Pain in the back of the head and nausea what to do. What to do if your head hurts in the back, in the occipital part, radiating to your temples, neck, eyes. Unilateral pain – in the left or right back of the head is characteristic of

Headache - the symptom with which patients most often seek medical help. The symptom in the form of headache can be the leading, and sometimes the only, symptom in almost 50 different pathologies. More than 60% of patients with headaches are people of working age. However, no one is immune from headaches, from defenseless children to the elderly.

The first mentions of the fight against this disease are mentioned on cuneiform tablets of the ancient Sumerians, back in the third millennium BC. Since that time, modern scientists have made great progress in their research and have learned to accurately diagnose and effectively treat various types of headaches. However, headache still remains a mysterious ailment and many of its secrets, even in the age of nanotechnology, have not yet been revealed.

Headache can be caused by many reasons - from banal overwork to the most serious diseases (tumors, cerebral hemorrhages, etc.). In this regard, determining the cause of headaches is a paramount task, since the patient’s life often depends on timely and correct diagnosis.

Anatomy of the head

1. Soft fabrics: scalp, subcutaneous tissue, tendon helmet and subgaleal tissue, as well as vessels that nourish the tissue. All these structures contain nerve receptors that are able to perceive pain. In this regard, headaches can occur on the surface of the head, which is often associated with circulatory problems or is neurological in nature.
2. Bone structures: periosteum, bones of the cranial vault (external plate, diploe, internal plate). There are 3 membranes of the brain: 1) hard, 2) arachnoid, 3) soft. Between the membranes there are special spaces: epidural, subdural and subarachnoid. These spaces contain cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes the brain. A decrease or increase in the volume of this fluid can cause headaches.
3. Brain vessels. The brain is supplied by 4 main arteries: the 2nd internal carotid arteries and 2 vertebral arteries. Smaller arteries branch off from these vessels and go to various parts of the brain. The blood vessels of the brain have pain receptors. And if they are tense, which is observed with increased blood pressure, a headache occurs. In addition, dilation of blood vessels when pressure decreases also causes headaches. The outflow of blood from the brain is carried out through the systems of superficial and deep veins. The first are located on the surface of the convolutions of the brain, the second in the depths of the brain. Violation of the outflow of venous blood leads to dilation of venous vessels, irritation of receptors and headaches.
4. Head muscles are divided as follows: muscles of the cranial vault, muscles surrounding the palpebral fissure, muscles surrounding the nasal openings, muscles surrounding the oral fissure and muscles of the auricle. Tension of the head muscles often causes headaches. Since in the muscles of the head there are a large number of receptors capable of perceiving pain sensitivity. Muscle tension is caused by a violation of their blood supply and innervation, in most cases caused by stress and physical or mental stress.
5. Articulations of the head and neck. A major role in the formation of headaches is played by the joints of the head and neck, cervical vertebrae, as well as the ligaments and muscles that cover them. There are 7 cervical vertebrae, the first, the atlas, forms the atlanto-occipital joint with the articular surfaces of the skull bones. The joint where all head movements occur. Any disturbances in this area can lead to the development of headaches. In addition, a number of vessels supplying the brain pass through the cervical vertebrae; accordingly, disruption of the structure and position of the vertebrae affects the passage of blood through the vessels to the brain. Insufficient tissue nutrition and lack of oxygen in most cases leads to pain. The musculo-ligamentous system of the neck also plays an important role in the formation of headaches. In total, there are about 15 neck muscles that support the head and are involved in its movement, swallowing and sound production. Neck muscle tension is also one of the common causes of headaches.

Mechanism of headache

The mechanism of headache occurrence is one of the “darkest” places in its study. As a rule, headaches occur as a result of stimulation of pain receptors, which are located in the dura mater, arteries of the base of the brain and extracranial arteries, as well as in the tissues covering the skull (mucous membranes, tendons, muscles, skin). Also, the cranial nerves are involved in the process of pain formation: trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, vagus, and two upper spinal roots.

Most of the main substance of the brain does not have pain receptors, so often extensive lesions of the brain substance do not lead to pain, although they are accompanied by serious neurological disorders. In addition, the formation of headaches involves multiple complex chemical processes associated with various biological substances. One such substance is serotonin, which acts as a chemical messenger, affecting cerebral vasodilation, mood and sleep. A decrease in its amount in the body leads to the development of headaches, in particular migraines.

Types of headaches

Headaches in the temple area, causes

Anatomy of the temporal region
Border of the temporal region
Below - the arch of the zygomatic bone and the line above the auditory canal, in front - the zygomatic process of the frontal bone, above - the temporal line of the temporal bone, behind - the posterior semicircle of the temporal line.

• Skin with nerve receptors.
• Subcutaneous fat is poorly expressed, but superficial vessels and nerves pass through it.
• The temporal muscle, through which nerves and blood vessels pass.

