Low pressure headaches are most often located on the sides of the head, but many people also experience pain in the back of the head, which gets worse during periods of activity. In addition to pain, low blood pressure can cause hearing problems and ringing in the ears.

4. Rare diseases

There are some diseases that can cause neck pain. Such diseases need treatment, incl. and in surgery.

A brain tumor

Approximately 25% of people with a brain tumor experience pain in the back of their head. This symptom is rarely the leading one.

Parkinson's disease

For some unknown reason, more than a third of Parkinson's patients complain of pain in the back of the head and neck.

Dengue fever

With dengue fever, severe headache and high body temperature are noted. About 20% of patients complain of pain in the back of the head.

Thyrotoxicosis

Thyrotoxicosis is often referred to as hyperthyroidism. Most often, with thyrotoxicosis, Graves' disease (Graves' disease) is diagnosed. Neck pain is a common symptom in this disease. Graves' disease is treated with medication and removal of the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy).

The treatments for the conditions and diseases listed above vary widely. Some of them require hospital treatment, while others can be managed at home.