Headache is among the most typical symptoms that lots of people struggle with. This post explains the causes of a particular pattern of headache, i.e., pain in back of head. These causes include cervicogenic headache, brain growths, dialysis headache, and dengue fever, etc.
Information verified by the iytmed.com team.
Pain in the head or headache is among the most typical disorders impacting human beings. Various various patterns of headache are acknowledged and one such typical pattern is pain in the back of head. Pain in the back of head can be caused by different causes and the most crucial ones are listed in the table given listed below.
Causes of Pain in the Back of Head | |
|---|---|
| Cervicogenic Headache | Occurs due to disease processes affecting the joints of the upper neck region (cervical region). Classically, the resulting pain in the back of head is frequently one sided but can have variable discussion. Previous injury to the neck region and old age are essential risk factors. Precipitating aspects include neck motions and prolonged uncomfortable postures. |
| Occipital Neuralgia | Most likely a “seizure” that is localized to the nerve innervating the back of head. This “seizure” results in severe pain at the back of head in the area supplied by the affected nerve. |
| Brain Tumors | Pain in back of head can take place. Often, other symptoms due to neurological deficits dominate the discussion. |
| Cancer Metastasis to Skull | Spread of cancer to the base of the skull (occipital bone). Main cancer can be anywhere (prostate, lung, breast, etc). Severe pain at the back of head arises from the intrusion of cancer in occipital bone. Headache is followed by difficulty in swallowing and speaking (after few weeks). |
| Lateral Atlanto-axial joint disease | A lot of typically due to rheumatoid arthritis. Affliction of this joint causes inflammation of the spine nerve originating at this level. Results in severe pain in the back of head and neck. |
| Compression Radiculopathies | Compression radiculopathies (compression of the nerve roots as they leave the spine) of upper cervical nerve roots. Compression frequently caused by an artery and leads to consistent pain in the back of head. |
| Dialysis Headache | Headache is a typical issue of dialysis. Nearly 1 from 4 such headache takes place in the occipital area (back of head). |
| Orgasmic Headache | Seldom, orgasms can result in headache due to constriction of capillary of the brain. Bulk of these are restricted to back of the head however can happen in entire head likewise. |
| Intracranial Hypertension | Raised intracranial pressure can result in throbbing headache localized to back of head. Headache can likewise take place in other regions. Often there are numerous other associated symptoms like modified awareness, behavioral changes, nausea and vomiting, seizures, double vision, weakness, and so on. Raised intracranial pressure can be caused by various conditions (brain tumor, head injury, stroke, meningitis, etc.) |
| Intracranial Hypotension | Pain can occur in the back of head, although most typical location is the sides of head. Pain is frequently exacerbated by sitting or standing and eased by lying down. Typically occurs after spine anesthesia or lumbar puncture (spine tap). Can take place spontaneously with no cause (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypotension). |
| Arnold-Chiari Malformation | A genetic malformation of the brain leading to pain in back of head. The headache is typically provoked by effort or coughing. There can be other associated symptoms like muscle weakness of face and neck, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, problem in swallowing, and so on. |
| Dengue Fever | Virus-caused disease that results in high grade fever, headache, muscle aches, joint aches, nausea and vomiting. Headache is generally behind the eyes but in almost 20% of the cases it happens at the back of head. |
| Cluster Headache | Rarely, cluster headaches can be localized to the back of the head, although the most typical location is around the eye. They are almost always one-sided. The pain is of enormous severity and considered to be among the worst pains explained. |
| Migraine | Rarely, migraine can provide with pain in back of head. More typically the pain of migraine lies on one side of the head. Migraine headache is generally associated with myriad of other symptoms. |
| Subarachnoid Hemorrhage | Unexpected beginning really severe headache due to bleeding between brain and the tissue layer covering the brain. The headache is generally located at the back of the head and often related to other symptoms like stiff neck, queasiness and vomiting, vision disruptions, confusion, irritation, and so on. |
| Vertebral Artery Dissection | Really uncommon condition. Causes sudden beginning very severe headache at the back of head. |
| Temporal Arteritis | Inflammation of the blood vessels supplying the head area (particularly side area) happens in this condition. Among the symptoms is throbbing headache in the back of the head. The headache can also take place on the side. Temporal arteritis can result in many other symptoms like jaw pain, stiff neck, neck pain, blurred or double vision, fever, extreme sweating, muscle aches, etc. |
| Sleep Apnea | Sleep Apnea regularly results in headache. The headache might take place solely in the back of head area. |
| Parkinson’s Disease | Can have neck pain and pain in the back of head. |
| Retropharyngeal Tendinitis | Very unusual cause of severe pain at the back of head. Typically associated with pain on swallowing. |