Headache in the back of the head, causes

• Leather. The skin is significantly thick and tightly connected to a wide tendon plate covering the skull. The skin contains a large number of sebaceous glands and is covered with hair.
• Subcutaneous tissue. Vessels and nerves pass through it.
  • Blood supply to the back of the head:
  • The occipital artery is divided into a number of small branches: mastoid branches, auricular and occipital branches.
  • Venous drainage occurs through the occipital vein.
  • Nerves of the back of the head:
  • Suboccipital nerve. The muscles it innervates are the posterior rectus capitis muscles, the superior and inferior oblique muscles of the capitis.
  • Greater occipital nerve
  • Lesser occipital nerve - innervates the skin of the back of the head.

• Muscle-tendon layer. The layers consist of the occipital muscle and the broad tendinous plate.

Causes of pain

Headache and fever

However, there are a number of reasons that can also cause these symptoms. Let's list the most common ones.

Infectious causes
The mechanism of headache formation in infectious diseases: When an infection in the form of various microorganisms enters the human body, it becomes intoxicated with waste products and decay products (toxins) of these microorganisms. Thus, microbial toxins are a determining factor in the development of pain. Since they reduce the body’s pain sensitivity threshold, and they themselves are painful substances acting on pain receptors. In addition, the infection triggers a number of body defense mechanisms, such as inflammation. However, during inflammation, a number of substances that provoke the sensation of pain are released (prostaglandins, substance P, etc.), and also during inflammation, swelling and fever develop, which are also one of the factors causing pain. The rise in temperature itself causes dilation of the blood vessels in the brain, which can also cause headaches. Therefore, the occurrence of headaches during infectious processes is a phenomenon that depends on many factors.
Disease	Description
FLU, ARVI, and other infectious and inflammatory diseases of various systems: respiratory (sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.), genitourinary system (pyelonephritis, adnexitis, urethritis, etc.), and many others.	The temperature varies from low-grade 37 C to 40 C. The nature of the headaches: aching, squeezing, exhausting, of medium intensity. Pain occurs in various parts of the head - forehead, temples, back of the head, and is often diffuse in nature, occupying the entire surface of the head.
Infectious diseases of the central nervous system In the occurrence of headaches, in addition to the infectious-toxic factor, an important role is played by an increase in intracranial pressure, due to an increase in production and a decrease in absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. In connection with this, swelling of the brain and its membranes occurs.
Meningitis– inflammation of the membranes of the brain.	Characteristics of headache: headache of severe intensity, constantly increasing, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, chills. The onset is usually acute (2-3 hours). An increase in temperature from 38 C to 40 C. The appearance of meningeal symptoms (stiffness of the neck muscles, etc.) is characteristic.
Encephalitis	Inflammation of the brain can be caused by a number of reasons, one of them is an encephalitis tick bite. In this case, encephalitis will manifest itself as severe, increasing headaches, accompanied by a high temperature of 38-39 C, nausea, sometimes vomiting, general weakness and malaise.
Arachnoiditis – chronic inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain.	The pain is dull, bursting, intensifies in the morning, under the influence of physical stress. The pain is accompanied by: increased body temperature, nausea, sleep disturbances, and increased fatigue.
Various intoxications
Food poisoning	The pain is aching, of medium intensity, of varying localization. Headache may be accompanied by an increase in temperature 37-38 C, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Intoxication during tumor processes	Constant headaches, accompanied by an increase in temperature of 37-38 C, loss of appetite, weight loss, may reflect the presence of a tumor process in the body.

