What is the occipital neuralgia?

There are two nerves that move around the back of the head and are called the occipital nerves. Damage, inflammation or stress on one or both of these nerves and many other conditions can lead to occipital neuralgia. This causes headache, especially in the back of the head and other symptoms that can be very difficult to endure. Okcicipital nerves do not affect the front of the head, so the headache that is on the forehead or face is unlikely to be the occipital neuralgia. However, this condition was compared with migraines in other respects.

Although the pain most often affects the one side of the head, it can both affect both if both the occipital nerves are irritated or involved. Other types of pain or sensitivity can be associated with this condition. This involves the sensitivity of the skin and the surface of the head to touch it, such as care or shampooing, thanks to discomfort it becomes extremely difficult.

There are many potential causes of occipital neuralgia, including tightness or tension in the throat, the cause of things like repeatedly keeping the head down (perhaps by entering a notebook). Traumatic damage to the neck or head can damage one of the occipital nerves or some forms of arthritis in the cervical spine can cause pressure on the nerve. Tumors in the cervical spine could have a similar result. Sometimes people with diabetes gain this condition and other causes could be some forms of infection. In many cases, there is no explanation of the inflammation of the occipital nerves.

Diagnosis of occipital neuralgia can be done in many ways. Doctors, usually neurologists, could perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer scanning axial tomography (scans cat scans) to see if there is a potential injury or blockage in the cervical or cervical spine. Another way that this condition is often diagnosed is the design of the nerve block on the occipital nerve suspected of creating ProbLine. This causes the nerve to temporarily dull, and if the occipital neuralgia is the cause of patient pain, the nerve block usually relieves pain and confirms the diagnosis.

As soon as the patient is diagnosed, the problem remains how to treat the condition in a more permanent way. There are several potential treatments, and if doctors determine the direct cause, they may have a better idea of ​​how to proceed. Many begin with conservative non -surgical methods of treatment that could include drugs to reduce pain. Common choices are non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and drugs like Tegretol®, Neurontin® or sometimes sometidepressants. The use of heat and neck massage can also be useful.

When the pain lasts for a long time and resists treatment treatment, doctors could propose some methods of pain relief that destroy or worsen the occipital nerve to reduce pain. This has an unpleasant side effect on how to leave a part of the head dull to feel, but for many feelings there is nothing betterthan to be exposed to constant pain. These procedures, including cutting or burning the nerve, will only be used only if the patient responded well to the occipital block. Many people do not have to undergo surgery to repair the occipital neuralgia and respond well to more conservative treatment.