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Headaches may also be caused by more serious conditions like tumors or disease. If you start suffering from chronic pains in your head and have other symptoms like dizziness or nausea, you should always see a doctor.
The pain in the back of your head occurs when one or a combination of factors affect your brain. The Mayo Clinic says that these factors can be chemical activity in your brain, the nerves of blood vessels surrounding your skull, or the muscles at the back of the head and neck.1 Also, some people are more prone to headaches than others.
Knowing what causes headaches can help you know how to manage or prevent the pain you experience in the back of your head.
What Causes Pain in the Back of the Head?
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are usually caused by some type of emotional stress or tiredness and start with a pain at the back of your head and move toward the front. The University of Maryland says that tension headaches cause pain in your neck, scalp, and head and can affect both the right and the left side of your head. 2 People who suffer from tension headaches say that it feels as if there is a tight band across their head.
Dr. Neil S. Lava, who is a director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at Emory University, says that tension headaches are often caused by tight muscles at the back of the neck. Usually, factors like emotional stress, fatigue, hunger, low iron levels, and bad posture can cause this.3 Along with the pain in your head, you could also feel irritated and be sensitive to light or noise.
According to Dr. Lava, tension headaches don’t usually cause muscle weakness, nausea, blurred vision, or stomach pain.
Doctors recommend taking steps to manage stress and practice relaxation techniques to prevent a pain in the back of your head which is caused by tension headaches.
Neurologist, Dr. Joseph V. Campellone recommends using good posture when going about your daily activities. For example, if your job entails sitting at a desk all day, doing repetitive work or other close-up work, take some time out to exercise and stretch your neck and shoulders.4
Keeping a diary can also help you identify what triggers your tension headache and help you to identify if this is the cause of the pain in the back of your head.
To get some relief from a tension headache, you can try some relaxation techniques or gently massage your temples and the back of your neck. Pain medicine can also help, but doctors warn that the overuse of pain medication can also be a cause of headaches (rebound headaches).
If you are interested in ways to reduce stress naturally, please read my article about 14 effective natural remedies for stress and anxiety.
Tight Muscle Headaches / Muscle Strain
You may experience a sharp pain at the back of your head and neck along with stiffness in your neck and shoulders. This type of pain could be caused by injured or strained muscles.
Dr. William H. Bland on WebMD says that the main causes for tight muscles which cause pains in the back of the head and neck are:5
Holding your head in one position for a long time.
Sleeping with a pillow that doesn’t support your head properly.
Tension caused by stress
Injuring the neck or spine by tripping or being in an accident.
Having tight neck muscles can also cause sharp pains in the back of your head when you turn your head.
If the pain in the back of your head and neck is caused by muscle tightness, you can find out how to treat a stiff neck in one minute or less by reading my article on the subject.
Coughing Headaches
If you notice that you get a sharp pain in the back of your head when you cough, sneeze, blow your nose, or even bend over you could have what doctors call a “coughing headache.” The Mayo Clinic says that this can cause a sharp, stabbing pain in the back of your head.6 It is not known what causes coughing headaches.
The best way to prevent coughing headaches is to try and avoid whatever triggers it. So, keep yourself as healthy as possible to avoid colds, sneezing or any other action which can put pressure on your brain.
Migraine
Migraines can cause severe headaches starting around the eyes and temple and then the pain can spread to the back of the head. Migraines can also cause neck pain and tingling sensation in your head.
Very often migraines are preceded by aura – flashing lights, partial loss of vision, numbness, pins and needles, and possibly speech problems. The migraine can be accompanied by blurred vision, poor concentration, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. The Michigan Headache & Neurological Institute says that for most people “a migraine is a distinct and familiar event with predictable duration and resolution.”7
Doctors believe that changes in the brain’s blood flow and nerve cell activity causes migraines. Migraines can be triggered by stress, hormonal factors, depression, certain foods, muscle tension, caffeine, and fatigue. Sometimes, environmental factors like flickering lights, changes in the weather and strong smells can trigger migraines.8
I’ve also mentioned that migraines can be caused by a certain common nutritional deficiency.
To prevent migraines, most doctors recommend trying to avoid whatever triggers your migraines. You can also read my article on how to naturally relieve migraines.
Basilar Migraines
If you have dizziness, double vision and a lack of coordination before you get severe pains in your head, then you could suffer from basilar migraines. Dr. Colin Tidy on Patient.info says that basilar-type migraine causes headaches at the back of the head.9 The pain at the back of your head can be throbbing or pulsating.
The causes of basilar migraines are similar to a regular migraine.
Occipital Neuralgia
A sharp jabbing pain that feels like an electric shock at the back of your head could be a symptom of occipital neuralgia. You may also find that your scalp is tender to touch and even a simple task like brushing your hair can cause pain. This type of pain can be caused by inflammation in the nerves at the back of your head.
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) says that occipital neuralgia causes pain in the back of the head which usually radiates to just one side of the head, but can often be felt on both sides of the head.10
To help ease the pain caused by occipital neuralgia, AANS recommends using gentle heat treatments and rest for headache relief. A soothing massage can also help to get rid of the headache pain caused by occipital neuralgia. You can also use essential oils to relieve the pain.
Doctors treat occipital neuralgia and migraines differently, so it’s important to know your symptoms to get the appropriate treatment for your headaches.
Exercise Headaches
Some people experience throbbing pains in the back of their head when working out or lifting weights. You may find that after jogging you suffer from headaches. Exercise headaches usually happen because the blood vessels at the back of the head and neck dilate and cause pain.
Dr. Laura J. Martin on WebMD says that there is usually nothing to worry about with exercise headaches and that they respond well to pain-relief medication.11 However, if your exercise headaches have recently started and are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, loss of consciousness and/or double vision, you should contact a doctor immediately.12
Sometimes, you can prevent headaches that are associated with exercising by warming up before working out, running, or exercising.
Sharp Pain in the Back of Head After Sex
Many people joke about the connection of headaches and sexual activity. However, any kind of sexual activity can cause a dull pain in the back of your head and neck that increases with sexual excitement.
The British Journal of Medical Practitioners describes this condition as “headaches associated with sexual activity” (HSA).13 Although HSA is harmless, it can have a negative impact on both partners because of a fear that sex will lead to a severe headache.
If you suffer from headaches during sex, open communication between you and your partner can help to alleviate any fears associated with headaches and sexual activity. Sometimes, taking a more passive role can help prevent headaches during sex.