Occipital neuralgia is a condition in which the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp, called the occipital nerves, are inflamed or injured. You might feel pain in the back of your head or the base of your skull. People can confuse it with a
migraine or other types of headache, because the symptoms can be similar. But treatments for those conditions are very different, so it’s important to see your doctor to get the right diagnosis. Occipital neuralgia can cause
intense pain that feels like a sharp, jabbing, electric shock in the back of the head and neck. Other symptoms include: Occipital neuralgia happens when there’s pressure or irritation to your occipital nerves, maybe because of an injury, tight muscles that entrap the nerves, or inflammation. Many times, doctors can’t find a cause for it. Some medical conditions are linked to it, including: Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and about any injuries you’ve had. They'll do a physical exam, too. They’ll press firmly around the back of your head to see if they can reproduce your pain. They may also give you a shot to numb the nerve, called a nerve block, to see if it gives you relief. If it works, occipital
neuralgia is likely the cause of the pain. You might also have blood tests or an MRI scan if your doctor thinks your case isn’t typical. You have to get the right diagnosis to get the right treatment. For example, if you have occipital neuralgia and you get a prescription for
migraine medication, you may not get relief. The first thing you’ll want to do is to relieve your pain. You can try to:
If those don’t help, your doctor may prescribe medications for you, including:
An operation is rare, but it might be an option if your pain doesn’t get better with other treatments or comes back. Surgery may include:
Occipital neuralgia is not a life-threatening condition. Most people get good pain relief by resting and taking medication. But if you still hurt, tell your doctor. They’ll want to see if there’s another problem that’s causing your pain. One of these locations is behind the ears, and there are a number of reasons for it to occur there. Headaches behind the ear may at least provide a clue to the origins of a headache. What causes a headache behind the ears?While it may not always be possible to identify why a headache has occurred, pain behind the ear may be enough to narrow down the potential causes. These may include:
What are other symptoms of a headache behind the ears?Other symptoms occurring with behind the ear headache often depend on the underlying cause of the condition. For example, occipital neuralgia may cause pain starting at the neck then travel up toward the back of the head. Infection leading to headaches often present with additional symptoms of fever or fatigue. But symptoms of a headache generally have a few symptoms that can be easily recognized. They are as follows:
Diagnosing a headache behind the earsWhen seeing your doctor for episodes of a headache behind the ears they will ask you to tell them a brief history of when you started to experience these symptoms. This will include obtaining a full medical history of any previous disorder to help with making an accurate diagnosis. Next will come the physical exam, which involves visual and physical infection of the area of pain. By firmly pressing on the base of the skull, your doctor will be able to assess if the area is tender. Conditions such as occipital neuralgia is sensitive to touch. If your doctors feel it is necessary, a detailed imaging scan can be done. This often comes in the form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as it is sensitive enough to view any pathology within the brain. Looking for the signs of infection will also help in ruling out condition like mastoiditis Treating a headache behind the earsWhen first visiting your doctor, they will most likely give you some immediate forms of therapy to help ease your headache symptoms. This may come in the form of dimming the lights if they are causing you to become sensitive to them or even the direct placement of a pack of ice on the area of pain. The underlying cause of your specific headache behind the ear will guide which therapy is used. Some examples include:
Preventing a headache behind the earsWhile it may be difficult to anticipate and avoid getting a headache, there are some things you can do to cut down your risk. The following are some tips to help reduce the occurrence of a headache behind the ears:
Related: Types of headaches and causes, symptoms, and prevention chart What causes pain in back of head behind left ear?Occipital Neuralgia is a condition in which the occipital nerves, the nerves that run through the scalp, are injured or inflamed. This causes headaches that feel like severe piercing, throbbing or shock-like pain in the upper neck, back of the head or behind the ears.
Is pain behind ear serious?Seeking a healthcare provider is essential because there are many potential conditions for pain or a headache behind the ear, and you need a proper diagnosis to be able to treat it and ease the pain.
How can I treat occipital neuralgia at home?Treatments. Apply heat to your neck.. Rest in a quiet room.. Massage tight and painful neck muscles.. Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, like naproxen or ibuprofen.. Why does the left side of my head above my ear hurt?Headaches on the left side of the head arise due to many reasons. They can be symptoms of illnesses, underlying health conditions, allergies, side effects of medications, concussions, or be triggered by lifestyle factors, such as lack of sleep.
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