Pain in the back of the head

Have we all experienced pain in the back of the head?

Some people may say that pain in the back of the head may be caused by stiff neck. Indeed, this is one of the reasons. Generally, pain in the back of the head is very common among young people, especially during the Spring Festival and winter. Sometimes it has a lot to do with your sleeping position. Everyone should pay attention to prevention.

[Cause]

There are two main causes of stiff neck: one is muscle sprain, such as poor sleeping posture at night, the head and neck are in an over-deflected position for a long time; or because of an inappropriate pillow during sleep, which is too high, too low or too hard, causing the head and neck to be in a state of hyperextension or hyperflexion, which can cause muscle tension on one side of the neck and twist the facet joints of the cervical vertebra. If it lasts for a long time, static injury may occur, making the muscles and tendons of the injured area stiff and disharmony, qi and blood circulation poor, local pain and discomfort, and obvious limitation of movement. The second is exposure to wind and cold, such as catching a cold while sleeping or seeking coolness in the hot summer, which can cause stagnation of qi and blood in the neck and back, obstruction of tendons and meridians, resulting in stiffness and pain and difficulty in movement.

[symptom]

The clinical manifestation of stiff neck is sudden pain and discomfort in the back of the neck and upper back when waking up in the morning, which is mostly on one side, or pain on both sides, or one side is heavier and the other side is lighter. Most patients can recall that they had a poor sleeping position last night or caught a cold. Due to the pain, the neck movements are limited and cannot rotate freely. In severe cases, it is difficult to raise and lower the head, and the head may even be rigid in an abnormal position, tilting to the affected side. During examination, the neck muscles are tender, the superficial muscles are spasmodic and stiff, and they feel "stringy" to the touch.

[treat]

There are many treatments for stiff neck, including muscle manipulation, acupuncture, medication, hot compress, etc., all of which have good effects, especially muscle manipulation. Patients can apply pressure points on the painful points. It is best if the pressure does not cause pain but only a feeling of soreness and swelling. You can also massage the painful muscles to relieve pain and muscle spasms. If conditions permit, further manual treatment can be given in the hospital. It can also be taken orally with drugs that promote blood circulation, relax muscles, and relieve wind and activate collaterals. Or apply blood-activating and analgesic plasters externally. Acupuncture or ear acupuncture can also be used. Acupuncture can be used on Fengchi, Dadui, Fengmen, Qukuhuan, Waiguan, pain points, etc. Ear acupuncture can be used on Shenmen, Yizhixia, tender points, etc. The effect will be better if combined with hot compress.

After the symptoms of stiff neck are relieved, neck function exercises can be performed to enhance neck strength and reduce the chance of recurrence. Here's how: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. The movements are as follows: look up at the moon, look down at the ground, turn the head and neck forward or backward, look to the right, turn the head and neck to the left and back, look to the left rear, bend the head and neck to the left, turn the head and neck to the left, look to the left rear, bend the head and neck to the left, bend the head and neck to the right, stretch the head and neck forward and turn sideways to the left front and lower, stretch the head and neck forward and turn sideways to the left front and lower, turn the head and neck to the upper right rear, turn the head and neck to the left rear, and make one circle to the left and right respectively. The above movements should be performed slowly and within the limits that can be achieved.

[Prognosis]

Stiff neck has a quick onset and a short course, and can usually be cured within a week. Timely treatment can shorten the course of the disease, and those who do not receive treatment may recover on their own, but there is a greater chance of recurrence. If the symptoms of stiff neck recur or do not heal for a long time, you should consider the presence of cervical spondylosis and see a specialist for examination so that it can be detected and treated early.

We should all learn about the introduction of back of head pain in time. If pain in the back of the head occurs, we should find out the cause and adjust it in time. If the sleeping posture or pillow is inappropriate, we should adjust it in time. We should buy a suitable pillow, not too high or too low, to avoid stiff neck.