Pain when moving the eyes: in the head, in the forehead, in the temples, inside the eye

Unpleasant sensations and pain in the head and eyes are familiar to everyone. This condition often only indicates overfatigue of the visual analyzer, especially during prolonged work at the computer. Therefore, when the eyes hurt when the pupils move, and a person feels dry, as if sand had gotten into them, at the first stage it is necessary to give the eyes a rest (especially if you feel pain in the eyes when working at the computer or reading). However, if this does not help, then it is necessary to exclude pathological processes that manifest themselves with similar symptoms from the visual analyzer. It can be:

1. Increased intraocular pressure. In this case, a person most often feels that the eye hurts inside. This condition can be transient and accompany, for example, migraine or brain pathology, or it can be permanent and lead to gradual retinal detachment associated with glaucoma. In this case, the eyeball becomes rocky when palpated.
2. Infectious diseases of the eyes, brain and intoxication. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye - conjunctivitis - is a common cause of pain when blinking and at rest. Pain in the orbit that occurs when moving the eyes indicates that the eye muscles and nerves are involved in the inflammatory process. This situation can occur both during intoxication due to common flu or acute respiratory infections, and during such serious diseases as meningitis, encephalitis, etc. Inflammation of the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis or sinusitis) can cause pain in the nose and eyes. With the development of complicated forms of these diseases, pus can penetrate into the orbital cavity.
3. Trauma to the eyeball, head and facial skull can lead to pain in the orbits and eyes. The reason is direct mechanical impact or the entry of foreign objects into the visual analyzer. A concussion may also cause pain in the forehead or temple when moving the eyes.
4. Diseases of the eye appendages. A number of diseases can lead not to an eye problem, but to inflammation of the lacrimal glands (dacryocystitis) or eyelids (maybeitis).

What to do if you have a headache when you move your eyes?

Headache when moving the eyes and at rest (whether it is pain in the eyes when reading or working on a computer) is an extremely unpleasant condition for a person. Therefore, it is urgent to take a painkiller from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The next step in helping a person is to see a doctor. If there are signs of a general infectious disease (flu, acute respiratory infections), then a general practitioner will be able to provide adequate medical care. In other cases, consultation with an ophthalmologist and often a neurologist is necessary. If the cause of pain in the eye is a foreign object or injury, in no case should you rub your eyes or try to reach such an object directly with your fingers. It is necessary to rinse your eyes generously with clean water. If this does not produce results, seek medical help immediately.

Eye pain is a term that includes discomfort in, around, and behind the eye. The pain can affect both eyes or just one. Let's look at the last option in more detail.

According to research results, there is no evidence that the right or left eye hurts more often. In each case it is individual.

The most common causes of acute pain in one eye are:

Eye injury with damage to the cornea, acute attack of glaucoma, iridocyclitis, orbital phlegmon, neuralgic syndromes, headaches and temporal arteritis.

1) Eye injuries with damage to the cornea. When the anterior transparent membrane of the eye, the cornea, is damaged, a whole complex of symptoms arises, which are combined into corneal syndrome. In this case, the patient experiences acute cutting pain, photophobia, and blepharospasm (the eye cannot open completely). This is due to damage to the nerve fibers of the cornea, which are abundant on its surface. A characteristic diagnostic sign is an improvement in the condition when using anesthetic drops, as the sensitivity of the nerve endings decreases.

2) Acute attack of glaucoma. Develops with a sharp increase in intraocular pressure. In this case, the pain spreads to the temple, vision deteriorates, becomes cloudy, the eye acquires a red-violet tint, the eyeball becomes hard, palpation is painless. This situation is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention! With prolonged exposure to high pressure, the optic nerve begins to suffer, its tissue is destroyed and the previous visual acuity may not return.

Glaucoma can also occur without acute attacks. A gradual increase in intraocular pressure does not produce acute manifestations, which is often the reason for a late visit to an ophthalmologist. The disease reaches the terminal stage, visual function is lost and hypertensive pain syndrome occurs. The pain comes on gradually and fades away slowly.

3) Iridocyclitis is an inflammation of the anterior part of the uvea (iris and ciliary body).

In this case, the patient experiences acute pain, intensifying at night, the pupil narrows and loses the ability to expand. The eye is soft, but painful on palpation.

