Causes of headache in the back of the head: neck and head injuries, increased intracranial pressure, symptomatic arterial hypertension

Sometimes it seems that if the head hurts, then this does not require special attention. Such a health disorder does not seem dangerous. But this is only at first glance. Such symptoms can indicate a variety of things. It is possible that this is an external sign of the painful processes occurring in the body.

In fact, such a malaise is far from harmless. In addition to the fact that pain can signal some deeper painful processes in the human body, its strength and intensity can be very high. There are several options for this ailment. One of the common varieties is neck pain. In this article, we will try to carefully understand what it is. What are the causes of a headache in the neck? Is it worth the worry? Let's talk about everything in order.

Causes of a nape headache

In order to successfully deal with such pain, you need to understand the causes of its occurrence. Often she is only a symptom of other disorders. Therefore, it is very important to make the correct diagnosis. After that, it will be possible to conduct an effective treatment.

• One of the most important reasons is increased emotional stress, nervous strain, the occurrence of a stressful state. As a result, this sometimes leads to spasm of blood vessels, a sharp change in pressure. This can cause a headache in the back of the head. As a rule, violations that are associated with such causes are neither too strong nor too long.
• The causes of a headache in the back of the head can lie in various types of head or neck injuries. In this case, hematomas, damage to the vertebrae or blood vessels may occur. As a result, pinching of the nerve or blood vessel can occur, which can cause severe pain. In this case, intracranial pressure can increase dramatically.
• It should be noted that a sharp increase in pressure in the blood vessels in itself can be the cause of severe headaches. It is clear that in order to cure the malaise, in this case, first of all, it is necessary to normalize the blood pressure.
• Even the usual strain on the muscles that connect different parts of the skull can lead to malaise. If we are talking about overstrain of the muscles that are located on the temples, then this leads to occipital pain, which will gradually be given throughout the head. Usually in the area (it becomes denser to the touch), where this takes place, the head reacts painfully when touched.
• A sedentary lifestyle is not a rarity these days. One of its possible consequences is the development of osteochondrosis. With the development of the disease, the distance between the vertebrae becomes smaller, and because of this, the nerve endings can be pinched, which creates pain in the neck and head. In this case, pain can occur even with a slight movement of the neck.
• A situation is also possible when, due to an increased load on the cervical spine, deformation of the intervertebral tissue and gradual abrasion of the vertebrae occur. This leads to a gradual degeneration of this tissue. In this case, bone processes sometimes form. This disease is called cervical spondylosis and can cause regular occipital pain.
• Even the usual tightening of muscle tissue in the neck can lead to such problems. This disease is called myogelosis and can be caused by several different causes.

1. If you are regularly in a draft.
2. This may be due to constant overstrain of the neck muscles.
3. Also the cause may be poor posture.
4. If you constantly have severe stress.

• If there is a lesion of the occipital nerve, then this can be the cause of severe and acute pain. If you have neuralgia, then treatment should be carried out quickly and effectively. This disease, unfortunately, not only creates severe pain, but also can quickly progress.

This far from exhausts the possible causes of headaches in the neck. In order to cure them, you must first make the correct diagnosis.

Symptomatic arterial hypertension

Sometimes a person has high blood pressure over a long period of time. If this is not a one-time character, but has become something ordinary, then we are most likely talking about a disease. The most common cause of it is a violation of the regulation of the blood vessel tone by the brain. However, in a number of other cases, this disease is already secondary in nature. It is in this case that they say that this is symptomatic arterial hypertension. We emphasize that in the latter case there is another, quite serious disease, and an increase in pressure is its consequence. What could be its cause in this case?

• One possible cause may be kidney disease. In this case, we can talk not about one of these diseases, but about several: chronic pyelonephritis, renal artery stenosis and some other diseases.
• No less real threat to the human body can be all sorts of endocrine disorders. If a disease occurs due to which the endocrine glands cease to function correctly, then this can lead to the most serious consequences, including severe headaches in the back of the head.
• If there are diseases of the heart and blood vessels, then they can be given in severe pain in various places of the body. A consequence of this may be a headache.

Neck injury

In some cases, the pain can be traumatic. The reason may be not only serious neck injuries, but also a simple bruise. Pain often does not occur immediately, but after a couple of weeks. It can be not only acute, but also be chronic. This is due to the fact that the course of pathological processes requires a certain time. Chronic pains in this case are lingering in nature, they often last longer than two months. Such ailments have a number of their own characteristics.

• May be accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of doubleness in the eyes.
• Subsequently, neck injuries can affect both memory and hearing.
• There is a deterioration in appetite.
• Sometimes there is an increased noise and photosensitivity.
• Depression and increased anxiety may occur.
• Significantly reduced the degree of concentration.

Throbbing pain in the back of the head

One of the characteristic features of numerous varieties of headaches is that they can have a very different nature. One of the most painful can be called pulsating. As a rule, throbbing pain in the occipital region is of vascular origin. It can cause great harm to human health. As a rule, the walls of healthy vessels sometimes expand and sometimes contract. This happens when the body needs it. In some cases (for example, with an injury), the tone of the walls of the blood vessels can be reduced and this usually leads to cramping. In this case, the vessel contracts and restricts blood flow to a particular area of ​​the brain. As a result, the supply of oxygen is temporarily disrupted, which subsequently leads to severe throbbing headaches.

