A headache resulting from pain behind the ear is one of the disturbing things, which may make you not enjoy your day, and there are many reasons that cause this type of pain, from nerve injury to dental problems, so now you know the most important causes and symptoms, and the best methods of treatment.

What are the causes of pain behind the ear?

There are several causes of pain behind the ear, including the following:

Occipital neuralgia “Nerve pain in the back of the head”

It is the most common cause of a headache behind the ear, and some may describe it as pain behind the left ear with a headache, and it occurs due to injury or inflammation of the occipital nerves, or the nerves that extend from the top of the spinal cord to the scalp. But at other times, doctors did not find a clear cause of this disease.

People often mistakenly believe that pain behind the ear is caused by a migraine, due to the similarity of the symptoms, but people with occipital neuralgia describe the pain as if they received an electric shock in the following places:

• neck top
• back of the head
• behind the ears

mastoiditis;

The mastoid bone is located directly behind the ear, and mastoiditis is more common among children than adults, and some may describe it as pain behind the right ear with swelling.

Mastoiditis causes a headache behind the ear, as well as discharge from the ear and hearing loss in the affected ear afterwards, but in general this infection responds to treatment.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

Most people with TMJ feel pain in the jaw and behind the ear, while others may only experience a headache behind the ear. This could be due to:

• Stress
• Teeth grinding
• arthritis

Dental problems

Dental and mouth problems can cause pain behind the ear, as pain behind the ear can be caused by an impacted tooth, abscess, or other dental problem.

Signs of dental problems may include bad breath, gum pain, or difficulty chewing, and your doctor will be able to identify the problem upon examination.

Symptoms of pain behind the ear

Symptoms vary according to the causes, as it is:

• In the case of occipital neuralgia, it may cause severe pain in the back of the head or at the top of the neck, or it may start in the neck and work its way towards the back of the head.
• In the case of mastoiditis it is often accompanied by infections such as fever.
• In the case of people with a disorder of the temporomandibular joint, they may feel tightness and pain in the jaw in addition to feeling a headache behind the ear.

There are other symptoms that people may experience, such as:

• Pain on one or both sides of the head
• light sensitivity
• Pain behind the eyes
• Pain with movement of the neck

Diagnosing cases of pain behind the ear

The causes often play a major role in determining the appropriate type of diagnosis, so the doctor should be informed of any recent injuries to the head, neck, or spine.

The doctor begins with an initial examination by pressing firmly around the back of the head and the base of the skull in an attempt to reproduce the pain through touch. This is to check for the presence of occipital neuralgia, as this condition is sensitive to touch in most cases.

Diagnosis may also include an injection to numb the nerves. If the person feels comfortable, it means that the cause of the pain is likely to be occipital neuralgia.

If the cause cannot be occipital neuralgia, the doctor may check for fever or ear discharge, which means mastoiditis is likely to be the cause.

The doctor may further diagnose by examining the jaw or recommend a visit to the dentist to check for the presence of the temporomandibular joint.

He may also order an MRI or blood test to confirm or rule out other causes of the pain.

How to treat pain behind the ear

There are some methods that can be used at home to relieve pain, including the following:

• Rest in a quiet room
• Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen
• Neck muscle massage
• Fill warm water bags and place them on the back of the neck
• Reducing stress
• Stop grinding teeth

But of course, the treatment becomes more effective when the root cause of this problem is known. Therefore, you must immediately refer to the doctor to make the correct diagnosis and write the appropriate treatment, which may include:

• Antidepressants
• Antibiotics, in case of mastoiditis
• muscle relaxants

In rare cases, surgery may be required if the pain does not improve with other treatments. These operations may include:

• Reducing pressure on tiny blood vessels: They involve the doctor finding and relocating blood vessels that are compressing nerves.
• Occipital nerve stimulation: The nerve stimulator helps deliver multiple electrical impulses to the occipital nerves, which may help prevent pain from traveling to the brain.

Important tips to prevent a headache behind the ear

• Be mindful of how you stand or sit. Keeping the head or neck in the same position for too long can lead to nerve compression.
• Limit your use of mobile devices, because when you use your mobile device you tend to keep your head tilted down.
• Take a break. If you’ve been working at a desk all day, get up for a few minutes to change your position.
• Eat at the specified time
• Rest. Stress is a risk factor for headaches

In the end, and in general, pain behind the ear does not represent a threat to life, but none of the symptoms should be ignored, if any, and a doctor should be consulted immediately to find the appropriate treatment.