Occipital Neuralgia

WHAT IS IT AND HOW IS IT TREATED?

The issue with diagnosing uncommon neurological disorders is that many of these conditions mirror the pain or symptoms of more common headaches. If you have pain in the back of the head or the base of the neck that has been misdiagnosed as a headache or migraine – and isn’t responding to treatment – you may have occipital neuralgia.

Occipital neuralgia condition is caused by the compression of the occipital nerves. The compression may be caused by injury, inflammation of surrounding tissues, or tight muscles that impede the nerves. Alternatively, the pain may be the result of compression of the nerves as they exit the spinal canal.

Although a cause isn’t apparent all the time, there are links between the following conditions and occipital neuralgia:

Osteoarthritis
Gout
Diabetes
Neck or head injuries
Cervical disc disease
Tumors in the neck

Symptoms

Occipital neuralgia is a condition that causes severe pain in the head or neck that follows these patterns:

Sharp jab or jolt in the back of the head and neck
Intermittent pain behind the eye
Sensitivity to light
Burning or throbbing at base of head and scalp
Pain when moving neck

Treatment

There are many treatments available to patients with occipital neuralgia. Your surgeon will review prior and ineffective treatments to find the right fit for you.