Headaches are a common pain that many people experience from time to time. However, having pain behind your eyes can wreak havoc in your life especially when you got a lot of things to do. If you often have a headache or even every day, that regularity may mean there is something more serious lurking.
If you have a lot of headaches, book an eye exam right away, and you should see if you can rule out any vision problems as a cause. Headaches are not always linked to vision issues, and every vision problem does not cause headaches, but there is a considerable connection between the two.
If your headaches have caused you to change your routine, you should make your doctor aware of this. He or she will consider your situation and prescribe a treatment based on what could be triggering your headaches, symptoms, and pain location.
What Is A Headache Behind The Eyes?
It is not uncommon for people to complain about headaches behind the eyes, and they may arise from underlying health problems ranging from eye strain to migraine.
When you have pain behind the eyes, it can affect one or both sides and may happen with light sensitivity and other kinds of discomfort. A doctor can recognize the cause of a headache behind the eyes and suggest the most suitable form of treatment.
Here is some more information about what causes headaches behind the eyes and how to treat them.
Migraine
About 16% of adults in the United States suffer from a common condition known as migraines.
A migraine headache can bring about extreme pain on one side of the head, sometimes behind one eye. This pain can last around 72 hours.
Besides a migraine headache, a person may experience:
weakness
dizziness
nausea and vomiting
sensitivity to light and sound
mood changes
visual disturbances, known as aura
What Causes Migraines?
Doctors are not sure what causes migraines. Nevertheless, modifications to nerve signaling and blood vessels in the eye may be involved in its development.
Exterior triggers are usually the catalyst for migraine attacks. Typical migraine triggers include:
hormonal changes
lack of sleep
dehydration
environmental factors, such as smoke, strong smells, or flickering lights
consuming too much caffeine or alcohol
strong emotions, such as stress or anxiety
Eye Strain
Technology has brought a new type of eye issue known as computer eye strain, also referred to as digital eye strain and even computer vision syndrome. It’s an umbrella term that consists of several vision-related conditions. People sometimes experience discomfort in their eyes because they focus on electronic screens for long periods.
Apart from discomfort in one or both eyes, a person that spends immense, undisrupted periods looking at screens or digital devices may experience any of the following symptoms:
headaches
dry eyes
neck and shoulder pain
blurry vision
An individual may only feel discomfort behind their eyes after staring at digital screens for long periods, and symptoms may improve when they stop doing so. Nonetheless, the prevalence of these computer-related symptoms is increasing quickly, and if a person keeps experiencing symptoms, they may need medical assistance.
What Causes Eye Strain?
Concentrating and reconcentrating on a screen for a long time can cause eye strain, resulting in vision issues.
A person will usually experience eye strain after concentrating on a single object or task for a long time. Also, dimly lit areas and exhaustion can cause eye strain.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis occurs when there is inflammation or congestion of the sinuses, and this can produce pressure, causing pain behind the eyes. Susceptible to the location of the inflammation, sinusitis may cause pain behind both or either eye.
Additionally, sinusitis can cause pain and pressure in other parts of the face, for instance, the cheeks and forehead.
Other common symptoms of sinusitis include:
fatigue
nasal congestion
aching in the upper teeth
pain that worsens when the person is lying down
Sinusitis is a common condition, and pain will usually clear up when the overall congestion does. This will often take two to three weeks.
What Causes Sinusitis?
Commonly, sinusitis occurs when allergies or a virus get trapped within the sinuses due to congestion, which can result from face pressure and headaches. Plus, sinusitis may have bacterial or fungal causes, even though these are often linked to immune deficiencies, such as HIV.
Also, nasal polyps and dental surgery can result in sinus pain and pressure.
Cluster Headaches
When a person has one to eight brief, but painful headaches over a day, they probably had a cluster headache.
These headaches are painful and happen on one side of the head. This may be a reaction from sharp or dull throbbing pain behind only one eye.
Frequently, additional symptoms develop on the same side as the headache.
These symptoms can include:
a stuffy or runny nostril
flushing
sweating
The time at which a person experiences cluster headaches is different for every one. However, it is not unusual for people to experience them at night.
What Causes Cluster Headaches?
Medical professionals do not know what causes cluster headaches, and there has not been a lot of research about them, even though these headaches are not uncommon.
Typically, researchers believe that more males usually experience cluster headaches than females. Also, there may be a genetic component, and some people probably have a higher risk than others.
Tension Headaches
Most of the time, people experience tension headaches, which are more common in females than males.
A few people experience tension headaches one to two times per month while others experience them more frequently. If this goes on for three months or longer, doctors consider these headaches chronic.
Typically, tension headaches cause pain behind both eyes and a sensation of pressure around the forehead. They can happen at any time and can last from 30 minutes to several hours. In severe situations, a person may experience symptoms of a tension headache for several days.
Plus, a tension headache can cause sensitivity in the scalp. Tension headache pain may be dull, happen in the forehead, and go along the neck.
What Causes Tension Headaches?
Tension headaches develop for a variety of reasons, including:
stress
lack of sleep
staring at a screen for a long time
driving long distances
muscle contractions in the neck or head
What Are Good Treatments For Headaches Behind The Eyes?
You can get over-the-counter pain medication to alleviate mild or moderate headaches, but prescription medication may be needed when the pain is severe.
A doctor may prescribe antiseizure medications, antidepressants, or oral birth control pills as preventive measures for people who experience frequent migraine headaches. An individual can get relief from a migraine episode by resting in a darkened room. Also, putting a cool, damp towel over the eyes may help too.
Muscle relaxants are a short-term alternative for the management of tension headaches.
If a person has headaches caused by bacterial sinusitis, a doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. However, nasal decongestant sprays are a good option if an allergy or viral infection brings about sinusitis.
Try to schedule time for a regular eye exam whenever you can, especially if you’ve been suffering from frequent headaches and don’t know what is causing them.
