The back of the head is burning, what could be the diagnosis?

According to statistics, every 5 patients at an appointment with a neurologist may experience a burning sensation in the back of the head. These symptoms may include pain, high blood pressure, a feeling that the heart is about to “jump out”, a feeling of anxiety, frequent dizziness, redness of the eyes, patients complain that the back of the head is burning and baking. Why does the back of my head burn? The answer is in this article.

The pain can be so intense that the neck and back of the head literally “burn” with fire. This kind of burning pain is dangerous. A person cannot endure such pain and almost always suppresses it with painkillers. It is not recommended to carry out self-treatment until the exact cause of the heat in the head is determined.

Pain in the back of the head and neck brings a lot of suffering to a person

There are quite a few reasons that cause a burning sensation in the neck and back of the head. These include inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and insufficient blood flow to the brain. The main diseases in which the back of the head and upper back burn:

cervical osteochondrosis;
muscle spasms;
arterial hypertension;
VSD – vegetative-vascular dystonia;
migraine, cephalalgia (headache);
high body temperature due to inflammatory processes.

Often, a burning sensation can occur not only in the head, but also in the shoulders, neck, and chest. Each of these signs is associated with a specific disease. In the article we will pay special attention to the symptoms and treatment of burning pain in the back of the head.

In this article we will tell you in detail about the causes of a burning sensation in the back of the head, treatment with medications, and help at home.

Tension headache

According to medical statistics, about 70% of the population are familiar with this species. According to the International Classification, this is an independent disease. Doctors also call it psychomyogenic, stress or idiopathic.

A burning sensation in the back of the head is a very unpleasant pain.

The patient compares the burning sensation in the occipital region to a mustard plaster applied to the neck. Often this symptom is accompanied by:

hyperemia of the eyeball;
tachycardia;
sweating;
dizziness;
tingling on the back of the head or in the frontal or temporal part of the head.

Often the burning sensation is accompanied by a feeling of compression and swelling in the back of the head, crawling sensations, and pulsation in the temples. Tension cephalalgia can occur periodically, acutely, with varying intensity, and be bilateral or unilateral.

The burning sensation can manifest itself both in typical areas (occipital, parietal) and migrate: the attack begins at one point and then spreads and can spread to the neck and shoulder.

Attacks rarely occur at night. More often, symptoms of tension headaches develop during the daytime.

Experts can make this diagnosis based on several criteria:

two-way localization;
squeezing, burning or constricting character;
symptoms do not worsen during exercise.
no nausea or vomiting.

These signs may include decreased appetite, increased pain from bright light or loud sounds.

Often this disorder affects young people between 30 and 40 who are engaged in mental work. And if this is accompanied by a prolonged sedentary lifestyle, increased emotional stress, and fixation of attention, the risks increase several times. If a person has experienced attacks of squeezing and burning bilateral pain about 5 times a month, which lasted about an hour and did not intensify after physical stress, there is no need to resort to treatment on your own. Episodic nature can develop into a chronic form. It is better to make an appointment with a neurologist and undergo a course of treatment.

Cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease associated with deformation of the vertebrae and degenerative changes in nearby tissues. There is a disruption in the blood supply to the brain, which leads to cephalgia, tinnitus, loss of vision, and sometimes disability. In recent years, this disease has been spreading at epidemic speed and affects young able-bodied men and women aged 25 to 40 years.

This kind of pain needs to be diagnosed.

Unfavorable factors include:

prolonged sitting at the computer;
talking on the phone with the receiver clamped between the ear and shoulder;
sitting in a car for a long time;
sedentary lifestyle.

A burning sensation in the occipital region of the head is the main symptom. Joining him:

aching pain in the back of the head, neck;
the shoulder burns, the hands may become numb;
heat in the face;
burning at the level of the shoulder blades.

The pain is quite strong and begins to intensify with movements of the head, eyeballs and spreads to the neck, shoulders, and back of the head.

With osteochondrosis, headaches often occur spontaneously. It is paroxysmal and the painful sensations do not gradually increase, but instantly reach their highest peaks. The attacks last about 10 minutes, mainly in the morning and reduce the ability to work, cause neuroses and changes in blood pressure.

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative and irreversible process, and in order to stop it, immediate examination and treatment is required. In addition to analgesics and antispasmodics, the patient is prescribed drugs that improve cerebral circulation and relieve muscle tension. Treatment is supplemented with vitamin B and nicotinic acid.

