Pain in Back of the Head

People usually suffer from many types of headaches. Headaches are usually some sort of pain or discomfort in the scalp, head or neck region. Headaches may be due to tension, migraine or both. Most people often worry that their frequent headaches may be a symptom of tumor or a possible stroke. This is very rare and headaches may mean several other things.

If you are suffering from frequent pain in the back of the head without any valid reason then this can mean a headache due to migraine. There are two different types of headaches, primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are those that are not associated with other diseases. Secondary headaches may have some underlying cause such as a tumor or infection.

The following causes of pain in back of the head will help you understand your headaches. These headaches are types of primary headache.

Tension Headaches: When you are under tension or stress the muscles in the back of the head tense up. This may be due to lack of enough sleep, overworking, missing your meals, alcohol or drug abuse. Many times the food that we eat triggers pain in back of the head. These foods include chocolate, cheese and food enhancer like mono-sodium glutamate (MGM).

If you use a computer, microscope or are in the same position for a long time, it may lead to pain in back of the head. Even sleeping in an abnormal position or a cold climate can lead to pain in back of the head. Do not clench your jaw or grind your teeth as this also causes head pain. Tension headaches start at the back of the head and spread to the front head. You may experience the pain in the shoulders, neck and jaw as well.

Migraine: These recurrent headaches are the most common cause of pain in back of the head. You may experience these headaches with or without an aura, visual disturbance and noise intolerance. Migraine headaches are usually accompanied with throbbing, pulsating and pounding pains.

Craniocervical Junction: This pain includes occipital or suboccipital headaches, scalp pain, tenderness and paresthesia. This is generally caused due to inflammation, injury, basilar impression, tumor or pressure on the root ganglion or occipital nerves.

These three types of pain in back of the head are classified as occipital neuralgia. The secondary headaches causing pain in back of head include the following.

Cluster Headaches: These headaches are sharp and extremely painful that can occur several times in a day. These headaches are not as common as tension and migraine headaches.

Sinus Headaches: Sinus infection is another culprit that causes pain in the head. This headache may also be seen in the front head and face. The pain tends to increase when you bend forward.

Vertebrogenic Headaches: This pain of the head is caused by misalignment of the spinal bones of the upper neck. These headaches are usually due to wrong posture, stress and tension headaches.

Cervicogenic Headaches: This type of headache causes a pain in the back of the head. This pain occurs on one side of the head only. It occurs due to the wear and tear of the upper neck bones or in people who have suffered from an injury to the neck, like a whiplash injury.

The pain can spread up the back of the head and round the side towards the ear or over the top into the forehead.

These are common causes of an ache in back of the head. Pain in back of the head can also be due to common cold, flu, fever or premenstrual syndrome. The rare causes of headache include the following.

Temporal Arthritis: This pain is usually seen in people over 50 years of age. You may experience impaired vision and pain that increases with chewing. You should visit the doctor immediately as this may lead to blindness.

Brain Aneurysm: If the wall of a weakened blood vessel in the brain ruptures, it may bleed in the brain and lead to pain in the head. Low blood pressure, high heart rate and lightheadedness may be seen in case of rupture.

Other rare causes may include brain tumor, stroke, meningitis or encephalitis. These headaches are called secondary headaches.

If you suffer from frequent and severe pain in head, consult a physician or neurologist immediately. It is very difficult to perform daily tasks living with a pain in back of the head. The doctor may advise you an X-ray or MRI to find the root cause of your suffering. The treatment of pain in back of head is based on the type and severity of the headache. Therefore, if you suspect something wrong with the headache experienced, seek medical advice immediately.