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Health

Pain in the back of the head

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Pain in the occipital part of the head, as well as in the upper part of the neck, can not always be correctly diagnosed. For a doctor, this is difficult, because the diseases - the causes of pain - can be different. In addition to diseases like arterial hypertension, the cause of neck pain may be the usual overstrain of the neck muscles. For example, because of uncomfortable posture during sleep or while sitting at the computer. Pain in the occiput can manifest not just when turning the head, but even with the usual touch to the neck.

Pain in the back of the head

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Causes of pain in the occipital part of the head

If the pain in the occipital part of the head appears in the morning, the cause may be high blood pressure

If a person often has stress, and if they flow into a chronic depression, then the emotional tension can gradually build up and accumulate. This quickly leads to a headache. They can be chronic or acute. Such pains are most often found in those women who turned 30 years old.

If a person lays in a wrong position for a long time, his muscles and ligaments are overstrained, this can hurt the head. These pains can often bother drivers, computer scientists, journalists - those who most often stay in one position and move little.

If a person is very afflicted by diseases affecting the cervical spine, his neck and neck may be sore. This pain in the occipital part of the head can become stronger with such diseases as spondylitis, osteochondrosis, subluxation of vertebral articulations. This pain can increase as soon as a person turns his head, even slightly.

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Spondylosis of the neck

Pain in the occipital part of the head and neck and may be strengthened with growth and deformation of the processes of the vertebrae - osteophytes. This disease is called the spondylosis of the neck. Some people believe that osteophytes grow and disturb the person because of the deposition of salts. In fact, osteophytes grow because of the deformation and degeneration of the ligament tissue into the bone. In the risk group - especially the elderly. But the disease can develop in younger people, provided they move little, do not exercise.

Symptoms of cervical spondylosis

Symptoms of cervical spondylosis can be:

  • Pain in the occipital part of the head
  • Pain at the top of the shoulder that eyes, ears, back of the skull
  • Pain can occur regardless of whether a person is physically active or not
  • The pain is greatly enhanced during active physical movements
  • This reduces the mobility of the neck muscles, it can turn badly
  • A person can badly sleep, often wake up, the cause of this can be an increased burden on the cervical vertebrae and muscles
  • One of the important symptoms of spondylosis is pain in the neck and neck, especially when turning the head

If a person goes to the examination, his neck may be obstructed. If you press the back of the neck with your finger, the pain in the occipital part of the head can become stronger. To determine exactly whether a person has spondylosis, you need to ask him to throw his head. In this case, he may have pain in the back of the neck and neck.

Myogelosis

Myogelosis is a tightening of the muscles in the region of the neck.

Symptoms of myoglaze

  • In an uncomfortable position, the muscles swell quickly
  • A draft can cause pain in the occipital part of the head or in the neck
  • Pain can increase with a violation of posture
  • Stress can increase pain in myoglaze
  • Severe pain in the occipital part
  • The dizziness that accompanies these pains
  • Pain in the shoulder region, while the shoulders are chained

Neuralgia of the occipital nerve

This disease is often supplemented by painful attacks in the occipital region, which are given to the neck, lower jaw, ears, back. Painful attacks can cause coughing, sneezing, difficulty turning the head. With these attacks, a person is afraid to turn his head, he holds it evenly, so that the pain in the occipital part of the head does not bother him. If the neuralgia lasts a long time, then the person develops hyperesthesia, that is, hypersensitivity in the nape, and in all of his area.

Causes of Neuralgia

The causes of neuralgia may be osteochondrosis, spondylarthrosis and other diseases of the neck, cervical vertebrae. Neuralgia often occurs with hypothermia and colds.

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Symptoms

  • Pain in the occipital part of the head that occurs with neuralgia of the cervical spine is most often paroxysmal
  • By their nature, the pains are sharp, strong, they can give to the neck and ears.
  • As soon as a person turns his head, the pain can intensify, the person coughs, sneezes, the pain in the occipital part of the head can be in the form of lumbago.
  • If the pain is not in the form of seizures, it can be oppressive and localize in the nape of the neck.
  • At medical research it is found out, that at the person the heperesthesia of integuments develops and muscles of a neck are spasms.

Migraine neck (cervical migraine)

It is a disease in which the main symptoms are severe pain localized in the back of the head and temples. This pain can be given to the area above the eyebrows. With this disease there may be a feeling that in the eyes of the sand, there is a strong tangle, vision is clouded, the head is spinning. There may be a visual and hearing impairment, there may be a noise in your ears.

Cervical migraine can be recognized with the help of pain sensations. For example, if you press your fingers on the artery of the vertebra, and do this clamping on the line that connects the spinous and mastoid processes of the vertebrae of the neck, the pain can greatly increase. This means that a person has cervical migraine.

Cervical osteochondrosis

This disease is also called vertebrobasilar syndrome. Symptoms - pain in the occipital part of the head and neck. And it can be accompanied by various manifestations of violations of the vestibular apparatus:

  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Noise in ears
  • Visual disturbances
  • Hearing Impairment
  • The back of the head hurts - constantly or occasionally

Cervical osteochondrosis can be distinguished from other diseases by additional symptoms: nausea, vomiting, discoloration of the skin (increased pallor), impaired coordination, loss of balance - sometimes even fainting.

A person is immobilized, he is afraid to tilt his head or turn it aside, because then the pain intensifies.

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Overstrain of muscles

If the muscles are overextended for too long, you need to periodically change position, otherwise there may be pain in the occipital part of the head and neck. Pain in the back of the head can occur when writing, reading, long work at the computer, increased physical exertion. If such loads occur quite often, the head may get stronger and longer.

The main symptom with overstrain of the neck muscles may be pressing pain in the occipital part of the head and forehead region. This pressing pain can increase if a person continues to work or watch TV in the same pose, and stress and excitement increases pain. It in case of overexertion does not resemble spasms - more like a constant pain. Appears mainly in the neck, neck, temples, posterior surface of the cervical column. If you touch the back of your head lightly, you will experience pain. If the neck is put in a fixed position, the pain can be reduced.

The head may be aching from one side or even from both sides, pain may be accompanied by nausea.

Who should I contact if you have pain in the occipital part of the head?

In case there is a pain in the occipital part of the head, you can contact one or more specialists:

  • Cardiologist
  • Neuropathologist
  • Traumatologist-orthopedist
  • Masseur
  • Specialist in exercise therapy

Pain in the occipital part of the head can be a serious symptom, which indicates an irregular mode of the day and a way of life. It is very important to consult a doctor and put your health in order.

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