{"id":62317,"date":"2023-12-27T12:00:53","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T17:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=62317"},"modified":"2024-10-25T10:19:35","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T14:19:35","slug":"headache-on-top-of-head","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/headache-on-top-of-head\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do I have a headache on the top of my head?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Headaches can present themselves in a variety of ways and locations. For example, a headache on the top of the head often feels like a heavy weight or a tightness on or around the top of the skull. It may also feel like a sharp pain radiating from another part of the head or spine. Common causes of a headache on top of the head include tension, nerve inflammation, migraine, and dehydration. Pinpointing the cause of the headache can help determine the best treatment method, which may include pain relievers, stretching, stress management, or hydration, among others. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Types of headaches on top of the head<\/span><\/h2>\n

Several <\/span>types of headaches<\/span><\/a> can cause pain on the top of the head. Many of these headache types also affect one side of the face or behind the eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tension headaches<\/span><\/h3>\n

A tension headache develops when the scalp and neck muscles become tense, often in response to stress or poor posture. The muscle tension can cause pain in any part of the head, including the top.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headaches and often cause a band-like pressure or tightness around the head,” says <\/span>Trent G. Orfanos, MD<\/span><\/a>, the director of integrative and functional cardiology at <\/span>Case Integrative Health<\/span><\/a>. “The pain is typically mild to moderate and is often described as a constant ache.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Other symptoms of tension-type headaches include neck, scalp, and shoulder pain, says <\/span>Lauren R. Natbony, MD<\/span><\/a>, headache specialist and medical director of Integrative Headache Medicine of New York.<\/span><\/p>\n

Migraine headaches<\/span><\/h3>\n

Migraine<\/span><\/a> is a headache disorder that causes moderate to severe pain. The exact <\/span>cause of migraine<\/span><\/a> is not fully understood, but <\/span>migraine headache triggers<\/span><\/a> include stress, hormone changes, and lifestyle changes such as missed meals or not getting enough sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Although <\/span>migraine<\/span><\/a> typically causes throbbing pain on one side of the head, it can also cause pain on the top of the head,” Dr. Natbony explains. “Symptoms accompanying a migraine may include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, and odors, and disturbed vision, among others.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Occipital headaches<\/span><\/h3>\n

Also called occipital neuralgia, this type of headache involves inflammation or irritation of the occipital nerves, which run from the top of the spinal cord to the scalp. “This condition can lead to sharp, shooting pains that radiate to the top of the head,” Dr. Orfanos says<\/span><\/p>\n

“The occipital nerve can be irritated in response to trauma (such as a head or neck injury), neck tension, or general inflammation,” says Dr. Natbony. <\/span><\/p>\n

Other headache types that may affect the top of the head<\/span><\/h3>\n

Sometimes, headaches centered on other parts of the head extend or radiate pain to the top of the head. In other cases, headaches can be generalized—on both the top and sides of the head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some headache types that are not known for occurring on the top of the head but that might radiate pain to the scalp area:<\/span><\/p>\n