Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks for Occipital Neuralgia

What is Occipital Neuralgia?

The Occiput is the area on the back of your head where you have a bumpy ridge.  Just off the midline are two small nerves called the Greater Occipital Nerve.  These nerves can become inflamed if there is spasm of nearby muscles which can lead to chronic headaches that emanate from the back of the head. The occipital nerves can also be irritated from their original pain generation found at the upper and middle Cervical Facet Joints (neck joints).

How can you treat Occipital Neuralgia?

First, a patient needs to be thoroughly evaluated by a well-trained pain physician. This evaluation will include a thorough description of your pain symptoms, a physical examination to find out your pain generator, and a review of imaging studies to confirm your diagnosis.

If Occipital Neuralgia is suspected we may attack the pain from a variety of directions. Non-interventional treatments could include medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), neuropathic agents like Gabapentin (Neurontin) or Pregabalin (Lyrica), or muscle relaxants.

Interventional treatments for Occipital Neuralgia include Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks or Cervical Facet Joint Injections.