home Audience 5 Why does the back of my head hurt? Traditional medicine in the treatment of occipital pain. Problems with nerves and blood vessels as causes of pain in the occipital region

Why does the back of my head hurt? Traditional medicine in the treatment of occipital pain. Problems with nerves and blood vessels as causes of pain in the occipital region

The nature of pain in the back of the head, the causes of its occurrence. ethnoscience in the fight against pain in the back of the head.

Perhaps every person has experienced headaches at least once in their life. Such sensations are very unpleasant and painful. With them, it is impossible to concentrate on anything and do anything.

Sometimes it is possible to get rid of pain in the back of the head only with the help of medication. However, before taking any measures, it is necessary to find out what caused these very sensations.

Causes of headaches in the back of the head

Various types of disorders and damage to the muscles of the neck, back and shoulders can provoke the appearance of pain in the back of the head. In addition, the back of the head can also hurt due to heart disease, vascular system And neurological disorders.

The most common causes of such painful sensations are:

violations in the area cervical spine spine
change in blood pressure
occipital nerve problems
intracranial pressure
spasm of cerebral vessels
transferred nervous tension and stress
prolonged stay of the body in an unnatural and uncomfortable position
muscle strain
pathology of bite or diseases of the temporomandibular joints
poisoning and intoxication of the body
infection or cold
high body temperature

Find out the reason occipital pain possible by their nature, intensity and frequency of occurrence.

Pressing pain in the back of the head, causes

Most common pathogens pressing pain in the back of the head is considered to be cervical osteochondrosis, cervical spondylosis or intracranial pressure.

This disorder is caused by destruction intervertebral discs. As a result, a person experiences constant pressing headaches in the back of the head, temples and neck. Often such pain is also accompanied by dizziness, nausea, loss of orientation and hearing loss.
Cervical osteochondrosis is sometimes accompanied by double vision and fog in the eyes. A person suffering from cervical osteochondrosis, throwing his head back, may fall and be immobilized for some time. At the same time he will be fully conscious

This disease is caused by ossification of the connective ligaments of the spine. Bone growths block normal turns and movements of the neck, which provokes the appearance of constant pain in the neck and back of the head, especially aggravated when turning the head
Sudden movements of the neck cause increased pain, and after they are completed, a regular pressing dull pain remains
One more a clear sign cervical spondylosis is sleep disturbance or its complete absence

Intracranial pressure provoked by an increase or deficiency cerebrospinal fluid, cerebral edema, the appearance of a tumor or an increase in blood concentration in the vessels of the brain
This disease is accompanied by pressing or bursting pain in the back of the head, temples, forehead during sleep, and aggravated upon waking up.
Pain in the occipital part of the head may be pulsating in nature, and may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and lightheadedness.

Acute pain in the back of the head, causes

Acute pain in the back of the head is observed with cervical migraine, cervical spondylosis, myogelosis of the cervical spine and neuralgia.

Cervical migraine itself is a consequence of diseases of the cervical spine
The pain of cervical migraine is often sharp and burning. Such pain can be either constant or throbbing

Myogelosis

Myogelosis of the cervical region

Myogelosis often occurs under the influence of drafts, stress, incorrect posture, and is a thickening in the neck muscles
In addition to acute pain, myogelosis may cause dizziness, fatigue and stiffness in the shoulder area.

This disease often occurs in patients with osteochondrosis or spondyloarthrosis. They start to feel strong sharp pains in the cervical vertebrae, spreading to the eyes, ears, back and back of the head.

Dull pain in the back of the head, causes

Often, a dull pain in the back of the head occurs due to cervical osteochondrosis, cervical spondylosis and malocclusion.

Bite problems

It would seem so simple, and at the same time quite common dental problem, like a malocclusion, can provoke discomfort and even pain in a person
While chewing, a patient with malocclusion often experiences pain in the neck area, reflected dull ache in the back of the head
These sensations can last from several hours to several days.
Malocclusion is a problem that can lead not only to constant pain, but also to many other complications (impaired speech, gum disease and facial distortion)

Throbbing pain in the head, pain in the back of the head, causes

The causes of pulsations in the head and back of the head can be many factors and diseases:

Hypertonic disease

Hypertension is one of the most frequent illnesses occurring in people with heart disease
Hypertension occurs due to a predisposition to vasoconstriction
This disease is often accompanied strong pulsation in the back of the head, rapid heartbeat, general malaise, dizziness and spontaneous nausea

Pulsation in the back of the head quite often occurs due to spasm of blood vessels passing inside or outside the skull
Throbbing pain can spread to both the back of the head and frontal part heads
When moving, the pain increases, and when at rest, it decreases.

