How to Overcome Back Headaches

Knowing how to deal with headaches in the back must be accompanied by knowledge of the causes.

That way, we can treat it in an appropriate manner based on what is causing the pain.

Causes and Ways to Overcome Headaches in the Back

Reporting from Healthline, pain in the back of the head can be caused by migraine conditions or problems with the neck, spine, and posture.

Back pain can be relieved or prevented with lifestyle changes, alternative treatments, and medications.

Some of the causes of headaches in the back and how to overcome them are as follows.

1. Tension headaches

Tension headaches usually cause forehead pain, but are also a common cause of pain in the back of the head, explains the Medical News Today page.

The causes of headaches due to tension can be due to fatigue, lack of sleep, lack of food, bad posture, and arthritis.

Symptoms can include a feeling of tension in the back or front of the head, mild to severe pain, no nausea or vomiting.

The fix is ​​simply to take pain relievers such as aspirin or acetaminophen.

If this happens frequently, then make modifications to your lifestyle to help with the frequency and duration.

When they occur frequently, lifestyle modifications and/or alternative treatments can help reduce their frequency and length.

2. Migraines

Migraine headaches are a common type of recurring headache. This condition often begins in childhood.

However, the frequency and severity may increase with age.

Common symptoms of migraines include intense throbbing on one side of the head, nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances, and muscle aches.

To treat a migraine, you must take an analgesic, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, and rest in a dark room.

If regular analgesics don't work, your doctor may prescribe anti-migraine drugs called triptans.

3. Headaches due to excessive use of drugs

Medicine-overuse headaches (MOH) or drug-induced headaches can develop if a person takes too many pain medications.

MOH headaches are also known as rebound headaches. It is important to remember that occasional use of pain relievers is not a problem.

However, when a person takes pain medication more than two days or more a week for a long period, it can cause headaches in the back.

The main symptoms include intense pain when you wake up, headaches that persist despite taking pain relievers, drowsiness, nausea, anxiety, tiredness and restlessness.

The way to deal with headaches due to overuse of drugs is often to reduce or stop taking pain medication.

In more severe cases, you should see a doctor. You may need physical or behavioral therapy to break the cycle of taking pain relievers.

4. Occipital neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia is a typical and less common type of headache that tends to start at the base of the neck and radiate toward the back of the head, then behind the ears.

This condition occurs due to damage or irritation of the occipital nerve, which runs from the back of the neck to the base of the scalp.

Symptoms of occipital neuralgia include persistent throbbing, intermittent stabbing or stabbing pain, and sensitivity to light.

To relieve it, you can apply warm compresses, rest, massage, physical therapy, and take anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or naproxen.

5. Headache due to exercise

Exercise headaches occur as a result of strenuous physical activity and can occur suddenly during or immediately after exercise.

Various things can trigger this pain, from lifting weights, running, sexual intercourse, to straining on the toilet.

Symptoms include throbbing pain on both sides of the head, which can last from 5 minutes to 2 days.

The method to prevent this from happening again is by:

• take pain relievers before exercising
• avoid strenuous activity
• warm up properly
• drink enough fluids
• consuming nutritious food
• enough sleep
• take regular headache pain relievers, such as aspirin or acetaminophen.