occipital neuralgia

 I have had horrible headaches for 15 years and tried everything. Finally I got a diagnosis for occipital neuralgia and got an injection of celestone in the back of my head/neck....made a huge difference in the severity and frequency of my headaches. When I do get a headache, it usually last for about 12 hours....and what works best for me might help you as well....I sit in a lazy boy chair with an neck collar on....this give me support to keep my head up because I can't lay down when I have these headaches...it just makes it worse....I put a bag of ice directly on the back of my head where the nerves are and put a wet washcloth with alcohol on it (makes it colder) against my head.  This numbs those nerves and I keep it there all night....because I can't lay down, I put pillows around my head to keep me up and the lortab helps me sleep....anyone else have this "can't lay down" thing???  I've never spoken to another sole with these headaches....but the injection really seems to have helped....Nancy

You need a neurologist. occipital neuralgia is caused by irratation, injury, or pinching of the nerves. Aslo caused by osteoarthritis, or tumors or other types of lesions, repeated infections, gout, diabetes, vasculitis. Things to help you is medical massage, local nerve blocks, injections of steroids, anti depressents (some are also muscle relaxers). Best treatment for one with a confirmed diagnoses: Heat, Rest, Medical Massage, anti-inflamatory medications, muscle relaxants. (Note to MoD NO Research done, this is off my medical training and a loved one who is dx'd with it)

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Occipital neuralgia can be a catch-all term for pain in the back of the head, a patch an inch above to an inch below the hairline. A literal meaning is "pain or odd sensation in the back of the head." Why you have occipital neuralgia is important in finding the right treatment. Your doctor should help on this by looking for all the really scary things you need to know about only if you have it. If your doctor says there is no apparent reason for the neuralgia, then try some soft tissue therapy. These are therapies designed to release trapped tissues in the area of the occiput. Lots of people have tight, adhesed tissue there from long-forgotten injuries such as falls, whiplashes, sports injuires, etc. Their headache/migraine symptoms don't necessarily pop up until the have an aggravating factor, such as working on a computer, stress, additional injury, etc. I do massage therapy and work on headaches, migraines and soft-tissue problems all day. All roads lead to the posterior neck muscles and connective tissues. Good luck!

Nancy!?!?

Are you still around? I have PERSONAL experience with occipital neuralgia and can share that if you would like.