Table of Contents
- Activities to Avoid or Change
- For Temporary Relief
- Stretches and Exercises for Longer-Lasting Relief
- Yoga Corner
Here, you’ll find strategies for getting from pain, itching, and burning on the back of your head. If you’d like to read more about how people describe the pain and what aggravates the condition, look at this other post.
Activities To Avoid or Change:
Some people are concerned about getting a neck ache from washing their hair at the salon. It is more likely to create cervicogenic headaches. The cold bowl on the crook of the neck can activate this trigger point to create pain, burning, and tingling in the back of the head. The sustained cold with bumping on the hard surface can aggravate the muscle and joints.
Getting your hair wash is less common than most activities that aggravate this trigger point. They also involve tilting the head back, especially on hard or cold surfaces. They include things like laying on the arm of the couch, watching a screen high and to the side of your restaurant table, or sitting in the front row at the theater.
Sitting with a Twist
I was at a conference, sitting in the front seat and off to the side. I leaned forward and looked up to the right for extended periods and began to get this tingling in the back of my head on the right.
Don’t use heat.
Even if you prefer heat.
It can really aggravate this condition.
For Temporary Relief:
Relax, Ice, Feel Better
This pillow, with the built-in ice pack, can offer quick, easy relief. I keep an icepack in the freezer for my daughter that gets this headache. You can pick it up from Amazon. I own one. I’ve used it for this. I keep an icepack in the freezer for my daughter that gets this headache. Make sure you cover the upper half of the neck with the ice pack. It works well when you are seated, but it’s better to use these standard cloth-covered ice packs if you like to lay on the ice. One of those is included with the pillow if you want both options.
Patch for Relief All Day
I know that the pain, burning, and tingling are in the back of your head. Still, one of these patches on the back of your neck can release the muscle that entraps the nerve. Give it about 15 minutes until you can feel the cooling of the patch. Gently going through the stretches in The Box can offer more relief. These patches are available and most drug and grocery stores and here on Amazon.
These self-care activities, like over-the-counter drugs, are not intended to replace appropriate medical attention. If you have concerns about these self-care activities, get help from a professional. Use these suggestions and strategies with discretion and at your own risk. See your doctor when your pain is severe, persistent, or not responding to these simple suggestions.
Stretches and Exercises for Longer-Lasting Relief:
Detailed Stretch
This stretching protocol can be very effective. Focus on the back of your neck when you ice-and-stretch the top. On the front of your neck, focus on the bottom, near your collar bone. There is a spot just below the midpoint of your neck that has to release to deactivate this trigger point. It might click, and that’s a good thing.
I’d love your feedback on how this works for you and any suggestions you might have.
Email me at integrativeworks@gmail.com.
Yoga Corner
Like in everyday posture, keep your head back, and your chin tucked during a yoga sequence. This sequence has great examples.
When this trigger point flares up, pressure on the back of your neck can aggravate it. Avoid poses that press into your neck with a strap or block.
Other trigger point patterns
have similar areas of referral and impaired activities.
Here is the associated post that discusses the pain patterns, impaired activities, and activities that generally cause this pattern. You may also want to look at other patterns for the back of the head.
This pain pattern usually involves some displaced joints in the upper cervical vertebrae. Lasting relief may involve some professional treatment. See your trigger point specialist for a proper assessment and lasting relief.
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Tony Preston has a practice in Atlanta, Georgia, where he sees clients. He has written materials and instructed classes since the mid-90s. This includes anatomy, trigger points, cranial, and neuromuscular.
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*This site is undergoing significant changes. We are reformatting and expanding the posts to make them easier to read. The result will also be more accessible and include more patterns with better self-care. Meanwhile, there may be formatting, content presentation, and readability inconsistencies. Until we get older posts updated, please excuse our mess.