4) Orbital phlegmon is a purulent inflammation of the orbital tissue. In this case, the pain is localized in the area of the eyeball and next to it. It occurs acutely, the patient’s general condition worsens, the temperature rises, chills and headache appear. The eyelids swell, and when touched, the pain intensifies sharply. This condition is life-threatening and requires emergency medical attention.

5) Neuralgic syndromes. Unilateral pain in the eye is characteristic of nerve damage. Depending on the affected nerve, the exact location of the pain and its nature differ. When the trigeminal nerve (its first branch) is damaged, severe paroxysmal pain in the area of the eye, eyebrow and upper eyelid is characteristic. Palpation at the exit point of the optic nerve is very painful.

Neuralgia of the nasociliary nerve is characterized by severe pain in the eye area, at the inner corner of the eye and the back of the nose.

Pterygopalatine ganglion syndrome is pain in the frontal region and in the eyeball area. May be accompanied by swelling of the upper eyelid and photophobia.

6) Headaches.

Migraine is accompanied by severe unilateral pain in the fronto-orbital-temporal region of the head. In this case, the pain may spread to the entire half of the head, and vision may deteriorate (in most cases, this is manifested by the appearance of a flickering spot in the field of vision).

Cluster pain is also known - a throbbing headache affecting the eye area, lasting 1.5 hours. Occurs mainly at night at the same time.

7) Temporal arteritis. Occurs exclusively in older people, with rare exceptions. Women are more susceptible. This is an inflammation of the arteries that supply blood to the head, eyes and optic nerve. During an attack, severe pain occurs in the temple, eye area, and temporary blurred vision. The danger of this disease is that, if prolonged, it can cause irreversible loss of vision.

As you can see, the list of possible causes of pain in one eye is extensive. To make an accurate diagnosis, dynamic observation and, in some cases, specific examinations are necessary. Among these pathologies there are conditions in which delay is life-threatening.

Treatment.

In case of eye injuries, it is necessary to make sure that there are no foreign bodies, remove them if necessary, and treat the wounds with antiseptics, antibacterial drugs and healing gels.
Glaucoma requires normalization of intraocular pressure and neuroprotective drugs that protect nerve tissue from high pressure.
For iridocyclitis, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial therapy is used, as well as treatment of a systemic disease that provoked iridocyclitis.
Neuralgic syndromes are caused by inflammation of the nervous tissue, so anti-inflammatory therapy is mainly required. Headaches, like neuralgia, require joint monitoring by neurologists.
Temporal arteritis is treated together with a therapist. A course of steroid drugs is prescribed that are good at relieving inflammation of the arteries.
All treatment requires an individual approach and comprehensive monitoring. If you notice pain in one eye, especially recurring pain, do not hesitate. Sign up for a consultation! After all, only timely medical assistance will provide the fastest possible relief from a painful condition.

Take care of your eyes and be healthy!

Treatment for eye movement disorders

There are many reasons why the eyes hurt and there is a violation of their movement. However, this combination of symptoms indicates a severe pathology, where self-medication is inappropriate. Disorders of eye movements occur most often due to neurological pathology (diseases of the cranial nerves or circulatory disorders in the brain). An infectious process in the orbit can lead to a temporary disturbance in movement and a condition where the eye muscles hurt when moving upward (most often, such symptoms are observed with inflammation in the lower fornix of the orbit). Treatment of eye movement disorders can only be carried out by an ophthalmologist in joint consultation with related specialists (neurologists, neurosurgeons). If pain in the eye when moving the eyeball haunts you, contact the Neuro-Med clinic for help. Our specialists will advise you in detail on all issues, as well as prescribe suitable treatment.

Treatment of left-sided headaches

Treatment is prescribed only based on the results of the examination. There are various techniques that can be used in the hospital and at home. So, in case of a sudden headache, doctors recommend ventilating the room, doing a neck and head massage, drinking water and taking a short rest. If the discomfort persists, you can take medicine. The most common recommendations from doctors against headaches include:

painkillers that relieve acute pain - they can be taken at home, but should not be abused unnecessarily;
antispasmodics - relieve vascular spasm and restore normal blood circulation;
massage - it’s worth making an appointment with a specialist who will also show you how to reduce pain at home;
physiotherapy is effective for osteochondrosis, neck diseases and during the rehabilitation period after injuries;
specific treatment - you may need a course of drugs to strengthen intervertebral discs (chondrol protectors), drugs to normalize metabolism in atherosclerosis and other drugs to treat the underlying disease;
surgical treatment is rarely used; it may be recommended in the presence of tumors, cysts and foci of sclerosis that interfere with the normal functioning of the brain and tend to increase in size.

