Occipital artery

Looks like

An external carotid branch running back under the base of the skull and up over the back of the scalp.

What it does

Supplies the back of the scalp and neck muscles.

Keeping it well

Scalp wounds at the back of the head bleed heavily from it. Its pulse lies near the nerve blocked for some headaches.

Related conditions

• Carotid artery stenosis
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Takayasu arteritis
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)