Headache behind eyes-13 Causes and 14 Treatments or Remedies

Headache behind eye can be really very annoying as it hurts us a lot and we won’t be able to concentrate on anything properly due to it. Headache behind eye can be caused by eye disorders and also many other types of diseases. It should be taken seriously and we need to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Headache behind eye can be sharp severe hurting pain behind the eye. Let us explore all the possible causes and treatments of Headache behind eyes in this article.

Headache behind eye causes:

There are many causes of Headache behind eyes ranging from minor eye problems to more severe infections of the nerves and brain. We need to be aware of the causes and symptoms of these conditions so that we can visit a doctor promptly for our problem.

Dryness in eyes:

Dryness in eyes is a very common problem amongst people of today’s generation as we tend to spend a lot of time in front of computers. This problem is very common amongst the software engineers. Excessive time spent in front of computer screen irritates the eye, dries it and leads to symptoms like:

• Itching in the eye or pruritus
• Burning sensation in the eye
• Gritty feeling or foreign body sensation in the eyes
• Excessive tearing from the eyes in order to protect the dry eyes
• Headache behind eyes

To prevent all these symptoms of dry eyes, keep artificial tears at hand when you are working in front of computers. Use them in eyes occasionally before dry eyes develop.

Do eye relaxation exercises at least once an hour if you are working continuously in front of computer screen. If at all dry eyes develop after all these measures, then consult an ophthalmologist for appropriate treatment.

Inflammation of sclera:

Inflammation of sclera or the outer white part of the eye is also known with the name of scleritis. It is associated with other connective tissue disorders like Rheumatoid arthritis. It has symptoms like:

• Red colored white part of the eye
• Severe eye pain
• Inability to tolerate light or photophobia
• Visual disturbances
• Headache behind eye

Orbital cellulitis:

Orbital cellulitis is the inflammation of the soft tissues of the orbit of the eye by a bacterial infection which can spread from upper respiratory tract infections, sinusitis, etc.

It is a very dangerous condition which can make a person lose eyesight. The symptoms of orbital cellulitis include:

• Eyelid swelling and redness
• Bulging out of eyeball or proptosis
• Inability to move eyeball in all directions
• Blurring of vision
• Fever
• Headache behind eye

Orbital cellulitis needs to be treated urgently as it can lead to life-threatening complications. It can lead to meningitis or encephalitis if the infection spreads to the brain.

Tension headache:

Tension headache is the most common type of headache among people. It is also called stress headache, as it can be triggered by stress. It is felt as a pressure or tight band like feeling around the forehead. It also causes headache behind eye.

This headache is more common among the women. People with this type of headache have difficulty sleeping, myalgia or body pains, difficulty concentrating, and they are always irritated and tired.

Cluster headache:

Cluster headache is more common among men and it causes frequent bouts or attacks of headache that occur more commonly at night. It causes many symptoms like:

• Headache behind eye or pain behind eye (It can occur as headache behind right eye or headache behind left eye)
• Radiation of pain to other parts of face, head, neck, etc
• Pain is always on one side of the face affecting only one eye and areas around it
• Redness of the eye on 1 side
• Excess tears flowing from the eye
• Runny nose or nasal blockage
• Sweating on forehead

Migraine:

Migraine is present in most people as a one-sided headache. They also get Headache behind eye. It can be triggered by stress, allergy to any food, etc or by bright light. Some people also get migraine attacks due to hormonal fluctuations, dehydration, certain medications, etc.

In migraine, there are 2 types. Some people get migraine with aura, and others get Migraine without aura. Symptoms of aura can include:

• Flashing of lights in front of eyes
• Seeing zigzag lines
• Seeing blank spots in the visual field
• Developing pins and needles on limbs
• Smelling bad odors
• Stiffness in the body

Optic nerve inflammation:

Optic nerve collects and carries information from eye to the brain. Swelling or inflammation of the optic nerve is called optic neuritis. It can be seen as part of neurological diseases like Multiple sclerosis.

It can also be caused due to infections like Mumps, Measles, Meningitis, etc. It causes symptoms like:

• Headache behind eye or pain behind eye and it is worsened by eye movements
• Loss of vision in one eye
• Disturbance in color vision
• Abnormal reaction of the pupil to light

Vision disturbances:

If you have any visual disturbances in your eyes like Myopia (nearsightedness), Hypermetropia (farsightedness) or other eye disorders affecting vision like Presbyopia or Astigmatism, your eye will be strained to see things and this might result in headache behind eye.