Headache and nausea

Disease	Comments
Increased or decreased blood pressure	Often, increased blood pressure, especially hypertensive crises, are accompanied by headaches along with nausea, and rarely vomiting. Also, a decrease in blood pressure may be accompanied by a headache combined with nausea. After normalization of pressure, headache and nausea disappear.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases (tonsillitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, adnexitis, etc.)	The development of an infectious-inflammatory process in the body leads to the release of a large amount of toxins secreted by microorganisms. As well as the body’s production of a large number of substances involved in protective inflammatory reactions (prostaglandins, etc.). Thus, the existence of all these substances leads to certain consequences. Thus, the effect of toxins and inflammatory substances on the central structures of the brain leads to irritation of the vomiting center, which plays a key role in the occurrence of feelings of nausea and vomiting. Also, the effects of toxins on the central structures of the brain often lead to headaches. That is why these 2 symptoms are often combined with each other in these diseases.
Various types of intoxication (food poisoning, alcohol poisoning, etc.)	The first symptoms of various intoxications are nausea and headache. Headache is more the result of the action of toxins on the central parts of the brain. And nausea is largely a protective mechanism of the body aimed at removing toxins.
Hormonal disorders (various phases of the menstrual cycle, PMS, menopause, pregnancy).	The influence of hormones on the central nervous system is obvious and any hormonal surges immediately affect the functioning of the entire body. The direct influence of hormonal substances on the vomiting center located in the brain is known. Therefore, often with hormonal changes in the body, especially during PMS and pregnancy, symptoms such as headache and nausea occur.
Psycho-emotional reasons	Stressful situations, psycho-emotional stress. It is noted that neurosis is often accompanied by headaches, pain, nausea in combination with insomnia, depression, etc.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract	Some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are often accompanied by headaches and nausea. For example, inflammation of the gallbladder, various liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis), etc.
Infectious diseases of the central nervous system In the occurrence of headache and nausea, in addition to the infectious-toxic factor, an important role is played by an increase in intracranial pressure, due to an increase in production and a decrease in absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. In connection with this, swelling of the brain and its membranes occurs. Meningitis– inflammation of the membranes of the brain Characteristics of headache: headache of severe intensity, constantly increasing, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, chills. The onset is usually acute (2-3 hours). An increase in temperature from 38 C to 40 C. The appearance of meningeal symptoms (stiffness of the neck muscles, etc.) is characteristic. Encephalitis- inflammation of the brain. Inflammation of the brain can be caused by a number of reasons, one of them is an encephalitis tick bite. In this case, encephalitis will manifest itself as severe, increasing headaches, accompanied by a high temperature of 38-39 C, nausea, sometimes vomiting, general weakness and malaise.

How to determine the intensity of a headache?

1. Numeric scale

• The scale consists of a sequential series of numbers from 1 to 5 or up to 10. The patient selects a number that reflects the intensity of the pain experienced.

1. Verbal scale

• The patient is given the opportunity to evaluate the manifestation of pain in words: 1) mild, 2) moderate, 3) tolerable, 4) severe, 4) unbearable pain.

1. Visual - analogue scale

• The patient on a straight segment notes the degree of pain based on the fact that at one end of the segment there is no pain sensitivity, and at the other there is “unbearable pain.” The segment is usually marked from 0 to 100%. And the patient during this period notes how much he evaluates his pain.
• Patients who have difficulty representing pain in the form of numbers or determining a point on a straight line can use a facial scale. The scale is presented with pictures showing the manifestation of pain on the face.

It should be noted that the sensation of pain also depends on the psycho-emotional state of the patient at the time of the study.

For a multidimensional assessment of pain, specially developed questionnaires are used, such as: 1) McGill Pain Questionnaire, which has become a standard examination method abroad. In addition to assessing pain, the questionnaire also allows you to assess the mental state of patients. An analogue of such a questionnaire in Russia was the work of Soviet scientists V.V. Kuzmenko, V.A. Fokin and co-authors (1986).

The most common types of headaches, their symptoms and causes

Life-threatening headache - dangerous symptoms ( sharp, severe headache).

In most cases, headaches do not signal dangerous diseases or serious disorders of the body.

Headaches are often the result of physical or mental fatigue, stress or hunger. Recently, headache is a symptom of very common diseases such as: high blood pressure, cervical osteochondrosis, diabetes mellitus, increased intracranial pressure, overstrain of the visual organs, diseases of internal organs (liver, kidneys, etc.). However, there are cases when headaches should be taken more seriously, since pain can warn of more serious causes of its manifestations - serious oncological diseases or acute, potentially life-threatening situations such as intracerebral hemorrhage. In this regard, it is necessary to distinguish between danger symptoms that require immediate action.

And nausea can signal many reasons that cause it. You need to know them in order to get rid of this unpleasant problem.

Possible causes of neck pain and nausea

Localized in the back of the head, aggravated by nausea, it can be different - strong, dull, pressing, pulsating, aching. It can be either long-lasting or occur periodically. This depends on many reasons, as well as the nature and course of the diseases causing such pain.

Possible reasons include:

• increased intracranial pressure;
• hypertension;
• encephalopathy;
• concussion.

Manifestations of diseases with pain in the back of the head and nausea

Increased intracranial pressure

Headache in this case, it can be spread over the entire surface, but it can also be located in a certain area, including on the back of the head. The pain can be severe and bursting. The victim feels nauseated and may vomit, which does not bring relief. In addition to pain in the back of the head, the patient may have pain in his eyes, bright lights bother him, and loud noises irritate him, which aggravate the pain. The victim wants to darken the room in which he is located.

Hypertension

With high blood pressure, as a rule, the patient experiences headaches of different localization. Pain in the back of the head, which can sometimes be accompanied by nausea, is no exception. Pain in the back of the head occurs especially often in the morning after waking up.

Encephalopathy

Symptoms such as headache pain in the back of the head, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and visual disturbances, are observed in severe cases of encephalopathy with significant brain damage, edema, and microcirculation disorders. These manifestations include general anxiety, dizziness, loss of balance, numbness of the lips, fingertips, tongue, and sometimes loss of consciousness.