Tumors

Brain tumors, meningitis and other serious brain disorders quite often manifest themselves in the form of a throbbing headache
In addition to pain, such diseases have a number of other accompanying symptoms: nausea, vomiting, weakness and dizziness

Glasses

If glasses or lenses are chosen incorrectly, a person will have to strain their eyes repeatedly throughout the day.
Such stress can cause pulsations in the eyes, head, neck, as well as a feeling of tightness on the scalp.

Diseases of the nose, ear

Sinusitis, rhinitis, sinusitis and otitis - quite common reasons headaches in children and adults
They can cause pulsation, nagging pain or a sharp headache in the occipital and frontal parts

Pain in the right side of the head, causes. Pain in the left side of the head, causes

Often, pain localized in one or another part of the head is caused by the use of very cold water or food, alcohol, drugs or nicotine, as well as a disease such as myositis.

The causes of myositis include hypothermia, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, or various types of neck injuries.
Headache with myositis, it mainly appears during head movement and neck turns

Very often, some athletes or, on the contrary, people far from sports, during intense physical exertion, may feel pain in the back of the head, frontal part, goosebumps or tingling in the head area
Some people experience some head pressure. It seems as if the head was tied with a rope, or a tight hat was put on it
All these signs appear due to a sharp spasm of blood vessels arising from severe physical stress

Treatment of headaches in the back of the head with traditional methods

Before proceeding with more complex, radical traditional medicine, you need to try to get rid of headaches with the help of basic things:

ventilate the room
eliminate all annoying loud sounds
try to increase the humidity in the room
take a walk in the fresh air
stop using alcohol, nicotine, drugs
cleanse the intestines
massage the entire surface of the head, including the temples
aromatherapy
massage of temples, forehead and neck with aromatic oils of lavender, rosemary and mint
tonic and relaxing herbal teas and infusions
compresses

Here are some of the most effective traditional methods relief from headaches:

Infusions

St. John's wort infusion. Take a glass of boiling water and pour a large spoonful of St. John's wort into it. Infuse the herb and take one third of a glass before meals
Decoction of odorous chamomile without tongue. Pour a large spoonful of chamomile into a glass of water and boil it for five minutes. After steeping the broth for twenty minutes and straining it, take a third of a glass after meals.
Tincture of evasive peony. We take crushed peony roots and fill them with vodka in a ratio of one to ten. Take a small spoon of infusion before meals
Decoction of herbal collection. Take two tablespoons of the collection of rustling clover, white lilac flowers and rattle (proportions 4:4:2) and fill it with half a liter of boiling water. After steeping the decoction for half an hour, strain the infusion. We take the decoction about six times a day, half a glass
Herbal decoction No. 2. Take a tablespoon of the collected flowers of common lilac, pink meadow cornflower and thyme. Pour boiling water over the herbs and let them brew for an hour. Drink the entire decoction in two doses, an hour apart.
Infusion onion peel. Pour a glass of boiling water over the onion peel and leave for an hour and a half. We drink the resulting infusion in half a glass twice. It is recommended to brew a new infusion every day
Propolis tincture. Add twenty grams of propolis to one hundred grams of alcohol or vodka. We take the infusion forty drops at a time. You can drip them directly onto the bread
Valerian infusion. Take twenty grams of valerian roots and pour them into a glass of boiling water. Heat the mixture in a water bath under the lid for fifteen minutes. Let it brew for about forty-five minutes and strain. Take two large spoons of valerian infusion thirty minutes after meals.

Compresses and wraps

Cut at high pressure fresh cucumber circles and place it on the eyes
Dip the rye crumb in vinegar, wrap it in a bandage, and put it on sore spot
Pour into liter jar water with a large spoon of salt and stir it thoroughly. Pour one hundred grams of ten percent ammonia into ten grams of camphor oil and shake everything well. We pour all two solutions into one vessel, cover with something and chat until the flakes formed when combining the mixtures disappear. We heat the mixture in a water bath and make a compress from it on the sore spot overnight
Dissolve a large spoonful of salt in half a liter of water. We soak a wool-based fabric in a salt solution and apply it to the lower back. Wrap the compress in a warm scarf and leave it overnight
Apply the peeled lemon peel to your temple. Let the crust sit until it starts to bake.

