Definition
Sensory disturbances of the scalp that are accompanied by pain or even tingling or itching are called “trichodynia”. Translated, this actually means “aching hair“, as many people feel that the pain is caused by it. However, hair has no nerves and therefore cannot cause pain.
Often the aching scalp is not clearly distinguishable from the common headache. Often a sore scalp is also caused by tension and stress. It is also often accompanied by hair loss.
However, the scalp can also hurt in connection with a flu or cold. Often there are no external abnormalities to be seen. Therefore, the cause of the scalp pain is often difficult to diagnose. Women are generally more frequently affected by painful scalps than men.
Causes for a painful scalp
A sore scalp can have various causes. Often a tense musculature or irritated nerves play a major role. One of the most common causes is muscular tension in the shoulder, neck and throat area.
The tension spreads to the head muscles and causes pain on the scalp because the blood circulation is reduced. In addition to bad posture, these tensions can also be caused by stress, teeth grinding or as a harbinger of flu or other infectious diseases. Migraine can also be accompanied by a painful scalp.
If rashes or inflammations of the scalp occur due to neurodermatitis, psoriasis or fungal infections, the scalp can also hurt. In this case, however, there are typical external indications such as redness (erythema) or scaling. Fungal infections are usually circular redness.
Often these are accompanied by itching. But also inflammations of the scalp caused by care products can lead to irritation of the scalp and cause pain. Injuries to the scalp, e.g. through blow-drying or water that is too hot, can also cause discomfort.
Long-lasting mechanical stimuli such as caps, hats or hair bands that are too tight or wearing a braid for a long time can also cause temporary headaches. Diseases such as burn-out syndrome or depression, but also everyday stress can be accompanied by a painful scalp or these psychosomatic causes can trigger the pain. Especially if no other cause can be found for the scalp pain, a psychosomatic background should be considered.
Nervous exhaustion – especially stress or burn-out – often leads to tension in the shoulder and neck muscles. If these tensions persist for a while, this can have a negative effect on the blood circulation of the scalp and cause pain. If the circulatory disturbance is so severe that the scalp is no longer sufficiently supplied with nutrients, hair loss can also occur.
In the case of such disorders – especially if it is a possible burnout or depression – a doctor should be consulted and treatment should be initiated. It is important to treat the psychological strain and learn a different way of life through therapy. The painful scalp then usually disappears quickly by itself.
A cold or flu is often accompanied by headaches. These are then a consequence of the cold and are called secondary headaches. The aching head can either be a harbinger or, after initial symptoms such as a sore throat or a cold, it can go hand in hand with these.
Since the immune system works more intensively during an infection, various messenger substances (so-called cytokines) are released which can cause pain. Blood vessels are also dilated, which can cause headaches – of varying intensity. In some cases, this can lead to sensitivity to touch on the head or even to severe pain.
These disappear again after a few days. If the pain is accompanied by a stiff neck, the meninges may be irritated. This is called meningism.
Pain after a braid that is too tight or with heavy hair is completely normal and not dangerous. The painful scalp is caused by mechanical stress on the scalp and hair roots. The nerves are irritated and the entire scalp hurts.
Even with extensions – especially with an increase in hair length – there can be a strong mechanical strain, because the artificial hair pulls with its weight on the scalp. In the beginning, the head or scalp can get used to the additional weight, so that the pain is only temporary.However, if these occur repeatedly or persist, the extensions should be removed and the scalp relieved. Pain on the scalp caused by nerve pain (neuralgia) can occur in different areas of the head, depending on which nerve is affected.
The irritation of the nerves can have different causes. Often, an undersupply of blood and nutrients or entrapment of the affected nerves is the cause of neuralgia. After a herpes zoster on the head, a so-called post-zoster neuralgia can occur.
In this case, the viruses remain in the nerve cells even after the disease and disturb the transmission of stimuli. This causes burning or stinging pain, which can be short or long lasting. Often these post-zoster neuralgias are also accompanied by a numbness of the painful areas.
Lyme disease is a disease caused by bacteria. These are transmitted to humans by ticks. The first and most common symptom is a reddening around the tick bite (erythema migrans).
This can cause diffuse, unilateral headaches. Often cranial nerves are affected by the infection and can cause numbness or pain in the lateral scalp around the ear or in the face. If the infection is not treated, it can persist and become chronic. Then, after months or years, in addition to jumping joint pain, exhaustion, tiredness, dizziness and light-headedness, diffuse, hemiplegic or cap-like headaches or scalp pain may occur. A treatment of Lyme disease is very important and should be carried out urgently to prevent serious complications.
