Severe occipital headaches can cause a person significant discomfort. Causes should be sought in pathologies associated with the vertebral, nervous or cardiovascular system. In this review, we will understand in detail what causes occipital pain.
Causes of pain
Let's dwell on this in more detail. The systematic appearance of occipital pain can signal the presence of disturbances in the functioning of the nervous, vertebral and vascular systems. Also, a similar symptom is characteristic for the formation of hematomas and tumors in this area. Non-pathological factors can also provoke occipital headaches: frequent flights, weather dependence, uncomfortable position in a dream, nervous strain. Severe headache in the back is also sometimes a manifestation of acute inflammatory processes in this area.
It can develop under the influence of the following pathologies:
- Neuralgia of a nerve located in the occipital region: pain in this case is paroxysmal and burning, it affects the back of the head and can spread to the muscles of the upper back, neck, lower jaw. Pain usually develops from an inflamed nerve.
- Meningitis: an infection accompanied by severe neck pain. Symptoms of the disease are vomiting, fever, cramps, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness.
- Concussion and other forms of head injury: persistent headache in the occipital part of the head may be associated with traumatic effects. Bruises, hematomas and intracranial hemorrhages create additional pressure on the brain centers. The result is pain and nausea.
- Tumors in the back of the head: persistent dull pain is characteristic of this pathology. Nausea may occur due to tumor pressure on individual brain structures.
- Arterial hypertension: causes throbbing pains in the back of the head, loss of consciousness, dizziness, double vision. With this pathology, the blood flow cannot circulate normally through the vessels of the brain.
- Vascular spasms: a person may experience pulsation of varying degrees with a spasm of blood vessels in the occipital part of the head. In this case, pain can also spread to the frontal and temporal part of the head. Ripple increases with movement.
- Cervical myositis: causes acute sudden pain in the back of the head. This disease occurs due to inflammation of the muscles of the neck. With bending, neck and arm movements, the pain intensifies. In a calm state, the intensity of pain is markedly reduced.
- Cervical migraine: the main signs of this disease are sharp unilateral occipital pain. Often, cervical migraine is only a consequence of cervical osteochondrosis. Pain with this pathology can be accompanied by nausea, visual impairment and other signs.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage: a form of stroke. It manifests itself in the form of sudden pain in the back of the head with subsequent spread to other departments. It is important to provide medical assistance to the patient as soon as possible.
Persistent nape pain
So what do you need to know about this? Often patients complain of a symptom such as a constant occipital headache. The reasons for this phenomenon may be as follows:
- Cervical osteochondrosis: with age or with prolonged work in a fixed position in the vertebral system, tissue changes begin to occur. As a result, the patient may begin to feel stiff, dull pain in the back of the head.
- Cervical spondylosis: this disease is expressed in the formation of bone growths with age or under the influence of professional activity. This reduces the mobility of the neck and causes compression of the blood vessels, as a result of which the circulation of the blood is significantly impeded. There is a dull pain in the back of the head, aggravating even with minor physical exertion.
Usually occipital headaches do not appear without concomitant symptoms. They may be accompanied by dizziness and nausea. The cause of the development of these signs may be a violation of cerebral blood supply caused by squeezing of blood vessels, as well as deformation of the cervical vertebrae. If a throbbing headache in the back of the head is accompanied by dizziness, this is a clear sign of arterial hypertension.
Paroxysmal pain
What you need to know about this? What can cause a sharp headache in the occipital part of the head? A similar symptom often indicates neuralgia of the occipital nerves. It usually occurs after a long stay in a draft, hypothermia, exacerbation of osteochondrosis. With movements of the head and neck, the pain syndrome may intensify. This exacerbates the condition of the patient.
Pressing discomfort
What else can occipital pain have? The causes of a pressing sensation with localization in the lower part of the head can be associated with:
- Overexertion: arise as a result of stressful situations, mental overwork or prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position. Often, tension pains are associated with occupational factors. Unpleasant sensations at the end of the day often arise in people who spend a lot of time at work in a sitting position - PC operators, drivers, office workers.
- Intracranial hypertension: this disease causes paroxysmal pressing pain, covering both the entire head and its individual parts. The patient may also experience nausea, psycho-emotional and visual disorders, cramps in the limbs.
Diagnostics
What is it and what is its feature? What to do if the nape of the head and neck hurts ? The first step is to establish the causes of the unpleasant sensations. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination for a diagnosis. After the initial examination by a therapist, the following types of examinations can be prescribed to the patient:
- examination by a neurologist;
- X-ray of the spine;
- CT or MRI;
- study of the state of blood vessels using an encephalograph.
When all the necessary examinations are completed, the patient is selected according to the diagnosis appropriate therapy.
Treatment
This aspect should be given special attention. Diagnosis in most cases allows you to accurately determine what causes an occipital headache. The causes of this symptom may vary. The optimal course of treatment is selected depending on them. It could be:
- Drug therapy: usually prescribed for exacerbations of chronic diseases and the occurrence of acute inflammatory processes. With vascular ailments and hypertension, the patient may be prescribed drugs that improve blood circulation and normalize the state of blood vessels. In acute infections and inflammation of the nerves, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are indicated. In difficult cases, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics.