Cervical osteochondrosis

Its causes are pathologies of the intervertebral discs. The patient experiences almost constant pain in the back of the head and neck area. Associated symptoms include nausea and dizziness. Patients may also experience decreased hearing, tinnitus, impaired coordination of movements, and “double vision.” Increased pain may occur during head movements. These symptoms are characteristic of vertebrobasilar syndrome caused by osteochondrosis. Sometimes the dizziness is so severe that the victim seems to see objects in the room spinning before his eyes.

Concussion

This condition, related to traumatic brain injury, is characterized by a short-term loss of consciousness. After the patient comes to his senses, he feels a headache, nausea, sweating, poor sleep, and increased breathing. Clinical manifestations of concussion depend on age factors. Pulsating headaches in the occipital region are typical for elderly patients, especially those suffering from hypertension.

Pain of various etiologies often spoils plans and interferes with work and rest. A condition where the back of the head on the left side of the head hurts quite often brings patients to the doctor. Sometimes it is difficult for a specialist to make a diagnosis, especially if there are no accompanying symptoms. Then you have to analyze the patient’s lifestyle, habits, and then conduct an examination of the whole body in order to find the reasons why the back of the head on the left side of the head hurts.

When pain appears in the head, in the occipital region, this is a symptom of diseases of the spine, blood vessels, and also neuralgia. Even if pain occurs due to stress or sedentary work, you need to accurately determine the reasons why this happens, especially with increasing and prolonged attacks.

Pain in the back of the head on the left side: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Features and types of pain

Doctors identify several features of pain in the occipital region:

1. Primary, which is not a disease and appears in 90% of cases.

2. Secondary, which appears as a result of inflammation and occurs in 10% of cases.
About 4% of patients who complain of a headache in the back of the head are found to have serious illnesses, which can become a threat not only to their general condition, but also to life.

Pain in the back of the head can appear in different directions and most often it occurs on the left.

As a rule, discomfort is observed during head movements, and some patients think that the symptom appears not in the head, but in the cervical region, after prolonged work in a sitting position or severe fatigue.

There are several types of pain in the back of the head on the left side:

1. Acute. It begins as a result of emotional tension, stress and depression.

2. Dumb. Unpleasant sensations appear, the person cannot touch the head. A similar condition is typical for osteochondrosis and arthritis.

3. Aching. The back of the head hurts due to spasm in the shoulders or neck. Often occurs during severe mental stress.

4. Pulsating. Pain in the back of the head with high blood pressure and symptoms often appear in the morning. In addition, white spots appear in the eyes and tinnitus.

Regardless of its appearance, an occipital headache on the left causes a lot of discomfort; a person cannot concentrate and work normally.

If symptoms appear regularly, then a high-quality and complete diagnosis is necessary.

Causes of pain

The reasons why the back of the head on the left side begins to hurt can be different and they are all presented below:

1. Diseases of the cervical spine, which include osteochondrosis, migraine, spondylitis.

2. Neuroses.

3. Pathologies of the neck muscles, for example, myositis and myogelosis.

4. Hypertension.

5. Increased tension in the blood vessels of the brain.

6. Staying in one position for a long time, after which the neck and head swell and pain appears.

7. Increased loads.

8. Diseases of the maxillotemporal joints.

9. Stressful situations and depression.

Any reasons should not be left to chance and wait until the headache in the back of the head passes.
This only worsens the condition, leads to nervousness and irritability, and can also aggravate the failure to diagnose the disease.

Details of reasons

For a more detailed understanding of why it hurts in the back of the head, we need to consider the most common causes and factors that provoke them.

Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spine that leads to rapid destruction of the cervical vertebrae.
The disease can have a destructive effect in several parts of the spine at once.

The main provoking causes of the pathology:

1. Office and other sedentary work.

2. Passive lifestyle, without simple physical activity.

3. Bad habits, such as smoking and alcohol abuse.

4. Obesity.

5. Incorrect seating position during work, resulting in poor posture.

6. Heredity.

The first sign of osteochondrosis is pain in the back of the head on the left side, but many people cite simple fatigue. If you do not use timely treatment, there may be negative consequences that cannot be corrected.

Spondylosis– a disease of the spine, which begins after the degeneration of cells, the vertebral ligaments turn into bone tissue. Due to this, growths begin to appear on the spinal column, which do not allow normal movement of the neck, and stiffness in movements occurs.

A pulsating pain appears in the back of the head, which radiates to the eye part of the head or to the ears. The development of the disease is often observed in older people, as well as in office workers.

Myositis– inflammation that begins in the muscles of the body and affects several bone tissues at once. In addition to the development of inflammation inside the body, the patient’s skin may change.

