Headaches are common occurrences in developed countries, where it is estimated that at least 90% of the population has experienced at least one. Headaches are defined as pain or discomfort around the skull, including behind the eyes and at the junction where the back of the head meets the cervical spine. The most common headaches creating pain at the back of the head are tension headaches, although cervicogenic headaches, certain disease conditions, and trauma can also cause pain in that area known as the occipital region.
Muscle Tension
Not coincidentally, stress and anxiety are also very common in developed countries, which often manifest physically as muscle tension. Like the rest of the animal kingdom, the contraction of muscles of the upper back, shoulders, and neck are a common reaction to stressful circumstances. With continued or habitual muscle tension, inflammation develops, which causes soreness and achy pain. rnrnWhen this happens in the neck and shoulder muscles, which attach to the back of the head, a tension headache develops there, although the pain often spreads forward to both sides of the head. Poor posture, poor hydration, and weak muscles are contributing causes along with stress.
Cervicogenic
The top three vertebrae of the neck can be sensitive to trauma or dysfunction and either create pain locally in the neck, or refer pain from the neck joints further up the back of the head. A cervicogenic headache is defined as occipital and/or sub-occipital pain that originates from some joint/nerve issue in the neck. The pain is often described as dull, although it can become sharp with neck movement. rnrnThe causes of cervicogenic headache pain include arthritis; osteoarthritis or any inflammatory arthritis; facet joint impingement or dislocation; nerve root irritation; and bulging or herniated intervertebral discs. Trauma, such as whiplash, poor nutrition, poor posture, and increased age all contribute to cervicogenic rear head pain.
Disease Conditions
Although many disease conditions can create generalized, low-grade headaches, isolation of pain to the back of the head is rare. Certainly any brain tumor in the back half of the skull could produce or refer pain there. Pagetâ??s Disease can attack the bones of the skull and cause intense pain anywhere in the head. Infections such as brain abscesses, and particularly spinal meningitis, can cause rear skull and upper neck pain often described as electric and burning. Excessive cell phone use, recreational drug use, and working with toxic chemicals can all increase the development of these diseases and conditions.
Trauma
Trauma to the head, especially the rear, will cause varying degrees of headache pain there. Simple contusions are the most common type of trauma to the head, although concussions are becoming more widespread in sports. Concussions are often associated with whiplash injuries, which would cause cervicogenic type headaches.rnrnSkull fractures are rare, but they would most commonly occur at the back of the head and would cause intense, throbbing pain. Driving without a seat-belt, playing contact sports, and walking on slippery surfaces all increase the risk of rear head trauma.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine"; Anthony S. Fauci et al; 2008
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care"; R. Douglas Collins M.D.; 2007
- "Chiropractic Management of Spine Related Disorders"; Meridel I. Gatterman D.C.; 2001