Make sure to schedule an examination as soon as you notice these changes so that it doesn’t get worse. Reserach the top optometry services and book your appointment as soon as possible. This is the surest way to maintain your vision and to get rid of headaches behind the eye.

Cranial nerve palsy:

Cranial nerves arise from the brain and there are several cranial nerves that work together to facilitate vision. Cranial nerve palsies can occur due to Diabetes, infections or part of some other neurological disorders. They produce symptoms like:

• Change in size of pupil
• Headache behind eye or pain in the eye
• Diplopia or double vision
• Ptosis or drooping of the eyelid

Sinusitis:

Sinusitis is the inflammation or swelling of the paranasal sinuses. Paranasal sinuses are air-filled cavities that are present around the nose.

Inflammation of these air-filled spaces can occur due to infections, allergies, etc. The symptoms of sinusitis include:

• Headache behind eye
• Pain in the forehead
• Runny nose or nasal discharge
• Tenderness over the sinuses
• Blockage of nostrils
• Fever if sinusitis is caused by bacterial infection

Hormonal imbalance:

Research shows that there is an interlink between hormonal fluctuations and development of headache behind eye. A headache like Migraine is aggravated during menstruation in women due to hormonal changes that occur during that time.

When there is any sort of hormonal changes in the body, there are also chemical alterations in the blood vessels supplying the brain. This produces headache behind eyes.

Dengue fever:

Dengue fever is a viral illness that is caused by viruses and spread by Aedes Egypti mosquitoes. Dengue fever is also called breakbone fever. It leads to many symptoms like:

• High fever
• Headache behind eye or pain behind eyes or retroorbital pain
• Joint pains
• Myalgia
• Petechiae or rashes over the body

Headache behind eye remedies or treatments:

There are many home remedies that you can follow to get rid of headache behind eye. Let us explore them.

Adequate sleep and rest:

Headache behind eye can be caused by stress, anxiety, depression in many people. So adequate rest and sleep along with analgesics and other measures surely help to get rid of headache behind eye.

This is particularly important for a person with Migraine headache. Just take an analgesic and lie down quietly in a dark quiet room when you have headache behind eye.

Exercise:

Regular exercise is absolutely essential to maintain optimal health. Exercising regularly releases certain chemicals from the body called endorphins. Endorphins are natural painkillers. So, regular exercise plays a role in relieving headache behind eye.

Caffeine intake:

Caffeine intake is proven to abort certain causes of headache behind eye like migraine. You can consume tea, coffee, hot chocolate or chocolate or green tea to abort attack of pain behind eye.

But in some people caffeine can also trigger headaches. So you need to observe if caffeine is alleviating or aggravating your headache behind eye before you start using it to abort headache.

Steam inhalation:

Sinusitis is one of the main causes of headache behind eye. So, you can get relief from pain behind eye by utilizing steam inhalation.

This is because steam inhalation reduces inflammation of the sinuses and also clears congestion in the airways which can be a cause of headache behind eyes.

Oxygen:

Inhalation of supplemental oxygen is helpful in aborting certain types of headache like cluster headache which occur commonly in men.

Quitting smoking and alcohol:

Smoking, using tobacco products and regular alcohol consumption is known to trigger certain headaches. So, quitting will surely benefit you.

Analgesics:

You can take over the counter analgesics like ibuprofen, aceclofenac, diclofenac, etc to abort a headache. You can also apply analgesic ointment over the head.

Massage:

You can massage your scalp with hands or electric massager. This helps in reducing headache behind eye in many people. You can also ask anyone close to you to massage your head.

Oil application:

Apply oil to your scalp and massage well to get rid of headache behind eye. You can even use popular herbal hair oils which are known to relieve headache.

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is a very good remedy for many different ailments. People have been utilizing it for ages to get relief from various neurological and musculoskeletal problems.

Chiropractic therapy:

Chiropractors are also known to use certain techniques which are known to alleviate headache behind eye.

Avoiding foods:

As we already discussed certain foods are known to aggravate headache behind eye. If you have observed any food triggering your headache, just try avoiding it.

Relaxation techniques:

As stress is one of the main triggers of headache, you need to practice stress relaxation techniques to get relief from headache behind eye.

You can meditate, do breathing exercises or pranayama, have a walk in the park, near beach or even go on vacation to some nice place. Relaxation in any form destresses you and helps you get rid of headache behind eye.

Cold compress:

You can even try applying cold compress over your forehead to reduce a headache. Place few ice cubes in a Ziploc bag and use it as a cold compress.

You have seen all the possible causes and remedies or treatments for headache behind eyes. Hope the article was informative.