Cervical migraine

An attack of cervical migraine begins with its predecessors:

prodromal period;
aura.

In the prodromal stage, the emotional background and general well-being change. During the aura stage, vision, sensitivity and motor functions are impaired. The main symptom is pain localized in the occipital region and moving to the frontal and temporal. When you throw your head back, dizziness begins with darkening of the eyes. The attack is accompanied by a burning sensation in the back of the head, flashing of spots, fogginess, nausea and vomiting.

At a doctor's appointment with a diagnosis.

Causes of the disease:

cervical osteochondrosis;
damage to cartilage tissue;
congenital pathologies;
injuries;
atherosclerosis.

In the initial stages of development, symptoms appear periodically and do not significantly affect the quality of life. But if attacks appear more often, social adaptation is disrupted. The patient becomes nervous, depressed and irritable. Attacks of aggression are possible. And this affects all areas of life: work, family and leisure.

To treat the disease, anti-inflammatory, painkillers and diuretics are prescribed. The course is complemented by physical therapy, acupuncture and manual therapy.

Symptom treatment

Therapy for the pathological process directly depends on the cause of its occurrence. For cervical migraine, it is recommended to relieve the pain syndrome and direct therapy to eliminate the provoking factor. The same treatment regimen is used for occipital neuralgia. If a patient is diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, it is recommended to carry out complex therapy in accordance with the etiology of the disease and the clinical picture.

With spondylosis, patients are prescribed dietary nutrition, massage, medication treatment, and physical therapy. Intracranial hypertension is treated with the use of diuretics and lumbar puncture. In case of pathology, it is recommended to eliminate the cause of the increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid. If a person experiences hypothermia, he is provided with rest. Treatment is carried out with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. At the end of the acute period, warming up is recommended.

Arterial hypertension is treated with antihypertensive drugs. To alleviate the patient's condition, symptomatic therapy should be carried out. During the period of therapy, it is recommended to combat the provoking factor - obesity, metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis. For mental stress, relaxation techniques, massage, sedatives, and physiotherapy are used. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out with anti-inflammatory drugs and nootropics. Gymnastics, massage and physiotherapy are recommended.

In case of panic attacks, the patient should consult a psychologist. If there are diseases of the internal organs that provoke pathology, they are eliminated. Patients with chronic fatigue are advised to adjust their daily routine and ensure proper sleep. General strengthening drugs, vitamins and sedatives are recommended. For tension headaches, you need to normalize your daily routine, take sedatives and perform reflexology.

A burning sensation in the back of the head is a symptom of various diseases in the human body. To prescribe rational treatment, it is recommended to identify provoking factors.

The disease can be recognized by various symptoms. The burning sensation in the back of the head is not the main one. But it will be a sign that should not be ignored.

Each patient's symptoms are individual, expressed in a weak or more pronounced degree, with a short-term or long-term period. It all depends on the patient’s body and stress tolerance.

A burning sensation in the occipital part of the head is most often associated with the occipital nerve, which affects cervical osteochondrosis. If a person has been sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time, without moving, it may not appear immediately, but a little later: an unpleasant feeling of burning sensation will arise, which first appears at the back of the head, then in the temples.

Of course, itching and burning can occur as a result of an incorrectly selected hair product: shampoo, conditioner, dye, conditioner, masks and other care products. This circumstance can occur if hair care products are expired, cause an allergic reaction in a person, contain harmful components that are not suitable for use, and as a result, a burning sensation occurs on the scalp.

Hypertension and other possible causes

A common sign of high blood pressure is headache. It appears against the background of physical or mental stress, changes in atmospheric pressure and changes in air temperature. The initial stages are characterized by dizziness, foggy head, fever and a feeling of heaviness.

Typical signs of hypertension:

burning and squeezing pain in the occipital region;
throbbing pain in the parietal region;
dull and bursting in the frontal area.

The burning sensation and pain move from one area to another over the course of a day, intensifying during physical or mental stress. Sometimes the patient feels better after a nosebleed. People suffering from the disease have trouble sleeping. They are nervous and excitable.

Light massage!