Unusual ways to get rid of headaches

We put a green scarf on our head
We determine which nostril in the nose breathes cleaner by closing each one in turn. If the nostril from which the pain comes is breathing better, you need to close the breathing nostril and breathe with the one that is breathing worse.
We stand in front of a large mirror and, without blinking, repeat to our reflection in it: “On the count of three, headache, go away!” Once! On the count of three, headache, pass! Two! On the count of three, headache, pass. The headache goes away. The headache is gone. Three!"
Tap on the bridge of the nose thumb from five to twenty minutes. After a couple of hours we repeat the ritual
We brew ourselves some tea in a cup. Dip a small spoon into hot tea and apply it to the nose on the side where the pain is located. When the spoon has cooled, repeat the procedure. Afterwards, we apply the spoon removed from the hot tea to the earlobe on the same side. Finally, warm your fingertips on a hot cup and drink your tea

It is worth noting that no matter how effective folk remedies are, it is first necessary to find out the cause of the pain. Only by eliminating it can you get rid of it once and for all.
from excruciating headaches.

Headache is one of the most common symptoms and may indicate either normal fatigue, and for any dangerous disease. Depending on the location and nature of the unpleasant sensations, you can try to determine their cause. It is worth considering the main causes and treatment of headaches in the back of the head, which bother many people.

When a headache occurs in the back of the head, it can be difficult to determine whether it is the head or the neck that hurts. In a number of diseases of the spine and neck area, pain can radiate to occipital region, which makes it difficult to diagnose a possible disease.

Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms and consult a doctor to make sure there are no serious pathologies. For headaches, children and adults should consult a neurologist.

It is worth considering the main causes of occipital headaches. Some of them require urgent help likely to occur severe complications. In each case, the accompanying symptoms will be different, it is worth paying attention to them.

Various head injuries. Periodic severe headaches in the occipital region can occur after head injuries, blows, bruises, and concussions. However, they may not appear immediately after the injury; sometimes quite a lot of time passes. If painful sensations develop as a result of a blow or other injury, they are usually accompanied by nausea, dizziness, and the patient may notice that memory and concentration deteriorate.
Migraine. This disease often develops without expressed reasons and becomes chronic, females are most susceptible to it. With migraine, the headaches are pulsating, usually localized on the right side of the head or on the opposite, left side. There is a feeling of squeezing; with a migraine, the painful sensations include dizziness, increased sensitivity to light, and irritability.
Arterial hypertension. Given this cardiovascular disease Painful sensations may also occur in the back of the head and temples; the pain is dull in nature. This pathology usually cannot be fully treated, it is associated with constant increase blood pressure. Also, with high blood pressure, pulsation may occur in the back of the head without pain.
Fatigue, nervous tension, stress. IN severe cases Physical and mental fatigue may cause mild pain in the back of the head, spreading to the temples. In this case, isolated pain does not indicate serious illness.

Important! If you have persistent pain that occurs for no apparent reason, you should consult a doctor and not self-medicate.

With various diseases in the cervical spine, pain occurs, radiating to the occipital region of the head. In this case, the pain usually spreads to top part back, they are accompanied by a burning sensation and muscle tension. The most common diseases of the spine that cause pain in the back of the head include:

Cervical osteochondrosis. This disease is extremely common, and as it develops, degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, leading to limited mobility and severe pain. With osteochondrosis, pinching occurs nerve endings in the cervical region, resulting in constant headaches accompanied by increased fatigue, tinnitus and a number of other vegetative symptoms.
Spondylosis. Another disease of the spine, which, when it occurs in the cervical region, provokes the development pain syndrome, extending to the back of the head. Violated normal functioning cartilage tissue, pain usually occurs when turning the head or sudden movements. This disease usually develops with an insufficient level of physical activity.
Myogelosis. This disease is characterized by compaction muscle tissue neck, it can occur due to injuries, severe physical strain. With this disease, the pain is aching in nature and spreads to the back area. If you touch the muscles of the neck, you will notice that they are tense and compacted.

Important! Pain in the back of the head may also occur with various injuries spine, injuries spinal cord and pinched nerve endings.

To diagnose these diseases, an examination by an orthopedic surgeon is required. An X-ray of the cervical spine is usually taken, sometimes an MRI or CT scan is required, and other studies are required depending on the accompanying symptoms.

