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It is common for people to experience headaches and back pain at the same time. Can back pain cause headaches? Is there any connection between back pain and headaches? Everything in the body is connected, meaning some of the causes of back pain are also the source of headaches. Persistent back pain and headaches may be linked, often due to pain signals sent from a spinal condition.
Pain Sources
Researchers reviewed 14 studies to determine whether a connection exists between persistent headaches and chronic low back pain. The results indicated that patients experiencing low back pain or a persistent headache are twice as likely to experience both back pain and headache. The association is even stronger when someone experiences migraines. One possible explanation is that people react to pain differently. Another answer may lie in the way the brain interprets pain signals.
There are millions of nerve endings in the body that send pain signals. Some are peripheral nerves that send electrical impulses to the spinal cord via nerve pathways. Peripheral pain develops due to damaged or irritated tissue that is not part of the central nervous system, specifically the brain or spinal cord. The brain registers the pain signals and responds. There is also neuropathic pain that occurs when central nervous system (CNS) nerves are damaged and misfire. The brain and spinal cord manage CNS nerve signals.
Causes of Back Pain and Headache
Irritation or damage to the nerves in the peripheral and central nervous systems can cause back and headache pain. There are numerous explanations for the link between neck and back pain and headaches, and the following are some of the more common ones.
Poor posture
There is a link between upper back pain and headaches, and it may be due to consistently maintaining poor posture. Poor posture strains the upper back and neck muscles, compressing nerves. It is common to develop a tension headache from poor posture.
Read the post “How to Straighten Your Back and Correct Spine Posture“
Cervical spine conditions
Cervical spine conditions like disc degeneration, a slipped disc, injuries, infections, or arthritis can irritate the neck’s nerves. The referred pain to the head causes a cervicogenic headache. The pain is sometimes confused with a tension headache or migraine, but its source is in the neck.
Low back pain
Some spine-related headaches are due to an issue in the lower back. A review of 14 clinical studies concluded there is evidence that persistent low back pain can be associated with primary headache disorders.
There are different causes for low back pain. For example, spinal misalignment can lead to nerve impingement, which causes headaches. In another example, arthritis leads to the loss of cartilage between facet joints, causing pinched nerves and disc compression. The damaged nerves send pain signals in different directions, one of which is up the spinal cord to the head. There is also evidence of frequent low back pain causing migraines and tension headaches.
Spinal headaches
There are cases in which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. CSF is the fluid that acts like a cushion for the spinal cord and brain. The leak is due to a tear of some type in the outer membrane (dura mater) that surrounds the spinal cord and brain. The fluid leak leads to severe headache pain, dizziness, neck stiffness and pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light.
There are other conditions linked to a back headache. For example, meningitis is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its symptoms include a severe headache and stiff neck. Premenstrual syndrome can produce many different symptoms, including back pain and headaches.
Sometimes, people who do not exercise experience back pain and headaches because the back muscles are weak and not functioning correctly.
Finding the Connection
Back pain is not always recognized as one of the many headache causes, and in some cases, the headache contributes to back pain. The migraine is a good example. Sometimes, the connection between back pain and headaches is not apparent. Anyone experiencing chronic headaches and back pain should consult a doctor. Diagnosing the connection between back pain and headaches is the first necessary step in developing a treatment plan.
Sources
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190919114854.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK219252/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507862/
- https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-019-1031-y#Abs1
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23375162/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538157/