Neck
Pain and Headaches in Back of Head.
Many types of headaches
account for severe neck pain and headaches in back of head. From my deep research in
this domain, I will be analyzing of the causes of the pain detailing. Below are
the various types of headaches responsible for pains in the neck and head.
1.
Tension Headache.
This is a dull pain, tightness, or pressure
around your forehead or the back of your head and neck. There are two types of
tension headaches as stated below:
- Episodic tension
headaches. It occurs in less than or
equals to 15 days
per month.
- Chronic tension
headaches. This type occurs for greater than 15 days a month. These
headaches can last
from 30 minutes to a few days. The episodic kind usually starts gradually,
often in the middle of the day.
Chronic
ones come and go over a longer period of time. The pain may get stronger or
ease up throughout the day, but it’s almost always there.
Tension headaches most at times, will still enable you
do you daily activities, and
they have no clear affect on your vision, balance, and strength.
More than 75% of adults in the U.S. get them from time
to time. Above 2.5% have chronic daily tension headaches. Women are more expose
to tension headaches than men.
What are the Common Symptoms?
Some most common ones include:
- Mild to
moderate pain or pressure in the front, top, or sides of the head
- Headaches
that starts within the day
- Sleeping
difficulties
- Very
tired feeling
- Irritability
- Facing
difficulties in focusing on what you intend to do
- Mild
sensitivity to light or noise
- Aches in
your muscles.
Tension headaches usually, tart at the back of your
head and spread forward and suddenly become like a band of dull pressure or
squeezing pain, around your entire head. They usually affect the front and the
back of your head equally and also causes the muscles in your neck, shoulders,
and jaw feel tight and sore.
Treating tension headaches
Tension
headaches are usually completely taken care of with over the counter (OTC)
drugs. Your doctor may prescribe prescription medications for severe, chronic
tension headaches. Your doctor may also prescribe preventative medications like
antidepressants or muscle relaxants to reduce headaches from occurring in the
future.
2.
Arthritis
Headaches.
Arthritis headaches
are caused by inflammation and swelling in the neck area. They often cause pain
in the back of the head and neck. Movement typically triggers more intense
pain. These headaches can be caused by any kind of arthritis. The most common are Osteo
arthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis headaches are best treated with
anti-inflammatories and heat to reduce inflammation.
Poor Posture Headaches.
Poor posture can
also cause pain in the back of your head and neck. Poor body positioning
creates tension in your back, shoulders, and neck. And that tension may cause a
headache. You may feel a dull, throbbing pain at the base of your skull.
Poor Posture Headaches can be easily treated with
acetaminophen. In the long term, you can treat or try to prevent these
headaches by improving your posture. Purchase an ergonomic work chair with good
lumbar support, and sit with both feet on the ground.
Herniated disks in the cervical spine (neck) can
cause neck pain and tension leading to cervicogenic headache. The pain
typically originates and is felt in the back of the head. It may also be felt
in the temples or behind the eyes. Other symptoms may include discomfort in the
shoulders or upper arms. Cervicogenic headaches may intensify when you’re lying
down. Some people will actually wake up because the pain disrupts their sleep.
When lying down, you may also feel a pressure on the top of your head like a
weight. Herniated disks headaches are treated by concentrating on the treatment
of the underlying condition. Treatment for herniated disks includes physical
therapy, gentle stretching, chiropractic manipulation, epidural injections for
inflammation, and surgery if needed. Good results may be maintained through
exercise.
Occipital neuralgia
Occipital
neuralgia is a condition that occurs when the nerves that run from the spinal
cord to the scalp are damaged. It is often confused with migraines. Occipital
neuralgia causes sharp, aching, throbbing pain that starts at the base of the
head in the neck and moves towards the scalp.
It has
many symptoms like as follows:
Pain behind the
eyes, Sharp stabbing sensation that feels like an electric shock in the neck
and back of the head, sensitivity to light, tender scalp and pain when moving
your neck.
Treating occipital Neuralgia is treated through a
combination of Warm/heat therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
physical therapy, massage, and prescription muscle relaxers. In severe cases,
your doctor may inject a local anesthetic into the occipital area for immediate
relief. This treatment option can last up to 12 weeks.
Migraines
Headaches.
Migraines
can appear in any location, but many people experience them on the left side of
the head or the back of the head.
It has
many causes as listed below.
- severe,
throbbing, pulsating pain
- auras
- nausea
- vomiting
- watering
eyes
- light or
sound sensitivity
Migraine headaches may start on the left side of the head, and
then move around the temple to the back of the head.
To
cure migraines, the doctor may prescribe both a preventative medication, like
a beta-blocker, and an immediate pain-relief medication.
Some over-the-counter medications, like Excedrin
Migraine, are designed specifically for migraines. These may work for mild
migraines, but not severe ones. Your doctor may also help you discover what
triggers your migraines so that you can avoid these stimuli.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster
headaches are rare but extremely painful. They get their name from the “cluster
periods” in which they occur. People with cluster headaches experience frequent
attacks. These periods or patterns of attack may last weeks or months.
Cluster
headaches may cause pain in the back of the head or the sides of the head. They
may get worse when lying down. Other symptoms to watch for include:
- sharp,
penetrating, burning pain
- restlessness
- nausea
- excessive
tearing
- stuffy nose
- drooping
eyelid
- sensitivity
to light and sound
Treating cluster headaches
Treatment
for cluster headaches focuses on shortening the headache period, reducing the
severity of attacks, and preventing further attacks from occurring.
Acute
treatment may include:
- triptans,
which are also used to treat migraines and can be injected for fast relief
- octreotide,
an injectable artificial version of the brain hormone, somatostatin
- local
anesthetics
Preventative
methods may include:
- corticosteroids
- calcium
channel blockers
- melatonin
- nerve blockers
When can you visit a Doctor
When you
experience the following situations, it is vital to meet the doctor.
- you start
experiencing new headaches that last for more than a few days
- your
headaches interfere with your normal activities
- the pain is
accompanied by tenderness near the temple
- you
experience any new changes in headache patterns
If you
develop a severe headache that’s worse than you’ve ever had, or if your
headaches become progressively worse, you should make an appointment as soon as
possible.
If your
pain becomes impossible to think through, go to an emergency room.
There are
some symptoms that indicate an emergency. If you experience headaches alongside
any of the following symptoms, seek emergency medical attention:
- sudden changes
in your personality, including uncharacteristic mood swings or agitation
- fever,
stiff neck, confusion, and decreased alertness to the point where you’re
struggling to focus on a conversation
- visual
disturbances, slurred speech, weakness (including weakness on one side of
the face), and numbness anywhere in the body
- severe
headaches following a blow to the head
- headaches
that come on extremely abruptly when they normally don’t, especially if
they’ve woken you.
Summarily.
A careful follow of the above types of
headaches, will better guide you on your next step of action when need be.
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