9 Causes of Back Headaches to Watch Out for

Causes of Back Headaches

Back pain can be caused by lifestyle or certain medical conditions. The following is an explanation of each.

1. Tension Type Headache

Tension-type headaches are the most common cause of back pain. This condition is often triggered by stress, lack of sleep, staring at a computer screen for too long, lifting heavy weights on the shoulder area or due to eating too late.

Tension-type headaches usually heal when the sufferer gets enough rest. If the complaint is very disturbing, the patient can take pain relievers such as paracetamol as directed by the doctor.

2. Exertional Headaches

An exertional headache is a headache caused by stress or strenuous physical activity, such as long-distance running and weight training. Some of these things cause the need for blood circulation to increase, resulting in dilation of blood vessels in the neck and causing pain on both sides of the back of the head. This type of headache is quite rare and usually goes away on its own when the triggering activity is stopped.

3. Migraine Basilar

Basilar migraine is one of the causes of prolonged back pain. This condition is usually marked by an aura, such as blurred vision, nausea, speech and hearing disorders, ringing in the ears, and dizziness.

Basilar migraine is generally not a serious condition, but you still need to watch out for it because it is almost similar to the symptoms of a stroke . So if there are any of the above complaints, it is better for the patient to be taken to the emergency room immediately for further evaluation by a doctor.

4. Neck Muscle Spasms

Neck muscle spasm is a disorder of the neck that often causes a person to experience back pain. Neck muscle spasms usually occur due to prolonged head positioning or injury to the neck. Therefore, make sure you sleep or sit in the right position to prevent interference with the neck muscles which can trigger back headaches.

5. Unhealthy Lifestyle

One study showed that elderly people with smoking habits are more prone to experiencing back pain. Apart from smoking, other unhealthy lifestyles such as excessive alcohol consumption, messy sleep patterns, lack of exercise and high stress can also trigger headaches, especially tension-type headaches.

6. Chronic Daily Headaches

Tension-type headaches that don’t get better can develop into chronic daily headaches. This condition can cause pain in the head, including the back of the head and usually lasts for three days in a row. Chronic daily headaches can be triggered by consuming alcoholic beverages, neck injuries, fatigue, eye muscle strain, or dehydration.

7. Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia or occipital neuralgia is a condition when the occipital nerve at the back of the head becomes inflamed. This condition often causes symptoms such as sharp, stabbing pain in the back of the head, ears, and neck. Some of the factors that can cause occipital neuralgia are back head injuries, neck tumors, neck arthritis, neck muscle tension, diabetes , and infections.

8. Temporal Arteritis

Temporal arteritis is an inflammation that occurs in the temporal artery, which is the vessel that supplies blood to the head and brain. This condition causes the immune system to weaken and slowly causes the temporal artery to lose its function.

Some of the symptoms that arise due to temporal arteritis are side headaches and often spread to the back side, excessive sweating on the scalp, muscle aches, visual disturbances, and decreased appetite.

9. Brain Tumor

Brain tumors are also one of the reasons why back headaches need to be watched out for. Usually this condition causes intense pain than just a migraine or other type of headache .

The main symptom of a brain tumor is a severe headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting and seizures. Other symptoms are disturbances in sensory functions (vision, hearing, and touch).

How to Treat Back Headaches

There are several ways to get rid of back pain that you can try to relieve the symptoms. Here’s a full explanation.

Head Massaging

One way to get rid of headaches that are quite effective is to give a gentle massage to the head. Massage of the head is known to make the muscles more relaxed, so that it can relieve the pain that attacks it. In addition, gentle pressure on the head can also improve blood circulation.

Avoid Stress Triggers

Headaches in the back can also be triggered by stress. So, in order not to exacerbate the condition, try to manage stress appropriately . Try doing things that lift your mood, rest when you feel tired, and don’t hesitate to reach out to friends or family when you need help.

Enough rest

Headaches can also appear when you don’t have enough sleep. Therefore, try to always fulfill at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night.