Painful sensations in various parts of the head occur less frequently in children than in adults. They usually appear with severe emotional and physical fatigue, lack of sleep, and other difficulties faced by school students.

If a child experiences a headache, it is advisable to reduce the load and consult a doctor; the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia, a set of symptoms that significantly affects the child’s performance, is likely. You should also exclude curvatures and other diseases of the spine, which often develop in younger and older adults. school age.

During pregnancy

Headaches are also common during pregnancy. The body of the expectant mother is more susceptible to stress, carrying a child is an additional burden on the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular and nervous system. Therefore, the emergence aching pain quite common. They usually occur against a background of severe fatigue and emotional stress.

However, if pain occurs constantly and is quite intense in nature, it is advisable to check with a doctor to rule out serious diseases that could threaten the health of the expectant mother and child.

Treatment at home

If headaches in the back of the head occur frequently or develop against the background of other diseases, they should be treated under the supervision of a doctor. However, you can relieve isolated attacks on your own pain caused by fatigue and stress. For this purpose, there are various painkillers, folk remedies and other methods.

First of all, if painful sensations appear, you should rest, drink water, and, if possible, postpone all important matters. It is also advised to avoid sources of bright light and noise, they can cause deterioration in well-being. To get rid of pain, you can use the following methods:

Medicines. For headaches, you can use non-prescription simple painkillers; it is important to take them exactly as directed. Ibuprofen-based medications can help with headaches; Citramon, Pentalgin, Paracetamol and their analogues are especially effective.
Massage. If painful sensations in the back of the head occur against the background of osteochondrosis, spasm of the neck muscles, self-massage with smooth rubbing movements and acupressure technique is recommended.

With enough rest and correct intake painkillers, the painful sensations will go away fairly quickly.

Treatment with folk remedies

There are several folk remedies, helping to get rid of headaches, some of them are effective even for migraines and fairly intense pain in the back of the head.

High-quality food helps with headaches green tea with the addition of dried mint or a couple of drops peppermint oil. Brew should be sufficient Reviver, if no important things are foreseen in the future, you can have tea natural honey. This combination tones the body well and helps get rid of unpleasant sensations in the back of the head.

Products based on medicinal herbs. For example, you can mix two tablespoons of hawthorn fruit with one tablespoon of valerian root, add two tablespoons of motherwort herb and two tablespoons of bearberry. Prepare a decoction from a mixture of herbs, take a third of a glass three times a day after meals.

Folk remedies are extremely effective, but if, despite all efforts, the headache does not go away, you should urgently consult a doctor.

Pain in the back of the head usually confuses even the patient himself, who cannot always determine the location of the painful sensations. Even a headache, among many other reasons, can stem from overstrain of the deep extensors of the neck, located just below the back of the head.

Unpleasant sensations in the upper cervical region, accompanying any movement of the neck, including turning the head and tilting it, can occur even with a normal touch to the occipital region.

Causes of pain in the back of the head

Arterial hypertension

Headaches in the back of the head, especially in the morning, may be a consequence of the development.

Stress

If the patient is constantly exposed to stress, he begins to develop mental stress, which also leads to headaches. Pain of this nature can be caused by both chronic and acute stress. Risk factors are age over 30 years and being female.

Overvoltage

Excessive stress, both physical and mental, which occurs, among other things, as a result of prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, can also cause headaches. Such sensations are not uncommon among car drivers and those who work at a computer for a long time.

Diseases of the cervical spine

Diseases affecting the cervical spine also often cause the patient to have pain in the back of the head and neck. The pain increases with any movement of the head or turning the neck. Such symptoms are typical for traumatic sprains, spondylitis, subluxations of intervertebral joints, etc.

Deformation and proliferation of osteophytes

Intense pain in the occipital part of the head and neck is caused by deformation and proliferation of osteophytes - the lateral processes of the vertebrae. This disease is called cervical spondylosis. It is a mistake to believe that osteophytes are formed due to salt deposition: their appearance is associated with the degeneration of ligament tissues into bone tissue. This disease most often affects a person at an advanced age, but can manifest itself earlier if a person is physically inactive, moves little, or leads a sedentary lifestyle. Characteristic signs of cervical spondylosis are pain in the back of the head and shoulder girdle, sometimes radiating to the ears, eyes, or covering the entire back of the head.