Chronic fatigue, exhaustion, alcohol and nicotine abuse worsen venous outflow and are manifested by a burning sensation. Bad habits, abnormal daily routine and chronic stress destroy the body, and the brain is the first to suffer.

Rigidity of the neck and neck muscles and a burning sensation accompany subarachnoid hemorrhage. The occipital region burns after traumatic brain injury due to the formation of hematomas and cysts.

Tests, treatment, prevention

In order to establish the cause of the disease, you should:

undergo an examination by a therapist or neurologist;
take clinical blood and urine tests;
conduct magnetic resonance imaging;
do an electroencephalogram and echoencephalography.

In addition to drug treatment, sessions of manual therapy and acupuncture help improve blood supply to the brain.

If you experience regular pain, the following will help you cope:

an established regime of work activity and rest;
increased physical activity during sedentary work;
normalization of blood pressure;
elimination of bad habits, proper nutrition;
regular massage of the occipital region;
relaxation techniques.

Burning is a rather dangerous symptom that indicates serious health problems. You won’t be able to get rid of it with pills – analgesics. We need to find and eliminate the root cause of the pain.

Once the first signs appear, you cannot delay. You should contact a specialist as soon as possible, carry out a course of treatment and thereby avoid the development of serious consequences. Complications can lead to irreversible consequences and disability.

How did it all start? And what does the alarm clock have to do with it? First there was a slight burning sensation in the back of the head. I didn’t attach much importance to this - it often hurts, I’m over 60. But after a couple of days, the burning sensation in the back of my head intensified, it seemed as if mustard plaster had been applied to the back of my head - it was painful. And I really didn’t want to go to the doctor! What to do? How to get rid of pain in the back of the head at home? But to start getting rid of pain, you need to find out its cause. This is where I started, since the Internet exists - everything can be found.

First aid and subsequent treatment

If a burning sensation appears in the occipital region of the head, it is necessary to examine the back of the head and measure blood pressure. If the pressure is within normal limits and there has been no injury to the back of the head, the following actions will help reduce the intensity of the burning sensation in the back of the head:

Applying a terry towel soaked in cold water to the back of the head.
Relaxing self-massage of the neck and shoulder girdle.
Bath with sea salt or other relaxing and soothing agents.
Rest in a calm environment for 30-40 minutes.
No loud harsh sounds or bright lights.

A burning sensation in the back of the head occurs as a result of various diseases and difficult life situations, so you first need to accurately determine the cause of such sensations. In addition to treating the underlying disease, the appropriate specialist carries out general health improvement of the body. For this purpose the following are assigned:

sedatives;
restorative drugs;
immunomodulators;
vitamin complexes;
a course of physiotherapy;
relaxing massage;
special gymnastics.

If a burning sensation in the back of the head was provoked by difficult life circumstances, the patient is recommended to:

a change of scenery;
trip to a sanatorium;
eliminating irritating factors in life;
change of place of work and/or working conditions;
good sleep;
compliance with the regime;
proper nutrition;
rejection of bad habits.

What is important in this situation is the support of loved ones, pleasant emotions, an exciting hobby, etc. A burning sensation in the back of the head is caused by many dangerous diseases, so if such sensations recur, you should immediately visit a doctor.

Possible causes of burning in the back of the head

I found out that pain and burning in the back of the head can be for various reasons. To understand why the back of my head hurts, I began to analyze the possible causes and nature of the pain for each of them:

An increase in blood pressure may be accompanied by pain in the occipital region of the head, dizziness, and palpitations. The pain increases when the head is tilted.
This pain can occur when pressure inside the skull increases. This is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Intensifies with loud sounds and bright light.
A common cause is diseases of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis, etc.). With cervical osteochondrosis, there are frequent pains in the back of the head, temples and neck, accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and tinnitus. There may be darkening in the eyes, double vision of objects. With any movement of the head, the intensity of the pain increases.
Inflammation of the neck muscles caused by hypothermia, drafts, and prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position can also be the cause of this illness. In this case, the main symptom is pain in the neck when turning, tilting the head, burning in the back of the head and shoulder.
Inflammation of the occipital nerve causes severe attacks of burning in the occipital region of the head, which spread to the neck, back, and ears. Any head movements or coughing increase the pain.
Vascular pain with spasm of the arteries, difficulty in the outflow of blood from the head, starting from the back of the head, spreading throughout the head. When coughing or lowering the head, the pain increases.
There are pains in the back of the head associated with the profession. They arise from tension in the neck muscles when staying in one position for a long time (typical of transport drivers working at a computer). When moving the head, rubbing the back of the head, neck, the pain and burning sensation become less.
Burning and pain in the back of the head can occur due to severe stress - the nature of the pain can be different.
Pain in the occipital and frontal parts of the head can occur with heavy physical exertion. Tingling and heaviness appear.
A burning sensation in the back of the head can occur due to a malocclusion, and when opening the mouth, a click is felt in the jaw joint.

