Occipital Nerve Block

1/10/08 6:07pm

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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We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.

Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information on the main page of our site, MyMigraineConnection.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.

Welcome again,

Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert

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

MIke

1/15/08 7:37am

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.

tweety

1/15/08 10:33am

Thanks for your reply. I have tried chiropractor. I really didn't like getting " cracked" on my neck and back. Personally that scares me.

What is TMJ Specialist? Thanks.

Mike

1/15/08 10:59am

An AO chiropractor is very different from the "standard" group of Chiropractors. You can barely feel the adjustment. Just check it out.

http://www.atlasorthogonality.com/

TMJ is a Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (Jaw) issue that causes migraines in the temples & between the eyes.

Go To http://www.leadingdentists.com/what_is_neuromuscular/diagnose_treat.html

for an explaination.

Hope you find success for relief.

Best Regards .... Mike

glendee

2/12/08 10:56am

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...

tweety

2/12/08 11:06am

Hi Glendee,

I've been posting about the nerve block. My neuroligist wants me to do the next, since nothing else works. So far I have heard positive feedback from the forum. But when you said you didn't sleep because of the steroids??? what is that mean? does it have side effects? Does the meds they give you make drowsy or agitated?? I have a 7 year old. I take him to school everyday. So, I can't afford to loose sleep.

Anyway, could you tell me more about that?

Thanks.

glendee

2/12/08 11:17am

i am older, 42, on bioidentical hormones (normally 8-10 hours sleep with melatonin every night, etc). The steroids wire me the first night.. just last night. i slept only 3-4 hours. I might go take a short nap here to catch up, but i should be fine by this evening for my regular 8 hours a night. it is not like i am exausted, either. My shot was a beta metozone with lanocaine.

Devon

2/27/08 10:29pm

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.

tweety

2/27/08 10:37pm

Big Grin Hi Devon,

That's great to hear. I did my first nerve block injection last Friday. Like you said it did hurt the first 2 days. I only did it on the right side, where I mostly get my migraines. So far, I still take my preventitive meds. My doctor didn't recommend me stopping that. Unfortunatelly, now I hurt on my left side now. I do get stiff neck/shoulder in the mornings. Sometimes that causes migraines. But I have to say I havent' had a full blown pounding headache in a week. I know what you mean when you are even pain free for half a day. It's a miracle :) Keep me up to date. I do have another appt set up next month. So, we'll see how long this one lasts. My doc. said it could last from 1 week to couple months. If you do it again, the next shot will last longer. But you are right you can't do this too often.

Hopefully this works for all of us nerve block shot migraine people Big Grin .

Keep us posted here.

Devon

2/27/08 11:41pm

After a week I noticed that most of what pain I had was now on my right side... I think it was probably always there just that the big pain on the left was so much worse that I didn't count it. That is why I asked about having one for the right. Perhaps your dr. might go ahead and give you another for the left so that you will have them close enough to the same time that you don't have to play a back and forth game of right-left alternating pain...Might be worth asking.

AR

1/ 2/11 10:16am

Hi Devon,

I took my first nerve blocks on Nov 19, this was my second visit to the neuro. The first visit he gave me LYRICA which caused less sleep, so he increased the dosage and I had even less sleep and I developed a rash on my face.. He then put me on Topamax (lowest does) I had a rash in my mouth. He took me off off preventive medicine and gave me two shots- one in each eyebrow and two both sides of my head. HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN ANY OF PAIN MEDICATION. The shots lasted about one month and now I am in pain again. He started me back on Topamax pediatric dose to see if I would have any reaction to that.. so far so good.He is going to do "multiply blocks" But, I am concerned because he told me that the shots above the eyebrow could cause indentions. I had Crohns Disease for 7 years and God healed me. I have heard that this is also a auto immune disease? My advice is to pray for Gods wisdom for the next step. AR

Devon

3/ 1/08 11:31am

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.

tweety

3/ 1/08 11:36am

Hi Devon,

Well I wake up with neckaches that goes up my back of my neck. It's mostly on the other side now. The side that rarely hurt before. So, I might think about the shot for that side. I'm not all pain free either...That would be too much to ask!! LOL Right now I have a neck and shoulder ache on my right side (side I got a shot on) but it doesn't go up to my head..which is good I guess. This morning is not a great start. So, we'll see.

The soreness on the injection sight lasted 2 days. I can handle that as long as the migraine isn't severe. we are so tolerent with pain levels, aren't we?

Hope you feel better.

Devon

3/ 1/08 7:24pm

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 :)

Wynn

3/ 4/08 5:13pm

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.

tweety

3/ 4/08 6:19pm

I'm sorry about your migraines. I know what you mean about migraines starting after having a baby!! Even though they say there is no connection ..I am almost sure hormone changes probably messes with our bodies..once you have a baby you are never the same.

Also, sorry to hear you had a such a bad experience with the nerve block shot. The needle idea really scares me but it wasn't as bad as you described it. Did you doctor have experience with this procedure? Make sure you go to a neurologist that has done this before. The shot area did hurt for couple days..but did help my migraine...(I do still have neck and shoulderache though...

