What Are The Symptoms Of Headaches Behind The Eyes
The symptoms that accompany headaches behind your eyes vary with the kind of headache you experience. Likewise, while you may have a migraine or tension headache, your symptoms will vary.
Similar types of pain often occur with several different kinds of headaches, which makes it challenging for doctors to diagnose them without information about your lifestyle. To identify which headaches you experience, look for specific symptoms associated with each one.
Migraines go beyond the pain in your head and may come with sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, weakness, mood changes, and even an aura before the headache begins. These headaches usually occur only on one side of the head.
Tension headaches can happen once or for several months, at which point your doctor will diagnose them as chronic headaches. Aside from pain behind your eyes, you may experience head tension, head tenderness, and forehead pressure.
Cluster headaches, like migraines, occur on one side of the head and create extreme pain. You might also feel sweaty or flushed, have teary or red eyes, and feel congested or have a runny nostril.
Sinus headaches can trigger pain anywhere your sinuses reach, including your eyes, nose, cheeks, forehead, and teeth. These headaches often accompany allergy symptoms like congestion, nasal discharge, and even fever. With sinus pain, you may notice the pain worsening over the course of the day.
A Constant Headache Plus Ongoing Pressure Behind An Eye Would Be An Emergency Situation Under Certain Circumstances While Under Others Would Be Less Serious
Migraines are a common cause of headache and pressure behind the eye, says Kaushal M. Kulkarni, MD, board certified ophthalmologist and neuro-ophthalmologist in private practice in New York.
Though migraines can send a person to the ER, due to their alarming degree of pain, they are not a medical emergency.
Dr. Kulkarni also explains, There are many other possible causes including high intraocular pressure, high cerebrospinal fluid pressure, inflammation in or around the eye, or compression of the eye socket.
If there is swelling, redness, or bulging of the eye or eye socket , any change in vision, ringing in the ears or any other neurologic symptoms, this would require immediate attention.
Of course, as you already surely know, a brain tumor can cause what a patient might describe as a constant headache with pressure behind an eye.
But if these are your only two symptoms, and especially if youve had them for many months, it probably isnt a brain tumor.
Nevertheless, a doctor will want to get a CT scan of your head, and perhaps an MRI, as these tools can yield a lot of information.
A definitive diagnosis cannot be made based on an office exam and questionnaire.
The imaging may include your neck , since problems in the cervical vertebrae such as a pinched nerve can cause frequent headaches and/or pain behind an eye.
Dr. Kulkarnihas a special interest in optic nerve regeneration.
Why Your Head Hurts Behind Your Left Eye
Headaches have the tendency to develop at just about any time anywhere. It can affect you while working, in your home, or when you are doing daily activities. The pain of a headache can be throbbing or dull, sharp or located in a pinpoint area of the head. Headaches are miserable and all you want to do is to let the pain go away. If you can identify the cause of the headache, it can help manage the headache and can prevent getting other headaches in the future. But what about having a headache behind the left eye?
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How Are Headaches Diagnosed In A Child
The healthcare provider will ask about your childs symptoms and health history. He or she may also ask about your familys health history. He or she will give your child a physical exam. The physical exam may include a neurological exam.
Your child may be asked questions, such as:
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When do headaches happen?
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How long does the pain last?
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Do changes in position such as sitting up cause the headache?
You may be asked questions about your child, such as:
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Does your child have changes in walking?
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Does your child have changes in behavior or personality?
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Is your child having trouble sleeping?
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Does your child have a history of emotional stress?
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Is there a history of injury to your child’s head or face?
If a more serious condition is suspected ,your child may also have tests, such as:
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MRI. This test uses large magnets and a computer to make detailed images of organs and tissues in the body.
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CT scan. This test uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays.
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Spinal tap . This test measures cerebrospinal fluid pressure. It may also be used to check for an infection in the CSF.
Causes Of Headache Behind The Eye
Migraines
These headaches often begin with pain around your eye and temple. They can spread to the back of your head. You might also have an aura, which can include visual signs like a halo or flashing lights that sometimes come before the pain starts.
You may also have nausea, a runny nose, or congestion. You could be sensitive to light, sounds, or smells. Migraine headaches can last several hours to a few days.
Tension headaches
These are the most common types of headaches. They usually cause a dull pain on both sides of your head or across the front of your head, behind your eyes. Your shoulders and neck may also hurt. Tension headaches might last 20 minutes to a few hours.
Cluster headaches
These cause severe pain around your eyes, often around just one eye. They usually come in groups. You may have several of them every day for weeks and then not have any for a year or more before they start again.
Along with the pain, you may also have watery eyes, congestion, and a red, flushed face. The attacks last 30 to 60 minutes and are so strong that you may be restless and can’t stand still while they happen. Cluster headaches aren’t very common and mostly happen in men.