The cause of burning pain is stressful situations

Another very common cause of burning pain in the back of the head and initially the neck is mental stress . If a person is constantly nervous, stress will greatly affect his health. A symptom of this condition is exactly that – a burning pain in the back of the head and neck. People suffering from this said that it is a pain in which the back of the head and neck seem to be on fire, the pain is so strong and unpleasant.

Severe depression may also involve severe nerve disorder. As has been verified, stress can strike not only outside the home, but anywhere. This can happen on the street, at a party, but most often either at work or at home, oddly enough.

The worst way for a person to perceive this condition is in his own home, where he constantly lives and feels protected. This is precisely why strong unexpected stress occurs; a person cannot stand it because, naively hoping that home is a place where he is completely protected from any adversity, where it is cozy and calm, he too quickly sees the real reality. He earns himself stress if sudden and negative changes happen there. A simple quarrel can cause stress. The consequences are as follows – burning pain in the back of the head and neck.

Also, such pain comes to the person who neglects his abilities and, of course, his health too much. This refers to excessive brain overstrain, which concerns the mental department of a person. If you stay indoors all the time, and, moreover, constantly, without interruption, engage in work that requires intense mental work, the brain may ultimately not be able to withstand it, and then a malfunction of all functioning systems of the body and human organs will begin. Symptoms of such mental overstrain are burning pains in the back of the head, that is, in the back of the head, as well as in the neck.

What caused the burning sensation in the back of the head?

After researching the possible causes, I began to analyze my symptoms:

Blood pressure was a little high (143 over 91), but acceptable for my age.
I did not measure intracranial pressure, but there was no characteristic increase in pain with loud sounds or increasing light brightness.
The burning sensation was localized only in the back of my head, but there was no headache.
The bite is fine.
There was no stress or excessive physical activity.
And most importantly, with any movements the pain did not intensify, but on the contrary, it was felt less. Moreover, it arose after working on a laptop for a long time.

The reason for my problems became clear. Although I knew that sitting in one position for a long time was harmful, I did not control myself enough, because time flies quickly when working, and I want to do more.

How I got rid of pain in the back of my head

Having understood the reason, I did not go to the doctors - let them deal with more complex cases. I dealt with my problem with simple exercises and self-massage.

Exercises to relieve pain, burning in the back of the head

Sitting on a chair with your torso straight, bow your head (under your own weight), slowly count to 20 (about 20 seconds), then straighten up, rest for the same amount of time, and repeat again. So 15 times.
Place your thumbs on the edges of your cheekbones and clasp the back of your head with the remaining fingers of both hands. Inhale slowly (count to 10), look up, throwing your head back (while resisting the movement with your fingers on the back of your head). Then exhale the same slowly, tilting your head as far down as possible, but without straining your muscles. So 4 – 6 times.
At the bottom of the back of the head (between the cervical vertebra and the skull), use your middle fingers to feel the painful point. Place your fingertips on it, make (clockwise) 15 rotational movements, then press on this point for 1.5 minutes, rest for 2 minutes. Repeat this 4 – 6 times.

To improve blood circulation, I tried to move my neck more often: I tilted my head forward, turned it left and right, tilted it towards my shoulders, pushed it forward, and did rotations. In addition to these exercises, self-massage helped. It's very simple:

massage your ears with the palms of your hands;
then, starting from the back of the head, massage the entire head with soft fingertips (palms should touch the ears throughout the entire procedure);
After massaging everything, return to the back of your head.

This is how I managed to eliminate the burning sensation in the back of my head. And to prevent this problem from appearing again, I now work on a laptop with an alarm clock (remember the question and photo at the beginning of the article?). Every hour I turn it on and when I call for 15-20 minutes I go to warm up, walk around, and do something else.