The main causes of the disease are as follows:

1. Infectious diseases.

2. Constant hypothermia.

3. Injuries of various kinds and frequent convulsions.

If the patient has myositis, pain in the occipital region on the left will be pulsating, but initially the attack occurs in the cervical region. Doctors use radiography to make a diagnosis.

In the early stages of myositis, treatment can be carried out with antibiotics, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs. An additional measure would be the use of physiotherapy and massage. If the disease is advanced, treatment is only possible with surgical methods.

At hypertension a person’s blood pressure increases, causing a headache, and the attack is pulsating, squeezing in nature and appears on the left or right side. In some hypertensive patients, attacks appear immediately after sleep, and are also accompanied by dizziness, heaviness and general poor condition. The headache gets worse while moving. After vomiting, the sensations in the back of the head weaken.

For neuralgia Inflammation of the occipital nerve begins; this problem often occurs due to hypothermia. The pathology is accompanied by burning and severe attacks in the back of the head, after which it radiates to other parts. Various movements and coughing can intensify the sensations. If a person does not move and is at rest, then a dull headache persists.

If diagnosed intracranial pressure That is, the patient has a headache in the back of the head all the time.
Often the condition is supplemented by floating pressure and fainting. The attacks intensify at night, and in the morning the patient feels nauseous and vomits.

In some cases, the back of the head hurts due to profession or stress. This is caused by the same type of body position for a long time, when the neck muscles are constantly tense. The symptoms are long-lasting, dull, and with rubbing the symptoms go away a little.

A similar problem occurs during stress, because in this state the whole body tenses and the blood begins to pulsate strongly, which leads to high blood pressure. Due to this, people may feel a pulsation in the back of the head on the left side of the head.

The most common disease is migraine. In this case, the patient will experience the following symptoms:

1. Pain appears in the forehead, back of the head or temples.

2. Cloudiness appears before the eyes.

3. Adds tinnitus.

4. Patients cannot concentrate.

The attack becomes stronger if you press down in the area of ​​the spinal artery. Only a doctor can diagnose this condition.

Diagnosis

After a visit to the hospital, the doctor collects information from the patient’s words about the symptoms and factors that could cause discomfort in the left area of ​​the head.

After this, laboratory diagnostics are carried out, which makes it possible to determine the exact causes of the attacks.
The following methods are used for this:

1. An MRI of the head and neck is performed.

2. They do an ultrasound.

3. X-ray and electroencephalogram are used.

After receiving the necessary data, the doctor prescribes treatment and other possible therapy that will relieve seizures in the head.

Treatment

When the back of the left side of the head hurts, treatment depends on the identified cause. If the headache occurs as a result of a migraine, doctors may prescribe pain relievers. Various antidepressants and anti-seizure medications are used for additional treatment of migraines. You can relieve severe attacks with acupuncture, as well as massage or compresses.

If the cause is high blood pressure, then doctors recommend complete rest. If convulsions occur with hypertension, it is recommended to use more serious medications only as prescribed by a doctor; in addition, measures should be taken to reduce blood pressure, but not sharply.

If an attack occurs due to overwork, then you just need to improve your sleep, get more rest, and avoid stress. It is recommended to reduce the time spent working on computers.

If the back of the head on the left side hurts due to osteochondrosis, then long-term treatment with chondroprotectors should be used, also as prescribed by a doctor.

Many attacks appear as a result of an unstable emotional and mental state.
This means that it is necessary to use measures to normalize the functioning of the nervous system, and for this you can use ordinary medicinal herbs and medicines based on them.

Head pain itself in the left or right region can lead to frustration and depression, so if symptoms persist for a long time, you should consult a doctor.

To normalize the mental state, it is recommended to use the following herbs:

1. Valerian root and mint.

2. Motherwort.

3. Oregano.

4. Yarrow.

Also, headaches on any side can be relieved with the help of essential oils and the following are suitable for this:

1. Eucalyptus.

3. Rosemary.

4. Lavender.

The oil should be applied to the problem area and simply breathe or use ethers to create compresses.

If you have a headache or an attack in a certain part of the head, then you should use some preventive tips. It is not always necessary to immediately take pills and other medications that can relieve symptoms; it is enough to follow the doctor’s advice:

1. Normalize sleep and sleep at least 7 hours a day, and also set aside time for rest.

2. Use more plant foods and dairy products in your diet.

3. As soon as the headache begins, you need to curtain the windows and lie in the dark.

4. Take walks outside every day, or at least ventilate the room.

5. Buy a device for humidifying the air in the house.

6. Eliminate or reduce alcohol consumption, and also give up cigarettes.

7. During an attack, you can use a compress from a crushed cabbage leaf.

8. Play sports or do exercises every day.

9. Monitor your emotional and psychological state.

Unpleasant sensations can be easily removed by giving a light massage of the cervical region, head or shoulder girdle, for 10 minutes. After this, the muscles will relax, the inflow and outflow of blood will improve, and spasms will disappear.