Sinus headaches
A sinus infection can cause a headache around your eyes, nose, forehead, cheeks, and upper teeth. This is where your sinuses are. Youâll often also have a fever, congestion, and a thick nasal discharge. The pain usually gets worse throughout the day.
Eyestrain
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How Can I Feel Better
Most headaches will go away if a person rests or sleeps. When you get a headache, lie down in a cool, dark, quiet room and close your eyes. It may help to put a cool, moist cloth across your forehead or eyes. Relax. Breathe easily and deeply.
If a headache doesn’t go away or it’s really bad, you may want to take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You can buy these in drugstores under various brand names, and your drugstore may carry its own generic brand. It’s a good idea to avoid taking aspirin for a headache because it may cause a rare but dangerous disease called Reye syndrome.
If you are taking over-the-counter pain medicines more than twice a week for headaches, or if you find these medicines are not working for you, talk to your doctor.
Most headaches are not a sign that something more is wrong. But if your headaches are intense and happen often, there are lots of things a doctor can do, from recommending changes in your diet to prescribing medicine. You don’t have to put up with the pain!
What Are The Symptoms Of Ice Pick Headaches
An ice pick headache may cause a single stabbing pain or a series of quick pains. In 8 out of 10 instances, each stabbing pain lasts less than three seconds.
These head pains:
- Happen without warning.
- Move from front to back on the same side of the head.
- Move from right to left on either the front or back of the head.
- Occur sporadically once a day or several times a day. Its rare to get ice pick headaches over several consecutive days.
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Living With Constant Headaches
For most of us, an occasional headache is nothing more than a temporary speed bump in the course of a busy day. Even so, most men can ease the problem with simple lifestyle measures and nonprescription medications. Relaxation techniques, biofeedback, yoga, and acupuncture may also help. But for some of us, headaches are a big problem. Learn to recognize warning signs that call for prompt medical care. Work with your doctor to develop a program to prevent and treat migraines and other serious headaches. And don’t fall into the trap of overusing medications for some gents, rebound headaches are the biggest pain of all.
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When Should I Call The Doctor
If you think your headaches may be migraines, you’ll want to see a doctor to treat them and learn ways to try to avoid getting the headaches in the first place. Sometimes relaxation exercises or changes in diet or sleeping habits are all that’s needed. But if needed, a doctor also can prescribe medicine to help control the headaches.
You’ll also want to see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms as well as a headache:
- changes in vision, such as blurriness or seeing spots
- tingling sensations
- weakness, dizziness, or difficulty walking or standing
- neck pain or stiffness
If you do see a doctor for headaches, he or she will probably want to do an exam and get your to help figure out what might be causing them.
The doctor may ask you:
- how severe and frequent your headaches are
- when they happen
- about any medicine you take
- about any allergies you have
- if you’re feeling stressed
- about your diet, habits, sleeping patterns, and what seems to help or worsen the headaches
The doctor may also do blood tests or imaging tests, such as a CAT scan or MRI of the brain, to rule out medical problems.
Sometimes doctors will refer people with headaches they think might be migraines or a symptom of a more serious problem to a specialist like a , a doctor who specializes in the brain and nervous system.
It’s very rare that headaches are a sign of something serious. But see a doctor if you get headaches a lot or have a headache that:
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So How Can I Stop Having Headaches Behind My Eyes
It really depends. If you can pinpoint the cause of your headaches, its a good idea to try some of the treatment methods we just covered to help you feel better. In most cases, over-the-counter medications are effective, Dr. Sachdev says. But if headaches behind your eyes are a regular thing for you and theyre messing with your ability to go about your life, Dr. Sachdev says its time to rope in a professional for help.
Treating Sinus Headaches With Advent
While sinus headaches may be confused with migraines or tension headaches, they are common if you suffer from sinusitis or have issues within The Breathing Triangle®.
Not to worry, there are many simple in-office solutions for you to solve your chronic sinus headaches. In fact, ADVENT has helped over 30,000 people get to the root of their sinus and sleep issues for good…
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Medication And Painkiller Headaches
Some headaches are a side effect of taking a particular medication. Frequent headaches can also be caused by taking too many painkillers. This is known as a painkiller or medication-overuse headache.
A medication-overuse headache will usually get better within a few weeks once you stop taking the painkillers that are causing it. But, pain may get worse for a few days before it starts to improve.
You Have A Tension Headache
A tension headache is the most common type of headache, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine . You can get a tension headache for a slew of different reasons, including stress or muscle tension in your neck, scalp, or head. Tension headaches typically make you feel like theres a band thats squeezing your head, causing pain in your forehead or on both sides and the back of your head, according to the Mayo Clinic.
But that band of pain can extend to behind your eyes too, Dr. Mikhail says. Muscle tightness causes the headache,1 and the muscles around the eyes can be affected, he says. That can cause pain around the eye and behind the eye.
