1. If the individual parts of the compound subject are joined by and, always use a plural verb. 2. If the individual parts of the compound subject are joined by or or nor, use the verb form (singular or plural) which will agree with the subject closer to the verb.
Headaches in the back of the head may be caused by a variety of ailments and injuries. Chronic headaches in the back of the head -- also known as occipital headaches -- are often variants of tension-type headaches or migraines. New-onset occipital headaches are a more urgent concern. Possible causes include blood vessel abnormalities, nerve disorders and serious traumatic injuries.
A simple way to identify the location of the headache is to look at the position in relation to the parts of the skull, particularly the cranium. 1  Top of the head = parietal; vertex is the top most part. 2  Back of the head = occipital. 3  Side of the head = temporal. 4  Front of the head = frontal.