The Clinical Brain Institute specializes in the treatment of diseases that manifest themselves as headaches. Qualified specialists of a wide and narrow profile work here, and there is also the opportunity to undergo a full examination, including specific techniques. There are different ways to get rid of a headache, but only a doctor can suggest the most effective and safe one.

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Complications

Most often, the right side of the head and the right eye hurt due to migraine. This disorder causes pain in the right temporal lobe; with strong tension in the temporal artery, the pain spreads to the eye. In rare cases, the pain spreads to the heart area, which can provoke frequent urination.

Migraines can cause discomfort, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Dizziness, severe drowsiness and increased fatigue may occur.

You need to understand that a distinctive feature of migraine is its manifestation in the morning. Along with the pain, severe irritability and nervousness may occur. Moreover, such manifestations quickly disappear after taking painkillers.

What to do if a symptom occurs

To alleviate pain before visiting a specialist, the first step is to restore normal sleep and give the body a rest. To do this, you can take an infusion of valerian. You should avoid drinking strong coffee drinks that contain caffeine. Instead, it is better to brew tea with the addition of thyme, mint and chamomile. You can reduce pain by applying cold to the place where it appears; for this it is better to make a compress using ice.

During the period of migraine and severe pain on the right side of the head, discomfort can be reduced with the help of special massage actions. To do this, you should very carefully massage the area where the pain is coming from with your fingers. The duration of such a massage should be at least 10 minutes. It must be remembered that in cases where the pain is caused by tumors, massage is prohibited.

You also need to know that folk remedies can help relieve discomfort only with mild symptoms. In the event of cerebral hemorrhages, vomiting, or dizziness, self-medication is prohibited. In such cases, effective treatment should only be determined by a specialist, since such manifestations cannot always be cured with medication.

It is important to understand that the first step is to determine the reason why the pain appeared on the right side. It is necessary to undergo an examination consisting of the following procedures:

a deep blood test that allows you to see all possible deviations from the norm;
computed tomography - to identify possible tumors and problems with blood vessels that cause pain;
ophthalmological examination – necessary to exclude problems with the visual organs.

Further prescription of therapeutic therapy will directly depend on the cause of pain. During the examination, in case of short-term pain, specialists allow you to take painkillers. Often the patient is recommended to take Analgin, Spasmalgon or Citramon, as they relieve spasms, help dilate blood vessels and stop pain.

If you have a severe migraine on the right side of your head, you should take an anti-inflammatory drug that will help eliminate fatigue and relieve pain. It is important to increase the amount of water you drink and get more rest, preferably in the fresh air.

What if you have a headache in the back of your head?

Usually such a severe headache chills a person and prevents him from functioning normally. This is a very serious inflammation that you should not experience on your own without medical help. Usually the back of the head hurts due to pathologies. It is better not to try to relieve the disease with analgesics, but to immediately consult a doctor.

Headache in the back of the head can be a signal of diseases:

nervous system
vessels
spine.

Causes of headaches in the back of the head:

Tension headache. Usually discomfort is associated with tension in the neck muscles. They compress the arteries and nerves that carry blood and impulses to the brain, which is accompanied by a pain reaction in the back of the neck and in the back of the head. In some cases, the provoking factor is emotional tension and stress, which leads to spasm of the neck muscles.
Migraine is an acute and painful attack of unilateral and occipital headache. An attack can last for several hours or several days. The cause of the disease can be physical activity, overexertion and changes in weather conditions. Most often, women suffer from migraines, and the average age of those affected is from 25 to 35 years.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a chronic progressive disease that thins the cartilage in the neck. It can occur after a neck injury, vertebral displacement, sedentary lifestyle or excess weight. The disease can also cause pain in the back of the head.
Sudden pressure surges.
Occipital neuralgia provokes an acute headache. Discomfort begins in the occipital region, but can spread to the frontal and temporal lobes. This condition can occur after a neck injury, arthritis, or muscle spasms.
Use of medications. In self-medication, people “prescribe” themselves medications to treat migraines. This initiative provokes a medicinal headache. It occurs as a reaction of the body to frequent intake of active substances of analgesics.