Occipital Neuralgia is a form of headache that causes pain along the upper neck and back of the head. The pain is in the distribution of the nerves known as occipital nerves/sensory nerves that run from the upper part of the neck to the back of the head. The pain can be throbbing, aching, burning, or can feel sharp and stabbing. Sometimes, this condition is referred to as occipital neuritis. Occipital nerve blocks using an injection of a local anesthetic and a steroid agent may be performed at our office.
Irritation or trauma to the greater occipital nerve can lead to occipital neuralgia which presents as chronic occipital headaches. Treatment for occipital neuralgia includes medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency ablation. We can provide Landmark-guided GON blocks for treatment of occipital neuralgia. We can do to guide needle advancement when performing procedures.