I described this case so that my experience could become a warning for you, dear readers. And if pain and burning in the back of your head is also a problem for you, try to eliminate it as simply as I managed to do. Good health to you!

Author: Lyudmila Kirilkina

Patients often complain of a burning sensation in the back of the head, as if mustard plaster had been applied to the head. What diseases cause this symptom?

Burning in the head: patient complaints

When visiting a doctor, the main complaints about a burning sensation in the head are as follows: a feeling of mustard plaster on a separate part of the head; sometimes the burning sensation radiates to the shoulders or chest.

Often, a burning sensation in the back of the head is accompanied by the following symptoms:

redness of the eyes;
tachycardia (heart beats rapidly);
throws into sweat;
tingling in the head.

All these symptoms appear from time to time all together, sometimes only a burning pain in the head is felt.

How symptoms may appear

A burning sensation in the scalp can manifest itself in different ways:

burning inside the head;
attacks appear periodically;
feeling as if overheated in the sun;
tightening of the skin on the head;
monotonous throbbing pain inside the head;

Throbbing pain in the head can indicate many diseases
heat in forehead;
pulls the throat and neck;
pain in temples;
girdle pain - it seems to arise inside and covers the entire head;
burning in the cervical region.

Burning in the head: causes

If you feel a burning sensation in your head, the cause is usually well known to medicine. There are few diseases that cause this symptom.

Cervical osteochondrosis

With cervical osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine become deformed and undergo dystrophy. This type of osteochondrosis is the most dangerous because the disease disrupts the blood supply to the brain. The consequences of an advanced form of cervical osteochondrosis are very sad: from tinnitus and headaches to loss of vision and the ability to move independently.

The disease is rapidly spreading among people 25-40 years old, who spend more and more time in a physiologically incorrect position:

sitting at the computer;
talking on the phone, holding it with their shoulder;
sit in the car for a long time.

There are many factors that provoke the disease.

A burning sensation in the head is one of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. Other symptoms indicating the presence of the disease:

aching pain in the back of the head and neck;
the pain radiates to the shoulder or arm, sometimes the fingers go numb;
crunch in the neck and pain when turning the head;
pain and burning between the shoulder blades;
numbness of the face, tongue, etc.

Sympatho-adrenaline crisis

With the sudden activation of the sympathetic nervous system, a sympatho-adrenaline crisis begins, which in Europe and the USA is called a panic attack. This disease affects about 2.5% of the world's population.

The attack lasts 6-8 hours and is accompanied by painful symptoms:

fear of death;
suffocation;
unbearable headaches;
a jump in blood pressure above 200 mm Hg;
tachycardia, heart pain;
chills.

There are many reasons why panic attacks occur:

severe stress;
tumor of the adrenal glands, spine, spinal cord;
pathological processes in the hypothalamus of the brain.

Physical or emotional exhaustion

Depletion of the body's internal resources leads to many serious consequences that can become irreversible. With chronic fatigue, healthy vascular tone is disrupted and blood flow from the brain worsens. Retention of blood in the brain is manifested by a burning sensation in the head.

Severe fatigue often requires urgent hospitalization and subsequent inpatient treatment of the patient.

Wrong lifestyle

If the body is exposed to the destructive effects of alcohol, nicotine, chronic stress for a long time or lives in an abnormal mode, its rapid destruction begins, which also affects the brain. A burning sensation in the head is one of the symptoms of impaired cerebral blood supply due to bad habits.

Arterial hypertension

With hypertension, tension occurs in the walls of the arteries and a decrease in their lumen. As a result, blood pressure increases in the narrowed vessels.

In addition to a burning sensation in the back of the head, hypertension is manifested by the following symptoms:

pain (pulsation) in the back of the head, temples and crown of the head - they intensify with any mental or physical effort;
dizziness;
visual impairment, etc.

Brain tumors

Demyelination of the brain When there is a lack of a substance such as myelin in the brain, the myelin sheaths of nerve fibers that insulate them are destroyed. Then the nerve fibers themselves are destroyed. This is a serious disease that requires urgent specialized treatment.

Patient Questions

Question: I am 30 years old. I often have burning pains in my head, as if it were on fire. The pressure is sometimes low, severe dizziness and the back of the head burns and moves to the side. I work at the computer and rarely go for walks. What happened with me?

