Do you have pain in the back of your head?

summary

Occipital neuralgia refers to the pain in the distribution area of greater occipital nerve and lesser occipital nerve. The minor occipital nerve is mainly distributed in the skin of the upper part of the auricle and the lateral part of the occipital, while the great auricular nerve is mainly distributed in the anterior and posterior parts of the lower part of the auricle, the surface of the parotid gland and the mandibular angle. When the three nerves are involved, it can cause pain in the occipital and neck, often in the form of neuralgia. In the early stage, the degeneration of cervical intervertebral disc, the decrease of water content in nucleus pulposus and the swelling and thickening of fiber in annulus fibrosus, followed by vitreous degeneration and even rupture. So, how to diagnose chronic occipital pain?

Do you have pain in the back of your head?

Cervical rib and anterior scalenus syndrome: the patient is younger, mainly presenting with symptoms of compression of the lower trunk of the brachial plexus, such as numbness of the medial side of the upper limb, atrophy of the thenar and interosseous muscles. Because the subclavian artery is often compressed at the same time, the affected limb is pale and cool, and the pulsation of the radial artery is weakened or disappeared.

Spinal canal extramedullary subdural tumor, intervertebral foramen and peripheral neurofibroma, tumor near the apex of lung can cause upper limb pain. CT or MRI can directly show the tumor image, and the patient also has Horner's syndrome.

Neuralgic muscular atrophy: often involving the C5 distribution area, causing severe pain, shoulder muscle weakness and atrophy. However, the sensory disturbance is mild, and the symptoms can be relieved quickly, and generally do not involve the neck. Angina pectoris: pain can radiate to the upper limbs and shoulder and neck, but mostly paroxysmal, oral nitroglycerin tablets can alleviate, the patient has a history of coronary heart disease, generally not difficult to identify.

matters needing attention

Occipital neuralgia refers to the pain in the distribution area of greater occipital nerve and lesser occipital nerve. The minor occipital nerve is mainly distributed in the skin of the upper part of the auricle and the lateral part of the occipital, while the great auricular nerve is mainly distributed in the anterior and posterior parts of the lower part of the auricle, the surface of the parotid gland and the mandibular angle.