There is no need for self-treatment, because this can aggravate the situation, the only exception is the inability to visit a doctor, call an ambulance, or if spasms appear as a result of stress.

Any drugs and folk remedies can relieve discomfort, but have no effect on the disease. Published.

If you have any questions, please ask

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

The condition, when you feel sick and have a headache, can appear at any age, in people of different sexes.

In order to relieve discomfort, it is necessary to establish the exact causes of discomfort.

The sooner the causes are found, the faster you can recover and avoid negative consequences.

Main reasons

Quite often, when there is a headache and nausea at the same time, a person may experience other unpleasant symptoms:

• Dizziness appears.
• Possible abdominal pain.
• There is general weakness in the body.
• Temperature increases.
• Not only your head hurts, but also your ears, teeth or eyes.

Based on the symptoms, it is possible to determine the causes that lead to this condition.

Among the main reasons, doctors identify the following:

1. Migraine.
2. Hormonal changes.
3. Osteochondrosis.
4. Hypertension.
5. Meningitis.
6. High intracranial pressure.
7. Borreliosis.
8. Encephalitis.
9. Poisoning.
10. Cold.
11. Fatigue.
12. Head injuries.
13. Tumors and other neoplasms.

To understand, you need to familiarize yourself in more detail with each of the reasons why people feel sick and have headaches.

If the cause is migraine, then a person often has a feeling of squeezing of the head, and the sensations can move to a certain area of ​​the head, for example, to the back of the head, temples, or ear.

When bright lights are turned on or there are loud noises, the symptoms become stronger.

Some time after a migraine attack, people feel sick, may vomit, and the patient cannot do anything in this state.

Doctors still cannot determine the exact causes, and migraines can occur regularly or very rarely. The duration of the headache in the back of the head is from 2 hours to several days.

The back of the head may hurt due to hormonal imbalance or changes, in the same case people feel nauseous.

As a rule, discomfort appears in a certain category of people, which include:

1. Young girls.
2. Pregnant women.
3. Women before menstruation.
4. Women at the age characteristic of menopause.

You can determine the exact causes and disorders from a doctor, and it is recommended to do this quickly, especially if the described category of patients does not have the required item.

With osteochondrosis, a person will have difficulty moving the head and neck. With this diagnosis, the back of the head often hurts and can cause nausea, as well as dizziness.

As a rule, the pathology appears in people who lead a passive lifestyle; the risk group includes the following people:

1. Workers who have to stay in an uncomfortable position all day.
2. Office workers whose work is more sedentary.
3. Obese people.

Osteochondrosis can appear due to hypothermia or fatigue, as well as severe emotional and physical stress.

If the disease is not treated, then pain in the back of the head and other symptoms will appear constantly, which causes complications, migraines, as well as failures in coordination.

If hypertension is diagnosed, then a person’s blood pressure often increases, there may be heat on the face, and there is also pulsation in the head and pain in the back of the head.

In some cases, nausea and vomiting may occur. Patients with hypertension experience shortness of breath, as well as severe weakness, and possibly pressure in the chest.

Hypertension is more common in overweight people and in older people.

Blood pressure changes for various reasons, for example, due to weather or stress. Relief may be achieved by inducing vomiting.

With high pressure in the skull, patients experience severe nausea, which is always accompanied by endless vomiting.

Vision immediately becomes worse and blurred vision is possible. Concentration decreases, and the person simply cannot think normally.

Causes of this condition include injury, tumors or infections. Meningitis is an inflammatory disease that affects areas of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in pain and nausea in the back of the head.

The disease is caused by an infection and when affected, the temperature of patients increases, which is often above 40 degrees. The whole body aches and dark spots may appear.

In just a day, the condition of patients worsens significantly and at the first signs of meningitis, you need to contact a doctor so that he can prescribe the necessary treatment.

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that causes pain in the back of the head. Depending on the type of disease, the condition of patients can be different and the pain is often severe, constant, and can be in the back of the head or in the area of ​​the entire head.

In some cases, the pain in the back of the head is minor and appears from time to time. In severe form, convulsions and paralysis appear.

Treatment should be carried out exclusively by a doctor. When a person is bitten by a tick, the back of the head hurts, the joints ache, the throat begins to sore, and a cough appears, this indicates borreliosis.

This is an infection that is found in the saliva of the tick and in a short time begins to damage the nervous and circulatory systems. You should see a doctor on the same day to quickly eliminate the disease.

A tick that has been pulled out does not need to be thrown away; it should be given for research.

Regardless of whether an infection has been found, prevention is carried out, and after possible confirmation of the causative agent of borreliosis in the tick, further necessary measures are taken to protect the body from the development of the infectious process.

