Occipital Nerve Block

Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!

 

Being in constant pain in frustrating and exhauting. While it may feel like you have tried "all types of preventive meds" out there, it really isn't possible. There are over 100  preventive medications available for Migraine treatment. So don't lose hope. Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options To Give Up!

 

Occipital nerve block, an injection near the occipital nerve, uses lidocaine (and other medications) to block the pain. The benefit from these blocks is temporary. Some people get relief lasting for weeks,  others only a few days.  

 

Being properly diagnosed is really important. What kind of doctor do you see? A neurologist isn't usually an expert in any one area because they treat so many different conditions. This is where a Migraine specialist comes in. They ARE eperts in Migraine disease and headache disorders. See our patient recommended list HERE.

 

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Welcome again,

Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert

PS: If you receive this message from more than one of us, please excuse the overlap. Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  Find an Atlas Orthogonal (AO) Chiropractor in your area for an adjustment to your Atlas & Axis.  It must be a chiropractor that specializes in AO.

 

2) Go to a TMJ/TMJ specialist that has education from the Las Vegas Institute (LVI)

 

My 15 year old has been through almost everything.  Try these 2 approaches.

i just had one yesterday.... and it stopped my headache in 2 hours (after 5 days straight)... because of the steroids she used, i only slept 3 hours last night... but, i am feeling much better today...

 

 

Hi I have had nearly daily headaches for going on three years now. I used to drink a lot so many meds I am careful about taking as I don't want to start being dependant. One dr. put me on disipramine which I thought at first was helping .. I was down to only three or four bad headaches a week then I don't know if I became tolerant of the effects on my headaches or what but in no longer helped at all and I hated the side effects. Anyway I quit taking them and stopped going to that dr. when he just wanted to throw more and more pills at it. Last week I went to the pain management people at Cleveland Clinic (It is nice to be near a world famous hospital) and the dr. gave me one Occipital nerve block shot in the left side of my neck. OMG did it make my head hurt for the first half hour but I had a bad headache at the time anyway. The next day I was somewhat better and by the third day I felt close to a fifty to 60 percent decrease in any headache. I went back today and they injected both sides and it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the first shot. So far I am VERY impressed I didn't take any as needed meds all week and am very optimistic about this. Yes I am aware it is temporary and the dr. says I have to be careful not to have it done too often or the steroid can cause bone damage from over use. He told me many people have months of relief from Occipital nerve block.... Let me say that a week of half as much pain or less has been a great blessing. Anyone with severe headache knows that a few hours without pain is wonderful and a week is nearly unheard of. Now that he did both sides I'll will see what happens. The injections were done around three o'clock this afternoon and it is around ten in the evening now and my head really hardly has any pain at all. I'll register with this site and return to keep you up to date especially the next few days and weeks. I am very hopeful at this point. My goal is to become completely free of taking pills...  How great would that be? I hope you can find something that works for you. You will be in mine and my wife's prayers. God bless.

                                       Devon

 Cleveland,Ohio U.S.A.

How is everything since you've had a few days with the nerve block now? Mine the injection site is finally becoming not so sore but I've noticed my sleep patterns are a bit later going to sleep ... They tell me this will go away. I can't say that I am pain free but I haven't had a severe episode. I hope it lasts ... Hope you are doing well and feeling better.

Have you ever used or had  a T.E.N.S. unit used ? They are a very nice thing to have and are great for that shooting up your neck or back pain. It uses electrical pulses that feel much like an awesome massage. You can use it as often as needed for as long as needed to relieve pain. They are portable so you can even wear it and use it at work. I have mine on right now :)

Hi, I understand I have been dealing with Migraines since I was 12 years old and I have I have felt like a lab rat all my life going back and forth to the neurologist to try to keep them under control and then recently,almost 3 years after the birth of my son so no connection there, I started having them literally everyday. Some things that help me are migaine diets, regular mild exercise, finding a way to give myself a timeout from the kids (stay-at-home-Mother), and a regular bedtime.  I take Imitrex and Relpax when the headache occurs and topomax as a preventative - which right now we are in the process of increasing that dosage.  When I first started taking Topomax I went from having Migraines 3-4 times a week to 1-2 times a month.  After many years of being on it I hope increasing the dosage will help. As for  the Occipital Nerve Block, I tried this and I guess I would try it again, I would do anything to lesson the pain of my Migraines, however, when I did the procedure it was far from pleasant to hear sound of the needle going cracking into your scull.  My pain was gone for about half an hour and then it came back with vengence. My shoulders and neck were sore also from the procedure.

