A cervicogenic headache is an example of referred pain. It's a pain in the neck that you feel in your head. People often develop cervicogenic headaches after an injury that causes whiplash or as a result of a pinched nerve in the neck. Arthritis, neck sprains or a neck fracture can also lead to cervicogenic headaches.
Suboccipital muscle inflammation— The suboccipital muscles are a group of four neck muscles that run between the neck and skull. Their job is to help extend and rotate the head. Poor posture, like hunching over a desk, can lead to tension and pain in these muscles and irritate the base of the skull.
For most neck pain, it's okay to try self-care strategies before seeking medical help. However, if your neck pain is so severe you can't sit still, or if it is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, contact a medical professional right away: Fever, headache, and neck stiffness.
What are Red Flags for Neck Pain? Seek immediate medical care if neck pain is associated with the following symptoms: Severe pain. Tingling, numbness or weakness in arm, shoulder or hands.
Rarely, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem. Seek medical care for neck pain with numbness or loss of strength in the arms or hands or for pain that shoots into a shoulder or down an arm.
Neck pain caused by muscle tension or strain usually goes away on its own within a few days. Neck pain that continues longer than several weeks often responds to exercise, stretching, physical therapy and massage. Sometimes, you may need steroid injections or even surgery to relieve neck pain.
Neck stiffness is almost always a temporary symptom of overusing your neck or sleeping in an unusual position. But it can also be a symptom of meningitis, a dangerous infection that needs treatment right away.
This pain is usually described as burning or sharp. Certain neck movements—like extending or straining the neck or turning the head—may increase the pain. Other symptoms include: Tingling or the feeling of "pins and needles" in the fingers or hand.
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: Aching, burning, and throbbing pain that typically starts at the base of the head and goes to the scalp.
Treatment options like hot and cold therapy, stretching and massage relieve the pain for many people. If your symptoms don't go away with noninvasive treatment, you may be a candidate for a spinal cord stimulator or occipital nerve stimulator. Treatment relieves the symptoms for most people.
Occipital Neuralgia is a specific type of pain which can occur in the base of your skull. This pain is easily confused with tension headaches.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica. Polymyalgia rheumatica, an inflammatory disorder, causes symptoms of muscle pain and stiffness, typically in the neck, shoulder, arms, or hip areas.
Neck pain, or cervicalgia, can last from days to years, depending on the cause. Common causes include physical strain, poor posture, mental stress, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, herniated disk, pinched nerve, tumors and other health conditions.
Pain Relief Medications
Some neck pain may be due to inflammation in the discs of the spine and the surrounding nerves and joints. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) alleviate pain by reducing inflammation. NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, all of which are available over-the-counter.
Vertigo and Ringing Ears
Neck pain and tension can cause vertigo, dizziness, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Each can come on suddenly and become worse if untreated. Someone might struggle to concentrate or get proper sleep.
The most common causes of chronic neck pain are muscle strain and nerve compression. Depending on the symptoms you're experiencing, it can be difficult to tell which of these is occurring. Most muscle strain comes from activities that place a lot of uneven strain on one side of your neck.
The classic cardinal signs of cervical ischemia, colloquially referred to as the '5Ds and 3 Ns,' also present in the late stage of CAD: diplopia, dizziness, drop attacks, dysarthria, dysphagia, ataxia, nausea, numbness, and nystagmus [19,20].
Myofascial trigger points in the suboccipital muscles (particularly the splenius capitis, splenius cervicis, multifidus, semispinalis capitis, and semispinalis cervicis) cause referred occipital pain that may prove difficult to distinguish from occipital neuralgia.