Answer : You have a neuropathic headache. More likely, the nerve root was simply pinched by the neck muscles. This can cause cervical osteochondrosis, which causes the following symptoms: tinnitus, decreased vision, fainting, balance problems, darkening of the eyes. You need to make an appointment with a neurologist and have the brachiocephalic arteries examined.

Pinched nerve root

Question : I am 49 years old, weight 56 kg. Recently I felt as if the back of my head and neck were burning. I have a sedentary job, these symptoms appear in the afternoon. I went to a therapist, they prescribed me Kombilipen injections, Artrosan injections, and then it came in tablets. I didn't notice any changes. Next I was referred to a neurologist. He prescribed Katadolon, Neuromultivit tablets. The burning sensation in my head has decreased slightly. I am currently taking Carbamazepine. A burning sensation rarely appears in the back of the head, but remains in the neck. I really don’t like that I’m undergoing treatment, but there’s almost no result. Do I need to undergo additional diagnostics, and is it possible to cure these dangerous symptoms?

Answer : Go through an additional examination - MRI of the cervical spine and brain. And only after this should treatment begin. Medicines should make up 25% of all treatments. It is necessary to add therapeutic exercises, physiotherapeutic procedures, and lifestyle changes. There is no point in waiting and hoping that only pills can help. The main thing is proper treatment and prevention.

Question: I am 25 years old. Recently I was driving a car and got seasick. When I got out of the car, I vomited, and a sharp pain appeared on the left side of the back of my head, inside my head. Aching pain appears periodically for the third day. When I touch the place at the back of my head, I feel pain. There was no temperature or pressure for 2 days, but there was nausea and vomiting. On the 3rd day, severe burning pain appeared in the parietal region, and the pressure jumped. I took pills for high blood pressure, felt better for 3 hours, then the symptoms returned again. There were no problems with blood pressure before. What happened to me?

Answer : Most likely, you had a hypertensive crisis, but there could also be some other neurological problem, which is why your blood pressure has risen. You need to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible; you cannot take medications without consultation. Before seeing a doctor, ensure yourself peace, reduce the stress on your body, drink more, for example, tea with lemon and honey.

Video: muscle spasm is the cause of neck pain. How to do without pills and injections

If you experience a burning sensation in the back of your head several times a month, you should not ignore it. Especially if painkillers don’t help. In this case, you need to undergo an examination to find the cause of the pain and begin timely treatment. Delay can lead to complications . Be healthy!

Which of the following treatment methods, in your opinion, is the most effective? Share in the comments!

Burning in the head: tests

In order to determine the disease that causes a burning sensation in the head, various tests are performed. It is better to undergo all the tests prescribed by your doctor to rule out the presence of a serious illness.

What tests are prescribed for complaints of a burning sensation in the head?

General examination by a therapist, general urine and blood tests.
Consultation with an ophthalmologist.
X-ray of the skull - to identify a tumor or injury.
Electroencephalogram - allows you to detect the presence of sympatho-adrenal paroxysm.
Echoencephalography - ultrasound examination of the skull - reveals disturbances in the blood supply to the brain, intracranial pressure, etc.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the head to detect brain tumors or demyelination of nerve fibers.

Diagnostics: how to examine a patient

Before treating burning pain in the back of the head, you must make an appointment with a therapist, neurologist and ophthalmologist.

Doctors should prescribe the following types of examination of the body:

general or biochemical analysis of blood and urine;
checking the fundus using a special apparatus;
electroencephalography is a method for finding large tumors based on the Doppler effect using ultrasound. This method records electrical impulses in the brain, builds a graph based on them and shows whether a person has epilepsy or other brain abnormalities.

Echoencephalography
daily monitoring of blood pressure (blood pressure). This monitors a person's blood pressure for 24 hours. This method most accurately determines whether a person has hypertension.

Daily blood pressure monitoring
computed tomography (CT). This method diagnoses various head diseases.
Ultrasound of the vessels of the head.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is an X-ray examination of vascular and other pathologies. The method is harmless, unlike x-rays.

MRI of the brain

Doctors also use the method of differential diagnosis - this is finding a disease by exclusion.

Burning in the head: treatment

Treatment of such a symptom as a burning sensation in the head occurs in complex therapy of the disease that causes it: hypertension, cervical osteochondrosis or panic attacks.

