Headache in a nape

Each person at least once in the life felt a headache in a nape. Character at this pain happens various. There can be a sharp headache in a nape or stupid, pulsing, pressing, aching. Pain can have constant character or periodically arise. The nature of pains is connected with those factors which cause it. However irrespective of the headache reason in a nape, it is always quite painful, and the person has to get rid of it. But, as we know, to cure a disease, it is necessary to define its reason at first.

The main reasons for a headache in a nape

Pain in a nape can demonstrate existence of many diseases. The most widespread of them are:

• neuralgia of an occipital nerve;
• diseases of cervical department of a backbone, such as spondylitis, osteochondrosis, spondylosis, cervical migraine, etc.;
• brain vasospasm;
• the increased intracranial pressure;
• hypertension (the increased arterial pressure);
• long stay in an inconvenient pose;
• stressful states;
• excessive muscle tension owing to an exercise stress;
• diseases of temporal and maxillary joints or disturbance of a bite.

The nature of a headache in a nape at various diseases

• Cervical osteochondrosis. This disease causes change of structure of intervertebral disks and is followed by constant nape, neck and temples pain. Often painful feelings are accompanied by nausea, dizziness, a hearing impairment, an incoordination. There can be a feeling of "veil" before eyes, doubling of objects. At a zaprokidyvaniye of the head or the sharp movement the patient falls and loses ability to move though remains in full consciousness for some time. Often at cervical osteochondrosis the patient has a cervical migraine which is followed by the sharp headache in a nape extending to whisky and a superciliary zone.
• Cervical spondylosis. The disease is followed by emergence on a backbone of bone outgrowths which significantly worsen mobility of a neck. The patient at the same time feels very frequent headaches in a nape, sometimes almost not stopping. At any turns and a ducking pain amplifies. Because of constant pain at the patient the sleep is interrupted.
• Hypertension. Often the increased arterial pressure is followed by emergence of the pulsing, frequent headaches in a nape. Headaches in a nape quite often are followed by heartbeat, the general weakness, dizziness and sudden nausea.
• Cervical miositis. This disease quite often results from overcooling, an injury or long stay in an inconvenient pose. The main symptom is the headache in a nape at the movements (turns or inclinations) of the head. At the same time pain quite often gives to shoulders, a nape and interscapular area. Asymmetry of pain is characteristic of this disease, that is on the one hand it is more expressed.
• Miogeloz of cervical department of a backbone. To this disease emergence of painful consolidations in neck muscles is characteristic that is followed by dizziness and sharp headaches in a nape.
• Neuralgia of an occipital nerve it becomes frequent the headache reason in a nape. Pains at the same time have pristupoobrazny character, give to a neck, a back, ears, a mandible. Any movement by the head, cough or sneezing strengthen pain. Patients at this disease describe pain as "shooting".
• The vascular pains caused by a spasm of arteries. The patient complains of the nape pains which are preferential arising at the movement and abating in a sitting position or lying. At an exercise stress of pain in a nape also arise owing to pathology of vessels. At the same time frequent headaches in a nape arise at the strengthened exercise stress and are followed by feeling of "goosebumps" on head skin.
• Professional pains. Quite often they arise at the people forced as obliges длительноевремя to be in one situation. So, professional nape pains arise at drivers and office workers.
• The increased intracranial pressure. Preferential at this disease the patient has a pain on all circle of the head, but sometimes it is localized in a nape. Pain in the head is followed by nausea and vomiting, feeling of weight. Quite often sharp eye pain at bright light joins these symptoms.
• Disturbance of a bite. If disturbance of a bite not to treat, then quite often it leads to various negative effects, including developing of the dull ache in a nape significantly amplifying by the evening. At the same time pain can proceed from several hours to several days to a row.

Treatment of a headache in a nape

To appoint adequate treatment of a headache in a nape, it is necessary to find out for what reason it arose. For this purpose the patient needs to undergo preliminary survey which includes the roentgenogram of cervical department of a backbone.

Most often in a nape the following specialists are engaged in treatment of headaches: traumatologist, neurologist, manual therapist, doctor of physiotherapy exercises, massage therapist, physiotherapist.

If nape pain is caused by neuralgia of an occipital nerve, cervical osteochondrosis, a stress, miogelozy, intracranial pressure or has professional character, manual therapy and massage effectively will help.

At a spondylosis and the increased arterial pressure rigid massage is categorically contraindicated. And here easy self-massage can have positive effect at any kind of pain in a nape.

The good effect in treatment of headaches in a nape is rendered by physical therapy (magnetotherapy, an electrophoresis, treatment by ultrasound or the laser). Especially the physical therapy is shown at a spondylosis, cervical osteochondrosis, a miogeloza, the increased intracranial pressure, vascular pains, neuralgia of an occipital nerve.

The physiotherapy exercises will be useful to all patients with headaches in a nape, except the pains caused by disturbance of a bite (only the orthodontist will be able to help here).

Folk remedies from a headache in a nape

At slight headaches the following folk remedies can have positive effect:

• regular airing of the room, moistening of air by means of special devices;
• hot compress on a nape and hot drink;
• compress from the cabbage leaf which is previously rumpled in hands;
• compress from the crushed onions and grated horse-radish;
• warm tea from a grass of a primrose high or flowers of a linden. Also mix of herbs is effective: spirea vyazolistny, sage medicinal, peppermint.

At headaches in a nape it is recommended to exclude the use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages as they promote its strengthening. At professional pains it is recommended to adjust a workplace so that it was convenient to you to sit. It is also possible to get an orthopedic pillow. The dream on it will promote the maximum relaxation of cervical muscles at night.