Experiencing back of head headaches, also sometimes called occipital headaches? You’re not alone. Many people deal with this frustrating type of head pain. This guide covers the common causes, useful headache charts for description, and potential treatments for back of head headaches.

What Triggers Pain at the Back of Your Head

Headaches affecting the occipital region at the lower rear of your skull have multiple possible underlying causes:

  • Muscle tension – Tight muscles plus poor posture lead to painful spasming and pressure resulting in a “tension headache chart pattern” at the base of your head.
  • Nerve irritation – Compression or inflammation of the network of nerves like the greater occipital nerve can trigger headache chart symptoms of throbbing or shocking pain.
  • Neck injuries – Prior concussions, whiplash traumas, or degenerative changes to the cervical vertebrae can manifest as chronic location of headache at back of head.
  • Eye strain – Overuse of eyes can create both neck tension and trigeminal nerve irritation producing referred rear cranial pain.

In some cases, doctors never pinpoint an exact causal factor for ongoing occipital head discomfort.

Describing Your Back of the Head Pain

When discussing headaches at back of head and neck with your health providers, be as precise as possible in communicating sensations you experience. Consider using descriptive terminology from a headache location chart resource.

Documenting specifics like:

  • Intensity – mild, moderate or severe
  • Quality – throbbing, stabbing, pressure
  • Duration – seconds, minutes, constant
  • Triggers – movement, light, sleep position
  • Radiation – strictly occipital or up over scalp

Arming your doctor with detailed headache journal documentation helps them make an accurate diagnosis for the ideal treatment plan.

Seeking Treatment for Persistent Pain

If you deal with repeated episodes of lower head pain or pain at the base of your skull:

  • OTC medications like acetaminophen or anti-inflammatories can help ease headache chart symptoms temporarily.
  • Physical therapy with soft tissue work plus exercises that strengthen neck and shoulder muscles often resolves many cases of tension and cervical compression induced occipital head discomfort.
  • Nerve block injections may calm down irritated greater occipital nerves.
  • For neurological or vascular sources of pain, prescription medications or other interventional procedures could be warranted.

Don’t assume back of head pain is something you just need to tolerate without seeking an expert diagnosis. Connect with a reputable pain specialist or headache center to explore science-based treatment options for resolving your headaches in back of head long term.

Escaping the Torment of Back Head Pain – You Don’t Have to Live Like This!

If you regularly have head pain concentrated in the lower posterior portion of your cranium, understanding the common culprits, precisely documenting sensations, and consulting pain management specialists can lead to tailored therapeutic approaches so you can better function without base of skull headache disruptions.

You do not have to resign yourself to endlessly tolerating annoying and limiting back of head pain or headaches at the base of your skull. By arming yourself with knowledge of what’s provoking your occipital discomfort and communicating clearly with doctors, you can explore scientifically validated treatment options offering true lasting relief. Free yourself from the frustration of relentless head pain and start truly enjoying life again without that figurative albatross dragging down your days. The possibilities await your proactive steps toward diagnosis and recovery!