In order to normalize the blood supply to the brain, the disruption of which most often causes a burning sensation in the head, the following therapeutic and preventive measures are recommended.

Manual therapy - massage performed by a qualified (!) specialist helps restore healthy blood supply to the brain.

Acupuncture. Yoga and Pilates classes under the guidance of an experienced instructor. Studying the technique of diaphragmatic breathing. Normalization of work and rest schedules. It is recommended to devote enough time to sleep at night (at least 8 hours), and walk in the fresh air for 15-20 minutes every day. Pay attention to your diet. Proper nutrition normalizes the functioning of all organs and systems of the body. Rejection of bad habits.

A burning sensation in the head most often occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. With complex treatment of the disease that causes this symptom, the burning sensation also stops.

Burning pain and heat in the back of the head can rightfully be called a disease of civilization, since they most often develop against the background of diseases associated with the intense urban rhythm of life. Despite the development of science and new technologies that people come up with to make their lives easier, every year the rhythm of life becomes more and more tense.

There are many reasons that cause pain in the back of the head.

Most people with higher education lead a sedentary lifestyle: working in an office, traveling in a car. At the same time, during the day, the human brain works constantly and intensely and is continuously exposed to stressful situations. As a result, by the end of the working day a person is completely exhausted and does not have enough strength to go to the gym or take a walk in the evening park with his child. In the pursuit of progress and success, a person catches up with diseases, many of which cause a burning sensation in the back of the head.

Complex of medical procedures

If a burning sensation in the back of the head appears due to cervical osteochondrosis, then the following complex treatment is prescribed:

NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets, ointments and injections: Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Ortofen. They cope with pain.
Muscle relaxants: Sirdalud, Mydocalm. The drugs relax the neck muscles well.

Sirdalud
Chondroprotectors: Artra, Chondrolone, Chondroxide, Dona. Improves the condition of bone tissue and prevents its destruction.
Anti-inflammatory ointments: Voltaren Emulgel, Finalgon. Relieves inflammation, improves tissue metabolism.

Physiotherapeutic procedures:

electrophoresis;
massage;
physiotherapy;
manual therapy;
Kuznetsov applicator.

When carrying out these procedures, complete disappearance of pain is possible for a long period.

If a cardiologist has discovered arterial hypertension, then the disease is treated with the following means:

Beta blockers. They reduce the amount of blood ejected by the heart: Bisoprolol, Metoprolol.

Bisoprolol
Antispasmodics: Drotaverine, Papaverine. They dilate blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.
Drugs that block calcium channels: Nifedipine, Amlodipine.
Diuretics that remove excess fluid from tissues: Veroshpiron.

For intracranial hypertension the following is used:

Diuretics: Veroshpiron, Furosemide.

Veroshpiron
Vasodilators: Cavinton, Cinnarizine.

The use of these drugs in combination improves blood circulation and eliminates arterial hyperemia of the brain - overflow of blood vessels.

For attacks of tension-type headaches, muscle relaxants are prescribed to relieve facial muscle spasms.

For a burning sensation in the back of the head as a result of stress, the following procedures help well:

relaxing massage;
physiotherapy;
taking medicinal baths;
rejection of bad habits;
daily walks in the fresh air.

To eliminate the symptoms of VSD and panic attacks, make an appointment with a neurologist. Nootropic and sedative drugs are usually prescribed. They normalize blood circulation and slow down pathological processes in the central nervous system.

Burning pain in the head can be relieved by normalizing blood pressure, improving sleep quality, or practicing swimming, yoga, or meditation. It is important to follow a special diet.

Helpful advice! Keep a special notebook where you will write down when and why the pain occurred. Once you find triggers, try to avoid them in the future.

If the back of your head begins to “burn” due to extreme fatigue, then you can make an appointment with a psychotherapist and start taking sedative medications. It will be useful to exchange mental labor for physical labor or vice versa. Take a vacation.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine

As a result of degenerative changes that develop in the cartilage tissue between the vertebrae, the cartilage loses its elasticity and strength. Gradually, the thickness of the cartilaginous plates of the intervertebral disc decreases, protrusions or hernias occur, and osteophytes appear, which pinch the nerve roots emerging from the spinal cord through the intervertebral foramina. Neuralgia develops, which causes spasm of the muscles of the neck and back of the head. Muscle spasm often causes a burning sensation in the back of the head.