I had a migraine for 7 months  non stp with out relief, my dr's tried 10 diffeerent meds during that time. I finnally called a headache specialist and they did the nerve block, wowo it was such a big help, i last my headache in 2 days , after going back for 6 months to get these shot they are planning on doing  surgery to cut those nerves to stop my migraines altogether.

I would at least try it , I had no  side effects .

 

 

good luck and god bless

Hi yes i have had it done 3 times the first 2 gave me around a 1week grace there were still there but not so severe.the 3rd time was a diff story i had a bad reaction i had 15 nerve blocks round the front of the face and 2 gon injection.i was up A/E many time in the first mth which they could not help i just cant tell you the pain i was in.so i wont be haveing them again.

But i do no many people who have had it done a it has give them some pain free days/mths.so do have ago it trail and error.

Im hopfully going to have the occipital never stumaltion done as im running out if treatment iv had this for 20yrsplus as it has got worse the last 8yrs.

i do hope you understand what i have wrote as this is the firstt time i done this.

sandra E

Hi,

 

I have been suffering from daily headaches (at least I thought they were- actually turned out to be migraines) for years.  I now get Nerve Block shots to the back of my head, neck and forhead and I swear by them.  Only thing that works for me and I do get any side effects.  Some get bruising and some pain at injection sight, but for me it is minimal compared to the pain I have endured since childhood.  I am now 43.

 

Hope this helps!

I have been a migraine sufferer since was 19 years old. After my daughter was born at 23 my headaches got worse and continued this way. Then in my 40's they seemed to increase even more up to 8-10 a month. I also tried everything under the sun. I am now 51 and I have begun perimenopause, and my headaches have slowed down, but  continue with my periods, which are coming often, every two weeks, so the headaches come on then. Been on daily medication ,can't name all of them, but on them for at least 8-10 years. Recently, just came off a week of headache after three days, a total rebound headache and then for six days of seroids and it made it go away over a few days, but when I was done, it came back. I went to see my neurologists and ask him for something right there and that is when he suggested the occipital nerve block, now you know when you are in PAIN, you will try anything! But, my daughter works with a neuropsycologists and she was telling my daughter about a doctor friend who has alot of success with it. So I had heard about it this way and then forgot about it. He gave me the shot right in the office on my right side in the back(right side is where I get my headaches) and there was a small pinched and then immediately the area started to get numb and my head started to start feeling better and by the time the appt. was over, 80% of it was gone! Now, as the day went on it stayed at 80%  with that area numb for hours and hours and then later in the evening it came back and I then took Zomig nasal spray and went to bed. It stayed away then. My research says that it can help up to 4 days or more.. maybe months if your headaches are affected by the occipital nerve. But, why not try it, make sure your doctor is a neurologists and has been trained on how to target the nerve when giving the shot.

Hi All-

Back in the day, I received what was then called an Occipital nerve block but no needles were involved.  It was similar to a T.E.N.S. unit you would find in a physical therapy clinic.  Electrodes were attached to the base of my head at the occipital nerve and an increasing amount of electricity was generated to my level of tolerance.  This treatment was repeated over a few sessions and gave me some relief.  It was provided along with therapeutic massage and some medication treatment.  I don't know if I'd be lining up for the needle version.  But, hey, whatever works!

 

I just went and saw a neurologist and he gave me two shot directly into the brain for my extremely chronic migraines yesterday.  they were about two to two and half long inches needles and put them in the back of the skull where it's soft no bone you know that round area in the back of your head and inserted the needles all the way in and put the medication in.  Other then hearing some crunching sounds, it didn't hurt at all.  I felt tired for the rest of the day only the injection site was slightly sore for yesterday and my balance felt just a little off for little bit. But other then that I didn't seem to have any other side effects or difficulties.  As for how well it will do for my migraines only time will tell.  So far I haven't had any severe headaches or migraines since yesterday which is a promising sign so far.