I hope we are all MIGRAINE FREE someday!!!...... Embarassed

Roger

7/31/09 5:53pm

well i had the procedure done on both sides and yes not nice ,and the numbing effect is weird after a day it goes away and now i have a sore feeling in my right side from my head down my neck causing the head ache again , but when i went to stretch my neck from right to left something pulled and i got a terrible shock and what felt like the needle sticking in my head again like the procedure have you experianced this? now if i push down in the area where the shot was administered it shocks me. I wonder if I got damaged somehow during this procedure or if this is common? Is there a pocket of medicine still in there and pressing on that is what is causing some nerve pressure hence the shock or dull pain radiating down from head to shoulder area? has anyone encountered any of these side effects?Roger

jojo

3/ 6/08 10:45pm

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

sasndra ellis

5/22/08 10:47am

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

tweety

5/22/08 11:54am

15 nerve blocks around the front???? No wonder.

I have had total of 4 shot (including yesterday) but 4 is the limit. My doctor said 4 or 5 is the limit for a quiet a few months. Having to do 15 at the same time or too close to each other not a good idea. You have to make sure either your neuroligist or someone specializes in the nerve block shot does them for you. Please be careful. Sounds like you went way over the limit. Hope all is well soon.

Sonia

7/ 1/08 11:58am

Hi, I have been having facial pain and occipital pain for the last 5 months. My neurologist has recomended occipital nerve block. I just want to know if it huts while taking nerve block around the occipital nerve? Is it tolerable? Please reply since I am scheduled to go for it tomorrow afternoon. thanks, Sonia.

tweety

7/ 1/08 1:13pm

Hi there,

I haven't done as many as you have. I have done 3 shots on my right back of my head. I also had 2 shots done on my neck..couple weeks in between. The shot itself only stings for a few minutes. Then for couple days you do feel sore in the shot area. But believe me it so worth not having the migraines. After going through migraine pain, my pain tolerance went up way high.. It's not that bad at all.

Good luck.

I'm going to try spinal depcrompression with a chiropractor next. Since all my pain comes from my shoulder and neck area? Have you or anyone else have done this procedure? Thanks.

fairyleigh

10/30/11 6:51pm

The one I had last week was a very thin needle and was put in back of my head where the painful nerve isBUT in the muscle next to it.....Just a pinch..did not hurt..A couple days after at the injection site..but like a bruised area...I was told by my neuroligist I may have to have a total of three and should not have to take anything by mouth..Those pills raise havoc w/ur stomach and liver..Good Luck

Anonymous

9/ 5/08 6:39pm

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!

cyndy

9/24/08 12:34am

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.

Ciao

4/ 7/09 2:46am

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!

tweety

4/ 7/09 12:31pm

Hi all, I was the original poster asking about the Occiptical Nerve Block Shots...well that was then...I did it few times and they did not work.

Currently, I am going to the hospital next week for a week to the the DHE 45 Migraine Treatment. I am not thrilled but I need to do something drastic.

I've been on my meds for so long that they stopped working and now cause daily rebound headaches. I wake up with a stiff neck and and headache every morning.

Anyone tried the DHE 45 treatment before??? Please email.

Thanks. Good luck to all!!

frannsie

6/10/09 2:51pm

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.

Daniel Lee

5/13/10 2:20am

Did your occipital nerve block make your headache worse? For me, it did. The first time I got it done, my neurologist injected the needle at the left base of my skull and it went okay. However, the second time, he injected it more towards the left top of the back side of my head. 10 minutes after the injection, I got severe shocks on the right side of my head. Whereas I was originally having 5-10 "ice pick" stabs/day localized in the lower left back side of my head, ten minutes after the injection, I started having 30-50 ice pick stabs/day not only on my original area of pain, but all over my head!

My neurologist claims that the lidocaine/bupivacaine nerve block injection couldn't have caused these other side reactions. But my question is then...why in two years have I not gotten head pain in any other area than my lower left back side of my head and 10 minutes after the injection, I start having all of these attacks?

I got a 2nd opinion from another neurologist in the same office and she said that the head pain in the other areas of my head could have happened regardless of the injection. Right. SO you're telling me that it just magically appeared 10 minutes after the injection even though I had no head pain in other areas of my head for the past two years? You have got to be kidding me.

I'm now experiencing more head pain in all areas of my head thanks to the wonderful neurologists who were supposed to help.

Do any of you know why my head pain became worse after the injection? I'm thinking it's because it probably entered an artery and damaged it. I really don't know but it's frustrating. Someone please help me.

Anonymous

5/27/10 11:08pm

I don't have any idea why your pain has increased, but I suspect if the Doctor is from the same practice they are not willing to say anything bad about another doctor. Do you have another doctor that you trust that you can talk to? I just received my first two shots last Wednesday and prior to that I had been in bed for 3 weeks. The doctor took me in to the hospital for a two hour DHE infusion and after that did not touch my pain, we went for the two nerve blocks. She let me pick the soft spot on either side. It was on the lower side of my head - nowhere near the top. I can say that after being unable to move from the pain then not being able to feel my head, that was a true relief. I went from a 12 to a 4 the next day. However I am so nauseaus that I cannot sleep at night. I would definitely say that it was worth it because it broke an unbelievable cycle of pain but I for the first time ever I need a prescription for nausea medication. I can't imagine that your ice-pick headaches have dramatically (I used to call mine that) for no reason - they had to have something to do with the procedure.

jgd

8/ 9/10 5:25pm

Hi - I have had a terrible recovery from an OCN last Thurs. It's four days now and I've still got pain as well as pressure in my neck/shoulders/upper back. When I stand up too fast, I get intense "cold headaches" and my migraine isn't entirely gone... is any of this normal?? Should I go back to see my doctor or another doctor?? I am very frustrated and concerned that my doctor did not give me an adequate warning of possible side effects. But it sounds like my reaction wasn't normal??

Occipital Nerve Block

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