- Physiotherapy: this concept includes a wide range of procedures. This is electrophoresis, and ultrasound, and magnetotherapy. These methods well help in the treatment of osteochondrosis, inflammation of the occipital nerves, cervical spondylosis, myogelosis.
- Physiotherapy exercises: an effective technique for the treatment of occipital headaches in case of disorders of the vertebral system, as well as age-related deformities and the consequences of traumatic effects.
Such methods as acupuncture, manual therapy, cranial osteopathy, folk remedies, can only be used after consultation with your doctor.
Special exercises
Occipital headaches in the morning after sleep may indicate a violation of the functionality of the tissues of the problem area. Such manifestations can be cured with the help of therapeutic exercises. If your head and neck are sore from time to time, try these simple exercises:
- While sitting on a chair, tilt your head forward under the influence of your own gravity and wait for 20 seconds. This exercise should be repeated 20 times.
- In a sitting or standing position, slowly tilt your head back for 10 seconds, while creating hands clasped in the lock on the back of the head. Repeat exercise 5 times.
- Pull your shoulders back as far as you can and stretch your chin to your chest. Repeat exercise 5 times.
Before doing this gymnastics, you should definitely consult with your doctor. He will help you choose the optimal set of exercises and tell you how to properly perform them. If acute pain occurs during gymnastics, the exercises should be discontinued.
Massage
What you need to know about this? Do not rush to a massage therapist with such a manifestation as an occipital headache. The reasons that cause it may be different. If this condition is caused by hypertension, then such manipulations can not be carried out. But with violations of intracranial pressure or disturbances in the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, massage sessions can give a good positive effect. Events for certain muscle groups can be carried out independently, however, the best effect is still provided by professional processing.
Folk methods
Let us consider this aspect in more detail. With a mild symptom, unconventional methods of treatment can act as effectively as pills for headaches. Try to ventilate the room, humidify the air in it and lie down for a couple of hours at rest. Herbal tea or just a glass of warm water helps. Together with him, you can try to apply a warm compress to the problem area. For sharp pains in the back of the head, you can try to massage the back of the neck with an ice cube. Compresses from chopped and grated cabbage, onions and horseradish also help relieve soreness. Tea with linden and primrose flowers also gives a quick result.
What causes an occipital headache in most cases? The causes are usually associated with impaired vascular function. If you stop drinking alcohol and smoking, the risk of developing this syndrome will drop significantly. Long walks in the fresh air, playing sports and timely passing preventive examinations will help to minimize the likelihood of pain.
Stroke
What is this ailment and what should I pay attention to in the first place? One of the causes of a sharp occipital pain is a microstroke. Many do not even notice the first symptoms. People prefer just to drink another pill of pain medication, suppress the symptoms and thereby miss the opportunity to find out the true cause of this condition. Consider in more detail the symptoms of vascular dysfunction. In addition to headaches, these include:
- increased heart rate;
- "flies" before the eyes;
- irritability, apathy and drowsiness;
- visual impairment;
- chronic fatigue;
- sweating
- chills and numbness in the limbs;
- swelling of the face;
- pressure surges.
If at least one of the symptoms is detected, you should consult a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis.
Pregnancy discomfort
To prevent headaches, it is recommended to avoid stressful situations and spend a lot of time outdoors. If symptoms nevertheless appeared, you just need to lie in a calm and quiet place and make a compress for the head. Any medications for headache during pregnancy can provoke the development of pathologies in the fetus, as well as worsen the condition of a woman, so they should be taken only on the recommendation of a specialist. Drugs based on drugs are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. Aspirin, Citramon, and Nurofen can provoke bleeding in the first trimester and fetal development problems. The approved drugs include No-Shpu, Paracetamol and Panadol. In any case, tablets for headaches in this condition should be drunk only in extreme cases, when other methods are ineffective.
The consequences of spinal anesthesia
This aspect is worth exploring in the first place. Headaches after epidural anesthesia are among the most common postoperative complications. In the first time after the introduction of painkillers, this condition is considered quite normal. If basic preventive measures are observed, the formation of prolonged painful sensations can be avoided.
These include:
- compliance with bed rest;
- drinking at least 2 liters of water per day;
- adoption of a strictly horizontal position, without lifting.
Subject to these requirements, headaches after epidural anesthesia will be less pronounced.
Conclusion
Headache is a fairly serious symptom that requires special attention. First of all, you should deal with the causes of this condition. The complex of measures taken will depend on them.
Severe headache can be a sign of a serious pathological process. If the back of the head hurts, the pressure is elevated, and the heartbeat is rapid, then, most likely, it is a matter of hypertension. The appearance of stiffness of movements may indicate cervical osteochondrosis, and a sharp headache in the neck is one of the signs of a stroke.
Only a doctor can prescribe appropriate treatment and therapy. Self-administration of pain medications can only lubricate the symptoms and make diagnosis difficult.