Pain is felt regardless of whether the patient is moving or at rest, but during activity it usually intensifies. The mobility of the neck also decreases, and it becomes difficult to turn the head. The quality of sleep also deteriorates: due to neck pain, the patient often wakes up, and during sleep there remains an increased load on the cervical spine. Symptoms of spondylosis also include prolonged cervical and occipital headaches and difficulty moving the neck when turning the head. The examination reveals limited mobility of the vertebrae of the cervical spine. If you press on the intervertebral joint from behind, the pain intensifies. For a more vivid effect of the study, you can ask the patient to tilt his head back a little.

Myogelosis

Thickening of muscle tissue in the cervical region, called myogelosis, can be caused by for the following reasons: muscle stiffness in an awkward position; draft; posture disorders; being in a stressful situation. Characteristic signs of myogelosis neck muscles considered: pain in the back of the head; dizziness; pain in the shoulder girdle and stiffness in shoulder movements.

Occipital neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia is often accompanied by attacks of pain in the back of the head, which radiate to the cervical spine, ears, lower jaw, back. Acute bursts of pain cause sneezing, coughing, and head movement. The patient tries to keep his head in one position to relieve pain. Prolonged course of neuralgia of the occipital nerve leads to the development of hyperesthesia - increased sensitivity in the area of the entire back of the head. The sources of occipital neuralgia are mainly spondyloarthrosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the cervical spine.

Colds and hypothermia also increase the risk of this type of neuralgia. Pain in the occipital part of the head, characteristic of occipital neuralgia, usually occurs in the form of attacks. The nature of this pain is sharp, it radiates to the ears and neck. Rotations of the neck, torso, and head are accompanied by increased pain; coughing also causes shooting-like attacks. The rest of the time the patient is constantly accompanied by pressing pain in the back of the head. The study reveals hyperesthesia of the skin on the back of the head and spasm of the neck muscles.

Cervical migraine

Its symptoms are intense pain in the temple and back of the head, which can radiate to brow ridges. In addition, it creates a feeling of sand and pain in the eyes, blurred vision, dizziness, hearing loss or tinnitus. Unlike true hemicrania, cervical migraine has a characteristic defining marker. When creating artificial compression in vertebral artery(it is enough to simply press it with your finger at a distance of 2/3 along the line connecting the mastoid and spinous processes of the 1st cervical vertebra) the occurrence or intensification of pain indicates that you are faced with a cervical migraine.

Vertebrobasilar syndrome

Sometimes cervical osteochondrosis causes the so-called vertebrobasilar syndrome. Its symptoms include vestibular manifestations (tinnitus, dizziness, blurred vision, other visual and hearing disorders), pain in the back of the head. Also typical for of this syndrome hiccups, nausea, vomiting, pallor of the skin of the face, some impaired coordination of movements. This disease is characterized by fainting without loss of consciousness, accompanied by loss of balance and immobility, resulting from changes in head position (tilting back, turning).

Prolonged muscle tension

Prolonged muscle tension associated with incorrect position of the neck and head when physical exercise, reading or writing. If this situation repeats quite often, a person may experience the so-called. tension headaches. Their main symptom is pressure, progressing to pain in the occipital and frontal part of the head. This sensation may accompany holding the head in one position when watching TV or working at the computer, reading, writing, or playing sports.

Also, similar signs can be observed with anxiety, overwork, and concentration on work. The patient may have the impression that an invisible hoop or headdress is placed on his head, squeezing the skull. The nature of the pain is moderate, not spasmodic, but constant. Most often, painful sensations are localized in the forehead (muscle pain), temples, back of the head, and neck. Usually there is soreness in the muscles of the forehead, temples, back of the head and back surface neck. When pressed, tension is felt and in some places there is even compaction; touching causes pain.

Dizziness and tinnitus may also occur. Pain can often be reduced by immobilizing the neck. Unpleasant sensations can be localized on one, but more often on both sides of the head, and are not accompanied by nausea. Doctors believe that the reason for their occurrence is the relationship between prolonged muscle contraction and a physical or emotional stimulus that occurs when concentrating on a specific action.

