Occipital Neuralgia
How we treat it
Occipital nerve blocks — both diagnostic and therapeutic; relief can last weeks to months.
Physical therapy — posture correction and deep neck flexor strengthening address the muscular compression driving many cases.
Chiropractic care and acupuncture for the upper-cervical restriction and muscle tension components.
Radiofrequency ablation for confirmed cases needing longer relief.
FAQs
Does occipital neuralgia go away on its own?
Mild cases can settle with posture changes and PT. Recurrent electric-shock pain usually needs the nerve addressed directly.
How long does an occipital nerve block last?
Anesthetic relief is immediate; with steroid, typically weeks to a few months — a window we use for PT.
Is it dangerous?
It's not life-threatening, but new severe headaches always deserve evaluation to rule out other causes.
CTA: Call 720-749-5599 (CO) / 602-325-2024 (AZ).
Occipital Neuralgia Treatment
Occipital neuralgia is nerve pain from the occipital nerves, which run from the top of the neck up the back of the scalp. When these nerves are irritated or compressed, they produce a distinctive pain: sharp, shooting, electric-like jolts starting at the base of the skull and radiating up the back of the head, sometimes behind the eye. It's frequently mistaken for migraine — and treated wrongly for years as a result.
How it differs from migraine
Migraine tends to throb, build gradually, and come with nausea or light sensitivity. Occipital neuralgia strikes in seconds-long jolts, often triggered by neck movement or scalp touch (even brushing your hair), and the scalp may stay tender between attacks. The distinction matters because the treatments are different — and one test tells us a lot: numbing the occipital nerve. If the pain stops, we've found the source.
What causes it
Tight or injured neck muscles compressing the nerves, whiplash, arthritis in the upper cervical spine, or prolonged head-forward posture. Sometimes no single cause is found — the treatment path is the same.