Often, when poisoning occurs, pain appears in the back of the head. If alcohol poisoning occurs, muscle weakness additionally appears.

Similar symptoms are observed with food poisoning or intoxication resulting from the use of medications.

Additional symptoms of poisoning are as follows:

1. Nausea and urge to vomit.
2. Eyes hurt.
3. There is a fear of light and noise.
4. Hands and legs are shaking.
5. Possible increase in body temperature.

If the poisoning is severe, the person experiences diarrhea and dehydration. Patients experience dry mouth, dizziness, and the heart begins to beat faster and stronger.

To treat, you just need to drink more water and also use a solution of glucose and salt.

With colds, the back of the head can also hurt. The patient becomes weak and achy, the eyes become red, and the pain may spread to other areas.

In some cases, the stool may change. With severe fatigue as a result of various types of stress, people feel pain in the back of the head.

As a rule, symptoms appear in the evening, and then nausea begins. Severe tension can provoke quite severe headaches.

In addition, the causes of discomfort may be other:

1. Sleep is disturbed and the person sleeps little or poorly.
2. Frequent stress appears and the person becomes nervous.
3. A depressive state is possible, which is accompanied by discomfort in the back of the head.

Symptoms for this reason can appear not only in the back of the head, but also in other places, for example, in the temples and cervical region.

By nature, they are pulsating, aching, and throughout the day they may not go away and cannot be stopped with pills.

By evening, the symptoms only become stronger. Sometimes the nature of the symptoms can be compressive.

When people injure their heads, there can be serious consequences. In addition, they can appear even if the injury is minor.

The main symptoms of a concussion are discomfort in the head area, as well as nausea, and in some cases there may be fainting.

Any head injuries and bruises can cause disruptions in the brain. After this, drowsiness, weakness appear, and the person may become lost in space.

In severe cases, there may be memory loss and seizures. If a person hits his head or falls, then it is necessary to monitor his condition and perhaps it is better to call an ambulance if there are certain symptoms.

When medications do not help, and symptoms in the back of the head appear daily, the causes may be tumors in the brain.

It is the causeless symptoms that cannot be stopped that must be diagnosed by a doctor using various methods.

The sooner the examination is done and the causes are found, the easier the treatment will be.

Treatment at home

Many people try to find different methods of pain relief and do not consult doctors in a timely manner.

If the symptoms are provoked by colds, intoxication of the body, osteochondrosis or simple fatigue, then you can get rid of the discomfort yourself.

To relieve pain in the back of the head, you can use painkillers:

1. Analgin.
2. Citramon.
3. Spasmalgon.
4. Ibuprofen.

After this, you can use preventive measures that will prevent pain in the back of your head in the future.

You just need to do therapeutic exercises, morning exercises, and change your body position during the same type of work. Sport is very important for people with a sedentary lifestyle.

At home, you can use a massage of the collar area and head, which will improve blood circulation and relax the muscles.

After this, the spasms in the back of the head should go away. If you feel unwell in the evening after work, you just need to lie down and rest; a quarter of an hour will be enough.

The main thing is to lie in the dark and silence. If the back of the head hurts due to alcohol poisoning, then for treatment you should drink activated charcoal in the usual dosage.

You can also take a couple of Aspirin tablets. During a migraine attack or symptoms in any area of ​​the head due to hormonal imbalance, painkillers can be used.

For example, for migraines, the following medications are excellent:

1. Sumamigrene.
2. Triptane.

Some people get relief after a warm or contrast shower, as well as short evening walks outside.

When symptoms in the back of the head occur quite rarely and the cause is stress and emotional instability, then soothing herbal infusions can be used for relief.

Great instead of tea:

• Chamomile.
• Mint.
• St. John's wort.
• Melissa.

For hypertension, painkillers and drugs that lower blood pressure help.

Alarming symptoms

There are several alarming symptoms when the back of your head hurts, you feel nauseous and you need to see a doctor.

Complications often arise even with the flu, so you need to know when to quickly seek help:

1. If after a tick bite you develop fever and vomiting, you should go to the hospital as quickly as possible for diagnosis.
2. If attacks in the back of the head do not go away for about a day, and medications do not help.
3. There is a constant feeling of discomfort in the back of the head, which appears in the morning and lasts all day.
4. Symptoms appear abruptly and are supplemented by convulsions and fainting.
5. Discomfort occurs after hitting your head.
6. Chills begin, the temperature rises and hands and legs shake.

The described symptoms are quite dangerous and indicate the development of serious diseases and complications.

A quick reaction will allow you to receive high-quality treatment and leave a negative impact on the body.

Useful video

Headache in the back of the head different character: strong, sharp, constant, pressing, pulling, tingling, prolonged and squeezing. The back of the head also hurts for various reasons, among which pressure, pinched nerve and other pathologies. That's why it is important to immediately determine the reason why it hurts in the occipital region, the symptoms of what disease it is, and then begin treatment.

