Occipital Neuralgia Treatment in Brooklyn, NYC & NJ

What Is Occipital Neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia is a type of nerve pain that affects the occipital nerves, which run from the base of your skull to your scalp. If you suffer from chronic and debilitating pain in the back of your head, neck, and behind your eyes, you may have this disorder.

The team of physicians at Neuro Injury Specialist in New York and New Jersey offers treatments for a wide range of neurological disorders, including occipital neuralgia. Dr. Mark Cohen, a board certified neurologist, as well as Dr. Dmitriy Dvoskin and Dr. Leon Reyfman a board certified pain management specialist, use the latest diagnostic tools and treatment options to provide personalized and effective solutions for treating occipital neuralgia. Whether you need medication, nerve blocks, surgery or alternative therapies, Drs. Cohen, Dvoskin and Reyfman find you relief.

What Are the Symptoms of Occipital Neuralgia?

A person with occipital neuralgia experiences severe pain in the back of the head, neck and behind the eyes. It may be sudden or throbbing. It may strike you unexpectedly and shock you. The pain often remains localized, but can spread to other areas of the head.

The pain lasts from a few seconds to several minutes and may occur multiple times a day or just occasionally. Occipital nerve pain sometimes is worsened by certain movements or activities, such as turning your head, bending over, brushing your hair or wearing a hat.

Other common symptoms include:

• Sensitivity to light
• Scalp tenderness
• Blurry vision
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Slurred speech
• Nausea
• Vomiting

What Are Available Occipital Neuralgia Treatment Options?

There is no one definitive treatment for occipital neuralgia, and the best option varies depending on the cause and severity of your condition. These treatments are designed to reduce pain and inflammation. There are drug and non-drug treatments, and your neurologist often uses a combination of treatments for long-term pain management.

The effectiveness of different treatment for occipital neuralgia approaches also varies depending on your specific needs, underlying condition, general health and your lifestyle.

Some common options for treating occipital neuralgia include:

• Oral medications. These include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants and antidepressants. They are designed to reduce inflammation, relax muscle spasms, prevent nerve impulses and improve moods.
• Occipital nerve blocks. This involves injecting a local anesthetic and a steroid into the occipital nerve or its branches. It helps numb the pain and reduce inflammation for several weeks or months.
• Botox injections. This involves injecting botulinum toxin into the muscles around the occipital nerve. It relaxes the muscles and prevents nerve impulses for up to three months.
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Like a nerve block, this treatment interrupts the pain signals before they reach your brain, only SCS does it continually.
• Radiofrequency ablation. Using sound waves, a minimally invasive method, to melt away the insulation of nerves will result in decreased transmission of pain signals – providing relief to the patient.
• Massage or physical therapy. Alternative approaches involve manipulating and stretching the muscles and joints in the neck and head. They loosen tight muscles, improve posture and relieve pressure on the nerves.
• Cold and warm therapy. This involves alternating the application of cold and warm packs to the affected area. It reduces inflammation, numbs the pain and relaxes the muscles.
• You may want to consider this alternative that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. It stimulates the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers, and regulates the nerve signals.
• This involves using a device that monitors your physiological responses such as muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. It teaches you to control these responses to reduce stress and pain.

What Happens if I Don’t Have My Occipital Neuralgia Treated?

While occipital neuralgia is not a life-threatening condition, it can have a significant impact on your well-being and daily functioning. Leaving occipital neuralgia untreated may result in medication overuse, depression or anxiety, and other serious complications.

Most likely, you’ll undergo regular, continued disruptions to your social life. Your family and your job may be affected by the sudden pain you experience that causes you to miss out on events and make decisions based on your fear of an episode.

If you ignore or delay treatment for occipital neuralgia, you may experience:

• Chronic pain. The pain of occipital neuralgia may become more frequent, intense or prolonged, affecting your sleep, mood, concentration and productivity. Chronic headaches can also become part of these complications.
• Medication overuse. You may resort to taking more or stronger painkillers to cope with the pain, which can lead to side effects, tolerance, dependence and rebound headaches.
• Depression or anxiety. The constant pain and stress of occipital neuralgia may affect your mental health, causing low self-esteem, hopelessness, isolation and fear.
• Deeper complications. If the underlying cause of your occipital neuralgia is not addressed, it may worsen or lead to other problems, such as nerve damage, infection, blood clot, meningitis and brain abscess.

Who’s at Risk for Developing Occipital Neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia can affect anyone, but it’s more common in women, and people who have suffered head or neck injury. This is because the occipital group of nerves runs from along the back of your neck and head, and injuries to this area often affect this whole group of nerves.

Other risk factors that may make you more susceptible to occipital neuralgia are untreated underlying conditions.

Even with treatment, you still may suffer from side effects of certain illnesses that directly or indirectly affect this group of nerves and may include:

• This is a condition that affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, which can damage the nerves and blood vessels.
• This is a type of arthritis that causes high levels of uric acid in the blood, which can form crystals in the joints and tissues, including the occipital nerves.
• Osteoarthritis of the upper spine. This is a condition that causes the cartilage that cushions the joints in the spine to break down, resulting in bone spurs and nerve irritation.
• This is a condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels, which can affect the blood flow and oxygen supply to the nerves.
• Other neurological and pain disorders. Problems affecting the nervous system are often related, so for example, a person with chronic migraines or tension headaches may also suffer with occipital neuralgia.

Contact Neuro Injury Specialists in New York and New Jersey to provide you with a comprehensive evaluation and personalized treatment for occipital neuralgia. Don’t let this condition continue disrupting your life.