Occipital Nerve Block

There is no denying that head pain exists. Whether it be caused by stress, tension, injury, or lifestyle and work requirements, a headache can stop you in your tracks. While most common headaches can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications, there are times when chronic headaches create such a greatly diminished quality of life that additional treatment is needed. This is when an occipital nerve block has proven incredibly helpful. The Nevada Advanced Pain Specialists in the Reno, Sparks and Carson City areas are able to provide this block with the goal to help those who suffer with painful, chronic headaches enjoy pain relief. 

What is an Occipital Nerve Block?

An occipital nerve block is an injection of medication near an occipital nerve in the head to provide pain relief and reduce inflammation. This nerve block is used to provide pain relief for certain headache disorders. The reason why the occipital nerves are treated is because they are located in the back of the head, originate from the cervical spine, and run through each side of the scalp. They send signals to the brain and innervate the scalp, as well as other structures in the head, like the ears. There are three types of occipital nerves, which include: 

• Greater occipital nerve (GON): the largest of the three nerves, the GON provides sensation to the skin on the scalp at the lower back part of the head to the top of the head, as well as the ears and skin above the parotid glands (the salivary glands located in the front of each ear)
• Lesser occipital nerve (LON): this nerve is responsible for providing sensation to the side of the back of the scalp, as well as the outer ear
• Third occipital nerve (TON): this nerve provides sensations to the skin on the middler lower back of the scalp and is most vulnerable to damage from whiplash

Most people have two of each kind of occipital nerve that are located on each side of the head. In addition to feeling pain in the occipital-specific regions of the head, a person can also experience referred pain, which is pain that is felt in another part of the head, such as the eye. 

When any of the occipital nerves are damaged, irritated or inflamed, pain can be felt in the form of migraines or chronic headaches. A pain management specialist will use an occipital nerve block, which is a combination of an anesthetic and corticosteroid, to reduce pain and inflammation. An additional benefit is that an occipital nerve block is a powerful diagnostic tool that can help to inform a healthcare provider that, if pain is not relieved, then there is another reason why a person is experiencing chronic headaches or migraines. 

What Do Occipital Nerve Blocks Treat? 

An occipital nerve block is most often used to treat two main health conditions, cervicogenic headaches and occipital neuralgia, when other conservative methods have failed to provide adequate pain relief. The main difference between these two conditions is if the pain is trauma related or not. 

Cervicogenic headaches is a chronic condition that unfortunately has a variety of causes. One cause is spondylosis, which is deterioration in the neck related to age and use. Another cause is damage to the cervical facet joints in the neck. While research is still continuing as to the benefits of an occipital nerve back to treat cervicogenic headaches, study participants have reported:

• Fewer and shorter headaches
• Reduced headache symptoms
• Fewer feelings of nausea and vomiting
• Better quality of life and ability to participate in daily activities
• Increased appetite
• Reduced analgesic consumption

Occipital neuralgia, on the other hand, is directly related to trauma to the nerves in the back of the head, which is known as the occiput. Since this is where all three nerves stem from, a traumatic event to this area (usually a hit to the head), will affect all areas of the head where the nerves are located. An occipital nerve block has proven helpful for relieving pain symptoms up to six months after the injection. 

Occipital nerve blocks are also helpful for treating post-dural puncture headaches, cluster headaches and migraine headaches, as well as symptoms associated with whiplash and neck pain. 

What Does an Occipital Nerve Block Procedure Involve?

An occipital nerve block procedure is a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure, meaning that the patient is able to return home the same day. Your provider will apply a local anesthetic to the injection site to numb the area. Using X-ray guidance, the provider inserts a needle into the greater and lesser occipital nerves and a combination of anesthetic and corticosteroid medication is injected, with the goal to relieve pain symptoms and reduce inflammation. 

The entire procedure takes about 15 minutes. Most patients report immediate feelings of pain relief, but it could take a couple of days to feel the full effect. Pain relief could be felt for up to several months, and repeated injection might be necessary to provide sustained relief. 

What are the Benefits and Risks of an Occipital Nerve Block?

The main benefit of an occipital nerve block is that it’s proven to provide pain relief for patients who have been diagnosed with occipital neuralgia and/or cervicogenic headaches. Another benefit is that it is a helpful diagnostic tool that can either confirm that your feelings of head and neck pain are stemming from the occipital nerves, or if it doesn’t provide relief, then you know that the pain is stemming from another cause. Overall, an occipital nerve back is a minimally-invasive procedure that offers patients pain relief with little to no recovery time. 

As with any medical procedure, there are risks. While low, these risks include temporary pain or bleeding at the injection site. There is also the chance of infection at the injection site, or nerve damage. But, these risks should be mitigated by having a trained pain management specialist perform the procedure, which includes properly cleaning the injection site as well as using X-ray guidance to guide the needle. 

If you are suffering with head and neck pain and haven’t been able to find relief from conservative methods, an occipital nerve block could be an attractive solution for you. Please schedule an appointment today with the Nevada Advanced Pain Specialists in the Reno, Sparks and Carson City areas so that we may learn about your symptoms and determine if you’re a candidate.