Frequent pain in the back of the head

If you have frequent pains in the back of the head, then the reasons may be as follows:

• There is high blood pressure.
• In the event that stress is a frequent occurrence in your life, then first it leads to a strong increase in mental stress. And it, in turn, determines the regular onset of headaches in the neck. This effect often occurs in those over thirty years of age. It is also known that in women this malaise occurs more often than in men.
• However, not only increased nervous tension may be a risk factor. If you often and for a long time stay in an uncomfortable position, then this can also provoke regular occipital pain. Strong mental stress can also have such consequences.
• Diseases that affect the cervical spine can lead to frequent and severe pain. One such example is osteochondrosis.
• As you know, in the vertebrae there are processes. In some cases, their deformation and proliferation may occur. This disease is called cervical spondylosis. Some mistakenly believe that in this case we are talking about salt deposits. In fact, such processes occur due to the degeneration of the tissues of such ligaments into bone tissue. As a rule, this disease is more common in advanced years. However, for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, such a danger is relevant already from a young age. The characteristic signs of this disease are pain not only in the nape, but also in the shoulder girdle.
• One of the sources of occipital headache can be a strong tightening of muscle tissue. The reasons can be the most common: if the back becomes numb, it is stretched by a draft or with some violations of posture. With this variant of the disease, pain is accompanied by stiffness of movements in the shoulder girdle and slight dizziness.

Increased intracranial pressure

Such a disease usually occurs due to fairly serious reasons.

• This may be due to meningitis.
• A disease such as dropsy of the brain can also be the cause.
• If inflammation of the membranes of the brain or rupture of the vessel has occurred, this can also lead to an increase in intracranial pressure.
• It can also happen due to disturbances in the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which sometimes lead to its increased secretion.
• Taking some hormonal drugs.

In order to diagnose this violation, special methods are needed. Typically, a cannula is inserted into the spinal canal for this. This can also be done by introducing a special sensor into the hole in the skull during trepanation.

A less reliable but simpler way is to use the description of the corresponding symptoms. So, if increased intracranial pressure, the symptoms are as follows:

• High blood pressure.
• Severe, with frequently occurring headache. Its hallmark is a gradual increase in the evening and at night.
• Severe bouts of nausea that are not accompanied by vomiting.
• Fatigue, feeling of inhibition, severe irritability.
• Black dots (flies) in the eyes, lack of pupil reaction to bright light.
• Immobility of one side of the human body may occur. It is somewhat similar to paralysis, but not fully.
• Very heavy sweating.
• The formation of black spots or bags under the eyes.

Pathology of the brain vessels

Generally speaking, in this case we are talking about violations in the normal functioning of the vessels of the brain. For example, we give two cases that are most common.

• What is an aneurysm? This is a spherical thickening in a blood vessel. With the movement of blood, such a site may not withstand pressure and burst.
• Another disease that can be attributed to this type is malformation. Here we are talking about another phenomenon: the formation of an additional message between the blood vessels, which should not be.

It is generally believed that the pathology of the cerebral vessels is characteristic only for older people. However, this is actually not the case. It can occur at almost any age. This disease is usually treated with surgery.

Hit the back of the head. What consequences?

Unfortunately, such an injury is not impossible. But this is far from a harmless situation. Of course, in some cases, if the blow is weak, you can not pay much attention to it. However, with sufficiently severe damage, a concussion can occur. How to determine if it was? There are several important symptoms:

• If you lose consciousness at least for a moment after a blow, this is a warning sign.
• With nausea and vomiting after an injury, it can definitely be argued that a doctor is needed.
• With a concussion, severe headache is a common occurrence.

If you have these three signs, you should definitely consult a doctor.

What threatens such damage? If a person hits the back of the head, the following are possible consequences:

• First of all, this can lead to severe and prolonged headaches both in the neck and throughout the head. Usually, when tilted, such pain tends to intensify.
• In some cases, excessive sweating may occur.
• Sharp flushes of blood to the head are also possible , after which the person becomes very pale.
• Sometimes convulsive seizures may occur, which somewhat resemble epileptic seizures.
• Neurosis, depression, or increased anxiety are likely conditions.

Head massage

Nape massage is one way that can help cure a headache completely or at least partially. It can be used in most of these cases. Here is one of the options.

• You need to put your hands in a fist and lightly tap the base of the palms behind the upper part of the neck and back of the head.
• Place your palms on the back of your head. Bend your thumbs slightly and place them at the lower border of the skull, next to the ears. Grasp the back of your head with your palm. It is necessary to slightly tilt your head back and periodically press with your thumbs slightly inward and upward. Try to get a feeling of detuning sensitivity with this massage.
• Now place your palms horizontally and grasp the head at the back so that your fingers get into the groove between the skull and the top of the spine. Press periodically, directing the force in and out.

Aching in the back of the head

One reason for this kind of pain can be muscle cramps. The reason can be either an uncomfortable posture for a long time, or significant nervous or mental stress. In this situation, head massage and a cold compress for the forehead help well. Of course, a little rest and restoration of strength will also be useful if you are worried about aching pain in the neck.

Conclusion

Now you know that if the occipital part of the head hurts, it usually does not act as an independent disease, but can be caused by certain health problems. To cure, it is important to accurately determine its causes. Correct and timely diagnosis is very important. Do not ignore unpleasant symptoms in your body and self-medicate. Take care of your health!