Pain in the back of the head can be a symptom of the following diseases:

Treatment of pain in the back of the head

Before you treat anything, you should definitely consult a doctor to find out the causes of the pain. If the disease is complex, for example, arterial hypertension or increased intracranial pressure, then such a disease requires urgent etiotropic therapy. Diseases that are considered not complex can be treated with courses medical procedures. The most common such therapies are:

Massage

Of course, everyone noticed that if you rub and stretch the area of the neck and back of the head, the pain will significantly decrease. If the cause of a person’s illness is known, then massage can do real miracles. But you can only rely on professionals. Massotherapy, as a rule, are prescribed in courses and these courses can be repeated once or twice a month. At home, you can only slightly rub the area of pain. If a person is diagnosed with hypertension or spondylosis, then massage is completely prohibited.

Exercise therapy (physical therapy)

Specialists will select you special exercises to warm up and relieve tension from the cervical region. Be sure to repeat after the trainer for the course to be successful.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

It helps a lot with a number of diseases, for example, spondylosis, myogelosis, osteochondrosis, intracranial pressure and other diseases.

Manual therapy

A special procedure that is not related to massage, but is done by the hands of a doctor. It helps very well for the treatment of pain in the occipital part of the head, the cause of which is osteochondrosis or myogelosis.

Acupuncture

Helps if you have the following diseases: cervical osteochondrosis, stress. The procedure consists of a targeted effect on human skin.

And finally, we can say that to overcome pain in the back of the head, you need to normalize your rest and sleep time.

Diagnosis of pain in the back of the head

MRI of the brain.
CT scan of the cervical spine.
Ultrasound of the kidneys.
General blood test.
Biochemical blood test (basic minimum + lipid profile study).
General urine analysis.
Ultrasound of the heart.
Consultation with an ophthalmologist (with mandatory examination of the fundus and visual fields).
Consultation with a neurologist to determine the final diagnosis, prescribe (if necessary) further studies and treatment.
If the patient does not have severe neurological disorders, hypertension, NDC - consultation with a neuropsychiatrist (psychotherapist) is required.

Questions and answers on the topic "Pain in the back of the head"

Question:Hello! My husband (31 years old) constant pain in the back of the head, mainly on the right side of the back of the head (for 8 years), mainly due to changes in weather. Blood pressure during headache is within 100/60. Lately Citramon-P has been helping, head and neck massage relieves pain. Works as a driver. A local neurologist checked the reflexes (with needles), looked at the eyes, and said that these were external muscle pains. Prescribed 2 tablets of "Lucetam" 2 times a day for a month. The headache stopped, but dizziness began. Now my head hurts as before, very much! Please advise what to do?

Answer: Let him go to a chiropractor.

Question:Hello, I am 19 years old, height 174 cm, weight 64, this summer I went to the south, there was a kind of poisoning and was diagnosed with gastroenteritis, after which I was worried about heaviness in the back of my head and a state of weakness. I did an MRI - diagnostics, here is the conclusion: MRI data for the presence pathological changes focal and diffuse nature in the substance cerebral hemispheres brain, cerebellum not detected. MR - signs of not clearly expressed arachnoid changes of a liquorocystic nature. Microcyst of the epiphysis. I went to see a neurologist, the doctor said there was nothing wrong, prescribed treatment: Actovegin No. 10 intravenously, Mexidol No. 10 intramuscularly and Milgamma No. 5 intramuscularly every other day, but I am still worried about heaviness in the back of my head and weakness. I give injections for 5 days. Are the medications prescribed correctly? Explain the MRI conclusion and tell me what the diagnosis is?

Question:I am contacting you with next question: I am 31 years old, during sexual intercourse, when approaching orgasm, I got a very bad headache in the back of my head. The pain was throbbing and the closer to orgasm the more it became. It usually went away within a couple of hours. Last time In the morning there was a feeling of “pulsations” in the area of the back of the head and temples, which completely disappeared only in the evening. Please advise what to do. Maybe you should first take some tests before going to the doctor or taking a course of some pills?

Answer: Headache during sexual tension or exercise may be independent disorder or the manifestation of some kind of disorder in the brain of a different nature. In order to understand this, you need to do an MRI of the brain and examine the blood vessels of the brain. And then when normal indicators After these tests, have your headache treated by a neurologist specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of headaches.

Question:My son is 3 years old. At 2 he went into the garden and began to get sick colds once a month consistently! But what worries me is this: a week ago, in the morning when he woke up, he began to cry while coughing and complain of pain in the back of his head! Then during the day everything is fine, and the next morning the same picture. For a week now in the morning he has been complaining that his head hurts and rubbing the back of his head, but this is only when he coughs. Tell me what could be the matter! The neurologist examined the child and said that there was no neurology, the skin was healthy and the area of the head was not painful. Help! I'm very worried! You may need to take some tests or do an ultrasound or MRI.

