Many things/issues can lead to headaches at the back of your head, but some factors can cause severe headaches that disrupt your daily life. Luckily, most headaches are manageable and treatable. Learn what causes headaches on the back of your head, management strategies for them, and treatment in this article. Visit the best Pain Management Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to www.doralhw.org.
Causes & Symptoms
Headaches at the back of the head have different causes, depending on the type of pain, its location, and other associated symptoms. Here are the most common causes of headaches on the back of the head:
- Tension headaches:
This is the most common reason for pain at the back or right side of your head, although the ache might feel like a band encircling the head, causing pain on both sides. Typically, it occurs due to sudden tension in the neck and scalp muscles due to stress, depression, anxiety, or head injury. It causes mild to moderate pain, which can last up to 7 days, but can be as brief as only 30 minutes. You may experience symptoms like:
- Feeling of tightness around the head (which involves the back of your head and affects your face or neck)
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Trouble focusing
- Stiff shoulders
- Dull, tight constricting pain that isn’t throbbing
- Physical activity improves the pain
- Migraine:
Migraine headaches are a very common chronic cause of headaches in the back or left side of the head. These recurring headaches often start during childhood and increase in frequency and severity as you age. In adulthood, it can occur several times a week, especially in females between the ages of 35 to 45 years. You may experience any of these symptoms of migraine, such as:
- Throbbing, intense pain on one side of the head
- Visual disturbance
- Nausea and vomiting
- Highly sensitive to light, noise, and smell
- Muscle tenderness and sensitive skin
- It can last from a few hours to several days
- Physical activity can make it worse
Mostly, an “aura” can trigger a migraine headache, which can be many things, like flashing lights or visual disturbances. Occipital migraines are the most common migraines that cause pain in the back of the head and are often triggered by stress, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, weather changes, and lack of sleep.
- Cluster headaches:
These headaches are rare but extremely painful. It causes recurrent attacks of pain in the back or sides of the head, which get worse when you lie down. It can last weeks or months and then subside for a while. Other symptoms of cluster headaches to look out for:
- Sharp, penetrating, or burning pain
- Insomnia
- Stuffy nose
- Nasal congestion
- Droopy eyelids
- Light and sound sensitivity
- Watery eyes
- Restlessness
- Nausea
- Redness and swelling around the painful eye
- Pale skin
- Poor posture:
If you sit, drive, or work in a poor posture that creates tension in your back, shoulders, and neck, over time it can lead to mild throbbing pain in the back of the head and neck. This happens because it strains the nerves of these areas, which causes pain. So, make sure you sit and stand in the right posture to get relief from headaches.
- Cervicogenic headaches:
These headaches occur from nerve issues of your neck, like herniated discs in the cervical spine (neck) that cause pain and tension in the area which travels to the head. Mostly it stays in that area, but sometimes it can be felt in temples or behind the eyes. Other symptoms of cervicogenic headaches are as follows:
- Pain around the eyes and vision problems
- Nausea
- Headaches intensify if you try to lie down
- Light and noise sensitivity
- Pain in the head during some movements
- Pain in the neck, shoulders, or arms on one side
- Exercise-induced headaches:
Also known as exertion headaches, these occur as a result of strenuous physical activity. It usually occurs suddenly during or after exercise and quickly becomes severe. It causes pulsating pain at the backside or both sides of the head, which lasts from 5 minutes to 2 days. It happens because rapid dilation of blood vessels increases blood supply to the head, increasing pressure in the skull. Different exercises, such as weightlifting, running, and even sexual intercourse, can trigger this type of headache.
- Low-pressure headaches:
It is also known as positional headache, which causes pain in the back of the head due to intracranial hypotension, which means that cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the brain is less than 60 millimeters of water. These headaches get worse when you sit or stand and feel better when you lie down. Intracranial hypotension can also occur from a spinal tap or other procedure that makes fluid leak from the spine. These headaches also get triggered by bending, coughing, sneezing, lifting, and straining. Some people may wake up with mild headaches that get worse throughout the day. The positional headache usually goes away with time or decreases in intensity. While it mostly occurs in the back of the head, sometimes it also affects the front area, one side, or the entire head. The intensity of headaches is mostly severe, pressure-like throbbing, pounding, stabbing, and aching.
- Medication-overuse or rebound headache (MOH):
These headaches develop if a person consumes too much pain relief medication. It is also known as rebound headaches. If you take pain relief medication for more than 10 to 15 or more days a month, it can cause these headaches. You may experience signs like:
- Persistent, frequent headaches
- Worse pain when walking
- Withdrawal pain relief headache
Other signs linked to MOH are:
- Sleepiness
- Nausea
- Lack of energy
- Physical weakness
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
Self-care strategies
Some self-care strategies can help you manage the pain in the back of the head, like:
- Heat therapy: Use a warm compress or take a hot bath to relax muscles to alleviate tension in the back of the head.
- Cold compress: Use a cold pack to numb pain and lower inflammation in the occipital area.
- Neck stretching: Gentle stretching exercises can improve flexibility and relieve muscle tension that leads to head pain.
- Hydration: Dehydration is one of the causes of headaches. So, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Herbal remedies: Some herbal supplements, like peppermint oil, lavender oil, or ginger tea, can be used for their anti-inflammatory and soothing properties to ease your head pain.
Treatment options
To treat pain in the back of the head, doctors often suggest the following options:
- Medications: Your doctor may prescribe pain relievers, muscle relaxants, or preventive drugs to manage the underlying cause of headaches.
- Physical therapy: Some exercises and techniques are used to correct posture, muscle strength, and relieve tension that causes back head pain.
- Relaxation techniques: Some relaxation techniques can help to alleviate your headache symptoms, such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
- Lifestyle modifications: Some lifestyle modifications, such as adjusting ergonomics, hydration, sleep habits, and stress reduction techniques, can help you manage or prevent headaches that occur at the back.
When to go to a doctor?
Most headaches aren’t dangerous, but some might be a sign of a medical condition. So, make sure you go to a doctor if you have a headache along with any of these symptoms:
- A fever above 103 F that doesn’t get better
- Headaches feel different or happen more frequently than usual, especially if you’re 50 or older.
- A headache that occurs only when you lie flat or only stand up
- Pain or tenderness in your jaw or temple when you chew something or apply pressure with your teeth
- A stiff neck
- Cancer or an autoimmune condition, or have more headaches, or severe headaches.
- Numbness or weakness
You should go to the ER if you have:
- A sudden, severe headache that gets worse
- Confused thoughts or slurred speech
- Weakness, drowsiness, confusion, or loss of balance
- Shortness of breath
- Blurry vision
A headache at the back of the head can occur due to different types of headaches that are caused by stress, anxiety, depression, nerve damage, poor posture, etc. However, the above-mentioned strategies can help you manage them and improve your quality of life. If you are experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms along with a headache, you should seek medical help.
If you have severe headaches, visit our pain management clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!! If you’re ready to take the next step in managing your pain, we recommend consulting with our healthcare provider to explore the right treatments or therapies for you. Always listen to your body and adjust your daily routine to prioritize your well-being. Visit Doral Health & Wellness Pain Relief Department in Brooklyn, to get professional help and guidance on how to manage your problem. Call us on + 1-718-367-2555 to get a consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Log on to www.doralhw.org. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