With osteochondrosis, the pain intensifies after a long forced position, for example, at the end of the day spent at the computer or in a car seat, as well as after sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

The development of cervical osteochondrosis is promoted by a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, poor diet, lack of exercise, and uncomfortable bedding.

These factors have a particularly strong effect on middle-aged and older people, when metabolic processes in the body physiologically decrease.

Pain in cervical osteochondrosis is provoked by impaired blood flow and pinched nerve fibers

Treatment of burning sensation in the occipital region caused by spinal osteochondrosis is impossible without physical exercise. There are special complexes of physical therapy that are easy to perform for people of any physical shape. They take only ten to fifteen minutes a day, but can significantly alleviate the condition.

Prevention

To prevent a burning sensation in the back of the head, you must adhere to the following rules:

exclude fatty, spicy, salty foods, chocolate from the diet;
give up alcohol and smoking;
limit physical and mental stress on the body;
try to rest more during the day;
massage the neck and back of the head daily;
enhanced blood pressure control.

Helpful advice! Set an alarm every 20 minutes when you work at the computer for a break. Stretch or do therapeutic exercises. This will help prevent tension in the neck and a burning sensation in the back of the head.

Arterial hypertension

A sedentary lifestyle and constant stress are risk factors for hypertension, which also often causes a condition where “the head is burning in the back of the head.” As a rule, burning pain in hypertension occurs when blood pressure rises and is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, weakness, and often palpitations.

The first step in treating burning headaches associated with hypertension is to measure your blood pressure and take antihypertensive medications. Recommendations on the choice of medication should be obtained from a doctor, since all medications have contraindications and side effects.

Stress and overexertion

Stressful situations and intense mental work are often accompanied by the release of neurotransmitters and other active substances that can cause burning and heat in the back of the head. In most cases, relaxing treatments (massage, bath, exercise), as well as herbal teas with mint, lemon balm and honey, help relieve such headaches. You should not relieve stress with alcohol or high-calorie foods; such “antidepressants” can only increase pain and also lead to serious consequences (liver disease, excess weight, diabetes).

Mental stress can contribute to the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the back of the head

CNS disorders and brain diseases

Prolonged stressful situations and constant mental work of increased intensity lead to the release of various active substances that cause a burning sensation in the back of the head. In this case, the following procedures will help correct the situation and improve the general condition of the body:

massage;
special gymnastics;
bath with added nutrients;
decoctions of medicinal plants;
walks in the open air;
calm lifestyle.

Neuralgia or neuritis of the nerves and nerve endings located in the back of the head, neck and upper back causes a burning sensation in the back of the head. Other symptoms may include paresthesia, sensory disturbances, pain in the cervical-occipital region, and increased skin sensitivity.

Treatment is carried out with special medications. Additionally, physiotherapeutic procedures are included in the course of treatment. All appointments are made by a neurologist.

Organic damage to the soft tissues of the brain often leads to the patient’s occipital region of the head starting to burn. The cause of the pathology can be diseases such as:

stroke;
meningitis;
migraine;
brain tumor;
encephalitis.

Neuralgia and neuritis

Inflammation of nerve fibers is often accompanied by persistent pain in the area of innervation of the affected nerve. Burning and heat in the back of the head occurs with neuritis of the occipital nerve, as well as the nerve endings emerging at the level of the cervical spine. Often the pain is intense, burning and cannot be treated with analgesics. As a rule, in addition to pain with neuritis, other symptoms develop, such as sensory disturbances. When you touch the scalp, the pain intensifies, and paresthesia often appears (a sensation of crawling, tingling).

Treatment of neuritis is carried out by a neurologist; often the course of treatment includes not only medications, but also physical procedures. Therapy is carried out for a long time, several months, in rare cases even a year.

Other diseases

Since each person is individual, pain symptoms manifest themselves differently in everyone. Many patients may feel a burning sensation, as the equivalent of pain, with organic damage to brain structures, such as the initial manifestations of strokes, meningitis, encephalitis, or brain tumors. A burning sensation may be accompanied by an attack of migraine pain.

If you often experience burning pain and heat in the occipital region, as well as dizziness, you should consult a doctor to identify the causes of such symptoms, so as not to miss the initial stage of the development of a serious pathology, at which almost all diseases are treatable.