Pain in the back of the head is most commonly caused by tension headaches, which are common and typically not a cause for concern. However, sudden, severe, or recurrent headache pain in this area of the body could be a sign of a serious underlying condition and should be evaluated by a doctor.
See your provider soon if: Your headaches wake you up from sleep, or your headaches make it difficult for you to fall asleep. A headache lasts more than a few days. Headaches are worse in the morning.
Tension headache.
This is the most common type of headache. It happens when the muscles in your scalp and neck tighten. This causes pain on the sides and back of your head. Usually it's a dull pain that doesn't throb.
Neck and back of the head
If you experience headaches that radiate from the neck to the back of your head, you may have a cervicogenic headache. A cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache, which means that it is caused by another illness or physical issue.
Ease muscle tension
Or apply ice or a cool washcloth to the forehead. Massage also can relieve muscle tension — and sometimes headache pain. Gently massage your temples, scalp, neck and shoulders with your fingertips, or gently stretch your neck.
As brain tissues pull away from the skull, the resulting pressure on nerves creates the pain we associate with headaches. Dehydration headache locations can be all over the head, or at one spot like the front, back, or sides of the head. The pain from a dehydration headache can be mild or extreme.
If you're experiencing a headache located in the forehead, it may be another sign of a tension headache. If the pain is only affecting one side of the forehead it may be an indicator of a migraine or cluster headache. Forehead headaches are also commonly caused by infection of the Frontal sinus.
Cervicogenic Headache Symptoms
A cervicogenic headache presents as a steady, non-throbbing pain at the back and base of the skull, sometimes extending downward into the neck and between the shoulder blades. Pain may be felt behind the brow and forehead, even though the problem originates from the cervical spine.
What causes a persistent headache? A persistent headache can result from an injury or a structural problem in the spine, such as arthritis. It can also affect people who have migraine or have had a stroke. The overuse of pain relief drugs can also cause an ongoing headache.
If the sudden onset of a headache prevents you from performing daily tasks, is significantly debilitating, or is accompanied by the following symptoms, you should seek emergency treatment near you: Difficulty walking. Fever. Neurological symptoms including weakness, numbing, slurred speech and blurred vision.
Seek immediate medical attention if you're experiencing the worst headache you've ever had, lose vision or consciousness, have uncontrollable vomiting, or if your headache lasts more than 72 hours with less than 4 hours pain-free.
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Stress and muscle tension are often factors in these headaches. Tension headaches typically don't cause nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. They do cause a steady ache, rather than a throbbing one, and tend to affect both sides of the head.
The easiest way to differentiate between the two is to pay attention to sensations. A migraine headache produces sensations like auras, flashing lights, or tingling skin, while a stroke-related headache causes sensations to be lost, such as a loss of vision or feeling.
Symptoms of a brain tumour
seizures (fits) persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness. mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality. progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body.
Grade 1 brain cancer: The tumor grows slowly and rarely spreads into nearby tissues. It may be possible to completely remove the tumor with surgery. Grade 2 brain cancer: The tumor grows slowly but may spread into nearby tissues or recur.
Some of the most common symptoms of a brain tumor include: headache episodes. seizures. changes in personality.
A tumor may be at the base of the brain or on the back of the skull. It may be growing in the front — near the eye sockets in the nose and sinuses — or in the pituitary gland, among other locations.
Diagnosing brain tumors. We sometimes find brain tumors when otherwise healthy people suddenly have a seizure, unusual weakness or speech problems. If you have these symptoms, go to an emergency room. If ER doctors suspect a brain tumor, they may send you to us for a full evaluation.
How long is too long for a headache? Headaches usually go away within 4 hours, but it's not uncommon for the head pain to persist for longer. If your headache persists for longer than 72 hours, however, you should seek immediate medical attention.