There are headaches that range from annoying to disruptive. They can be found on the head.

Headaches that involve pain in the back of the head can have a number of different causes. Many of these causes can be identified by additional symptoms. These symptoms include the type of pain experienced, and other locations where the pain may be present.

There are a number of different causes that can cause headaches in the back of your head. In many cases, these headaches cause pain in other locations, or they are triggered by certain events.

The types of pain, location, and other symptoms you are feeling can help a healthcare professional diagnose what is causing your headaches.

Pain in the neck and back of the head

Occipital neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia is a condition that occurs when the nerves that run from your spinal cord to your scalp are inflamed. It’s often present for people with a migraine condition. Occipital neuralgia is a condition that causes sharp, aching, throbbing pain that starts at the base of the head in your neck and moves toward your scalp.

Other symptoms include:

  • Behind your eyes is pain.
  • A sharp stabbing sensation that feels like an electric shock in your neck and back of your head.
  • Light has a sensitivity to light.
  • The scalp is tender.
  • When moving your neck

Poor posture

Poor posture can cause pain in the back of the head. Tension is created in your back, shoulders, and neck by poor body positioning. That tension can cause a head ache. You may feel a throbbing pain at the base of your skull.

Cervicogenic headache

Herniated discs in your cervical spine (neck) can cause neck pain and tension. This can cause a type of headache called a cervicogenic headache.

The pain is felt in the back of your head. It may be felt in your temples or behind your eyes. The shoulders or upper arms may be affected.

Lying down may cause headaches. Some people wake up because of the pain. Lying down may cause you to feel a pressure on the top of your head.

Low-pressure headache

Low-pressure headache is caused by low spinal fluid pressure in the brain. This occurs when spinal fluid leaks from the spine. This is also often called intracranial hypotension. These can occur spontaneously or as a result following a spinal tap or other procedure in which fluid leaks from the spine, resulting in the headache.

Pain in the right side and back of the head

Tension headaches

Tension headaches are the most common cause of pain. These headaches occur in the back and right side of your head. They may include a tightness of the neck or scalp. They feel like a dull, tight constricting pain that isn’t throbbing.

Pain in the left side and back of the head

Migraine condition

For someone who experiences a migraine condition, the headache caused by migraine can appear in any location. They can be unilateral or side switching, but many people experience them on the left side of the head or the back of the head.

Migraine conditions can cause:

  • throbbing, throbbing pain.
  • auras
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • watering eyes
  • Light or sound sensitivity.

Migraine headaches can start on the left side of the head and move to the back of the head.

Pain in the back of the head when lying down

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are rare but extremely painful. They get their name from the “cluster periods” in which they occur. People with cluster headaches experience frequent attacks. These periods or patterns of attack may last weeks or months.

Cluster headache symptoms

Pain in the back of the head or the sides of the head can be caused by cluster headaches. They may get worse when lying down. Other symptoms to watch for include:

  • burning pain.
  • It is restless.
  • nausea
  • excessive tearing
  • A nose that is stuffy.
  • The eyelid is drooped.
  • Light has a sensitivity to light. and sound

Over-the-counter pain relief medications such as acetaminophen can be used to reduce headaches. Extra-Strength Tylenol can help if you have chronic headaches.

Treatment is most effective when it is based on the cause of your headaches.

Treating arthritis headaches

Anti-inflammatories and heat are the best ways to treat arthritis headaches.

Treating headaches caused by poor posture

Poor posture can cause headaches. Improving your posture can help you treat or prevent headaches. Purchase a chair that has good back support and sit with both feet on the ground.

Treating headaches caused by herniated discs

The treatment of the underlying condition is what causes headaches. If needed, surgery can be used for the treatment of the discs. Good results can be maintained through exercise.

Treating occipital neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia may be treated through a combination of warm/heat therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, massage, and prescription muscle relaxers. In severe cases, a doctor may inject a local anesthetic into the occipital area for immediate relief. This treatment option can last up to 12 weeks.

Treating tension headaches

Over-the-counter pain relief is used to treat tension headaches. A doctor may prescribe medication for headaches. A doctor can prescribe preventive medications to reduce headaches in the future.

Treating migraine

If you have a problem with migraines, your doctor may prescribe a preventive medication, like ablocker, and an immediate pain-relief medication.

Some over-the-counter medications are designed to treat migraines. These are not for severe attacks. A doctor can help you find out what causes your migraines so that you can avoid them.

Treating cluster headaches

Treatment for cluster headaches focuses on shortening the headache period, reducing the severity of attacks, and preventing further attacks from occurring.

Short-term treatment may include:

  • triptans, which are also used to treat migraine condition and can be injected for fast relief
  • steroids
  • Anesthetic injection.
  • treatment with drugs such as topiramate, verpamil, lithium, and galcanezumab

Preventive methods may include.

  • The drug is corticosteroids.
  • The calcium channel blockers are made.
  • melatonin is a sleep hormone
  • Nerve blockers.

In extreme cases, surgery may be used.

If you need to make an appointment with a healthcare professional.

  • You start to experience headaches that last for a while.
  • Your headaches can affect your activities.
  • The pain is accompanied by a sensation near your temple.
  • You experience headaches that change.

If you have a severe headaches that are worse than you have ever had, you should make an appointment as soon as possible.

“If you can’t think through your pain, go to the emergency room.”

There are some symptoms that indicate an emergency. If you have headaches with any of the other symptoms, you should get emergency medical attention.

  • sudden changes in your personality
  • You are struggling to focus on a conversation because of a number of symptoms.
  • Weakness on one side of the face, visual, slurred speech, and numbness anywhere in the body are some of the symptoms.
  • There were severe headaches after a blow to the head.
  • “headaches that come on very abruptly when they normally don’t, especially if they woke you up”