Answer: First, measure your blood pressure and show your child to an ENT doctor. If this picture continues, and apparent reason will not be found, then do an MRI.

Question:Hello! Recently I suffered from laryngitis and pharyngitis. I was treated by an ENT specialist. During my illness, I began to notice that when I tilted my head, the back of the head and frontal area hurt. Now the pain in the morning, after waking up about 10 minutes, the back of the head begins to ache, radiates to the frontal part of the head, and the lymph nodes under the jaws ache. Blood pressure is the same as always (hypotension 100-60). The neurologist and therapist are inclined to believe that it is vascular. But I’m worried: could this be a complication after an illness or some kind of infection? Thank you.

Answer: We recommend that you contact an ENT doctor who will rule out possible availability you have sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, etc.) If you do not have these diseases, then the likelihood that headaches are associated with complications after a sore throat is extremely low.

Question:For a long time (about several months), I have been experiencing strong shooting pains on the left side of the back of my head, as if it were cramping. bottom part head and neck on the left side. Recently I felt a painful point in that place, when you press it you feel pain and radiates painful rays in different directions, on the neck, shoulders, left ear, even approximately in the area of the tonsils. I can't figure out what it could be. It looks like a tiny red bump. Could it be some kind of tick that has already gone deep? Or what it could be...

Answer: First, consult a neurologist, as pain may be associated with the spine and muscle tension. By the way, this often happens.

Question:Hello! I am constantly bothered by pain in the back of my head on the right, closer to the ear. Sometimes the entire back of the head hurts, accompanied by a rise in temperature to 37 degrees! What could it be? Thank you in advance.

Answer: Hello, you should do an MRI of the brain and cervical spine in order to find out the cause of the pain. The temperature rises as the body reacts to pain.

Question:When the back of the head hurts, is the pressure low or high?

Answer: Pain in the back of the head is a symptom various diseases. It may be associated with blood pressure, cervical osteochondrosis, myositis, etc. You need to look at the complex of symptoms to determine what the cause is.

The occurrence of pain in the back of the head is a common phenomenon that can overcome people 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, there is a leak in some system or organ pathological process. 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

The pains have characteristics, depending on the pathology that caused them 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 long stay in one position;
with injuries varying degrees heaviness;
with frequent hypothermia.

Discomfort appears when turning, bending and other head movements. The pain radiates to the area of the shoulder blades and collarbones. 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 reason is painful lumps, which are formed in the muscle tissue of the neck. Besides pain symptoms, a person experiences dizziness, “flickering” before the eyes, “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.

Frequent companion this state is nausea and a headache in the back of the head, which becomes aching in nature. 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, so their right hand is involved in the work process much more often, and the blood flow in it is much better.

A 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 arterial spasm occurs, severe pain 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 occurs long time, the patient may experience increased sensitivity skin in the back of the head area.

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 occipital part of the head that has developed as a result of frequent hypothermia, chronic fatigue, severe stress and excessive physical activity- 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 appointment adequate therapy it is necessary to conduct a series diagnostic measures– CT and radiography 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, disorders emotional background, 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, 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. At 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 possible development serious complications.

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

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 - far from full list its varieties. Often bad feeling associated with changes atmospheric pressure, overwork, 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 serious illness.

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, in which blood does not flow in the required amount to the brain, when the spasm weakens, the opposite happens - the release of blood into more. And then a pulsation occurs in the occipital part.

Infection, excessive coffee consumption, smoking, uncomfortable sleeping position, unsuitable pillow, incorrect position bodies 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 X-ray examination, will deliver 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, lie down and massage with light movements occipital part head, relax and try to sleep.

When the headache is so severe that it is impossible to fall asleep, they usually resort to drug treatment. 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 good effect gives manual therapy, massage, physiotherapy.

And for hypertension ( high blood pressure) will be appropriate medications, 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 general health generally. The following oils are suitable for this purpose: mint, lavender, lemon. Having done hot compress on the back of the head can relieve pain from severe overwork. 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: visiting a neurologist, surgeon, traumatologist, physical therapy, chiropractor. And those, in turn, based on the results general analyzes, pressure measurements, neck x-rays, rheoencephalography (to identify problems with blood vessels), computed tomography, draw appropriate conclusions and prescribe treatment.

And in order to avoid in the future similar disease, 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.