If youre playing headache detective, keep in mind that tension headaches tend to come on slowly and usually cause mild to moderate pain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In general, they feel like a dull ache, Amit Sachdev, MD, the director of the division of neuromuscular medicine at Michigan State University, tells SELF.
Treatment for tension headaches usually involves pain-relieving medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, or meds that combine a pain reliever like aspirin or acetaminophen with caffeine, per the Mayo Clinic.
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Headache Behind Or Above The Right Eye: Causes And Treatments
Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health
Headaches are a source of pain and misery and having a headache behind or above your right eye can be especially distressing. Experiencing pain on the right side of your forehead can feel like extreme pressure that creates a dull ache behind your eye. Sometimes the headache above your right eye can become more intense and feel like stabbing or shooting pains that radiate from the right side of your forehead and cause pain at the back of your head.
Depending on the cause of your headache above or behind your eye, you may experience other temporary symptoms. For example, migraines typically affect just one side of your head and can cause flashing lights, nausea, and throbbing pain. If nerves on one side of your head are affected, then you could experience extreme headaches on the affected side. Or, if your headache behind one or both eyes is caused by blocked sinuses, you will also have a stuffy nose and other symptoms of a respiratory infection.
In this article, you will find out what can cause headaches behind or above the right eye. You will also learn how to treat these kinds of headaches that only affect the right side of your head. If you are concerned about the intensity or severity of headaches behind your eyes, the article also discusses when you should see a doctor.
How To Diagnose And Treat Your Headaches
There are many aspects to a headache and location is only a piece of the puzzle. To get the right treatment for your headache, you need the right diagnosis. And that starts with an appointment with your health care provider.
Its always good to speak with your doctor if your headache starts to interfere with your everyday life, if the headaches youve had are suddenly different or if they seem to be progressing in severity or frequency, Dr. Yancy said.
Your health care provider will want to know the quality of the pain, how often your headaches occur, how long they last, the severity, the patterns to time of onset and whether the pain worsens with changes in body position. Its also helpful to determine if the headaches are associated with other symptoms, such as sensitivity to lights and sounds, visual changes, dizziness, weakness and numbness, Dr. Yancy advised.
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Treatment For Headaches Behind The Eyes
Over-the-counter pain medication can often relieve mild or moderate headaches, but prescription medication may be necessary when the pain is severe.
A doctor may prescribe antidepressants, antiseizure medications, or oral birth control pills as preventive measures for people who experience frequent migraine headaches. A person may find relief from a migraine episode by resting in a darkened room. Placing a cool, damp towel over the eyes may help, as well.
Muscle relaxants are a short-term option for the management of tension headaches.
If a person has headaches caused by bacterial sinusitis, a doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics. However, nasal decongestant sprays are a good option if sinusitis is due to an allergy or viral infection.
People can often relieve eye strain due to long-term computer or other screen use by following the 20-20-20 rule.
Addressing the underlying causes of headaches behind the eyes can help a person manage them at home.
Avoiding the following triggers may help you to prevent the onset of migraine:
15 sourcescollapsed
- Burch, R., et al. . The prevalence and impact of migraine and severe headache in the United States: Updated age, sex, and socioeconomic specific estimates from government health surveys.
Massage Therapy To Treat Right
If tension causes your headaches or if you have throbbing pains behind or around your right eye because of a migraine, you should try some massage therapy. Sometimes, even just gently massaging your temples or the back of your neck is enough to relieve tension and help lift a headache.
The American Journal of Public Health reported that massage therapy can help to give relief from tension headaches and prevent them from recurring. The research found that massaging the right and left temples was an effective way to get rid of tension headaches quickly and prevent them from returning.24
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Medications And Home Care
You can start by drinking more water. You may be dehydrated and need to increase your water intake. Also, you should consider how much sleep youre getting.
Lack of sleep can lead to tension headaches, so be sure to get plenty of sleep. And make sure you dont skip any meals, since hunger can trigger headaches.
If none of those strategies work, then you can take over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, to get rid of a tension headache. However, these should only be used occasionally.
Using OTC medications too much may lead to overuse or rebound headaches. These types of headaches occur when you become so accustomed to a medication that you experience pain when it wears off.
OTC drugs are sometimes not enough to treat recurring tension headaches. In such cases, a healthcare professional may give you a prescription for medication, such as:
If pain relievers arent working, they may prescribe a muscle relaxant. This is a medication that helps stop muscle contractions.
A healthcare professional may also prescribe an antidepressant, such as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor . SSRIs can stabilize your brains levels of serotonin and can help you cope with stress.
They may also recommend other strategies, such as:
The following may also ease your tension headache:
- Apply a heating pad or ice pack to your head for 5 to 10 minutes several times a day.
- Take a hot bath or shower to relax tense muscles.
- any situations that trigger stress