Therefore, together we will try to figure out why the occipital region is compressed every day or periodically, why it does not go away, what it means and what to do.

Causes of discomfort

There may be several explanations for why severe pain is felt in the back of the head. more often this is due to the following reasons:

1. Neuralgia of the occipital nerves.
2. Pathologies and ailments of the cervical spine ( For example, osteochondrosis, spondylitis, migraine)
3. Constant spasms.
4. High ICP.
5. Hypertension.
6. Sleeping or staying in one position long time.
7. Constant stress.
8. Overstrain of the muscles of the occipital region.
9. Bite problems.

Condition Photos:

Neuralgia

Vasospasm

High ICP

Cervical diseases

Hypertension

Muscle strain

Malocclusion

The cause of a headache and treatment can only be determined after visiting a specialist, because it may hurt for several days, but it will not be possible to determine the symptoms of which disease based on the nature of the pain.

Types of occipital pain in various diseases

If you constantly have a headache in the back of your head, especially when you press on the back, it is necessary to start treatment immediately, but this is done after determining the cause of the discomfort.

Type of sensation can tell, what kind of disease we are talking about.

Pain in the back of the neck, behind the ears and aching, tingling in the back of the head also indicates about the presence of problems with pressure or pathologies of the spinal column.

There are also other causes of similar manifestations in the back of the neck, which differ in clinical picture and type.

If there is pain and nausea, and the pills do not help, it is likely not a matter of hypothermia, but a serious pathology. More often the muscles below the back of the head ache with osteochondrosis, and aching and frequent pain in the back of the neck occurs in the presence of infections, inflammations, tumors.

Useful video:

We offer in details become familiar with the type of pain and diseases that may accompany them.

Severe pain in the occipital region

Often severe discomfort in the back of the head develops due to inflammation and infections, such as:

1. Inflammation of the nerve in the back of the head. Feels like burning headache, paroxysmal.
2. Meningitis ( may also be observed manifestations such as convulsions, fever, vomiting, loss of consciousness).

Pain in the back of the head and feeling of nausea

More often, constant, cutting and pressing pain in the back of the head appears due to:

• Concussions.

• Intracranial bleeding.
• Hematoma.
• For a tumor located in the back of the head, a dull pain is felt.

Throbbing sensations

Pulsation in the lower part of the occipital region of the head develops due to high pressure or vascular spasms. In the case of the latter, pain intensifies with physical activity and may affect the temples and forehead.

Also, at first there may be a slight ache in the back, a ache, a feeling of heaviness, but with increased physical activity the throbbing pain will intensify.

With hypertension, you may feel dizzy and experience double vision.

Sharp headache in the back of the head

It starts to hurt sharply, hits the temples and frontal area, there is a feeling of something hot and squeezing - this is due to several reasons:

1. Myositis.
2. Migraine.
3. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (a rare and dangerous type of stroke).

Myositis

Type of stroke

Constant occipital headache

Constant severe pain below the back of the head that does not go away for the third or fourth day may indicate about the presence of pathologies of the spinal column, which include osteochondrosis, spondylosis, pinched intervertebral discs.

Pain and dizziness

Almost always with acute discomfort, which is located in the back of the head, others are also developing signs such as dizziness, nausea.

It may speak about such pathologies, such as osteochondrosis, hypertension, myogelosis. At the same time, the pain may feel throbbing and bursting.

It will be useful to view:

If he shoots from behind

Shooting headache occurs after hypothermia, inflammation, it intensifies after an increase in activity. Could also be a sign exacerbation osteochondrosis in chronic form.

Also this type pain is inherent in neuralgia of the nerves located in the back of the head.

Pressure in the back of the neck

Pressing and dull pain develops for the following reasons:

1. Overexertion or staying in the wrong position. Also this could become cause of increased blood pressure.
2. Intracranial hypertension. May also nausea, dizziness, vomiting.
3. Stress and emotional tension.

What to do if the back of your head hurts?

Constant, frequent and severe pain in the back of the head and the back of the head may indicate a serious illness. Therefore, you should not undergo treatment or buy medications without a doctor’s prescription, better right away go for examination.

Initially, you can contact see a therapist who will conduct an examination and prescribe further examination.

For bite problems need to contact to the orthodontist. The installation of braces will probably be considered.

Most often prescribed such analyzes:

1. External examination and history taking.
2. Blood and urine tests (to detect inflammation in the body).
3. X-ray, CT or MRI (to detect changes in nerve endings and blood vessels).
4. Monitoring blood pressure indicators, determining the condition of the fundus.
5. Encephalograph test (to analyze the condition of blood vessels).

Treatment

Subsequent therapy depends on the type of pathology the person has, but main directions in therapy are the following: