Comments on: Occipital Neuralgia – Many Symptoms of Headaches

By: R.T.

R.T. — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:38:01 +0000

Hi everybody I have great news. Two months ago a chiropractor told me to try the Upper Cervical Treatment with the Blair Technique. This was the best experience for me. I was about to go crazy with the pain. Look into it. When there’s a Vertebral Subluxation of the Upper Cervical you experience Occipital Nerve . For more information look up Gil Chiropractor if you live in Los angeles. In another state look for a chiropractor that specializes in the Blair Technique. It will take time to heal but I have better days now then before.

By: Gin

Gin — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:26:22 +0000

I am 29 years old and I’ve had headaches everyday for about 5 years now. I have been to 7 neurologists and several primary care physicians. I had sinus surgery last year for a deviated septum and that didn’t reduce my pain at all. The pain is getting worse. I now have more pain over my eyes and ears. I feel like I’m going insane. It seems like the doctors just don’t care anymore. They try to treat me for a migraine or tension headache and get upset because the pain meds don’t work. Can someone tell me where to start with this whole neuralgia thing? My MRIs and CTs don’t show them anything. They keep telling me that I’m fine but I live in pain everyday of my life. I’m starting to become very depressed because I just don’t know how to deal with this anymore.

By: Barb

Barb — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:07:29 +0000

I suffered with pain in my head and base of my skull where my neck starts. I have inflammation at the base. Feels like lumps in this spot. I have inflammation at top of spine and makes it look like I have a growth or huge swollen area in this spot also. It is horrible.. I wear shirts and the back neck area is pushed up because of the huge inflammation. It feels like sponge when you touch this area. You can’t touch my head and sometimes I can’t brush my hair. I was told it was due to my fibromyalgia. I finally was sent to a pain clinic and was told the head pain was occipital neuralgia and I was started on occipital nerve blocks. It took almost 1 year before I really felt true relief. I go every 6-8 weeks for my shots. I was told that since I suffered for so long that my occpital nerves and other nerves were so swollen and inflammed that it would take quite a long time before I would feel relief. Recently I had to switch pain doctors because my doctor was leaving his practice and so were the other doctors. The new office has no clue about occpital neuralgia especially the PA. I have never in all my life been treated so badly. He said Occpital Nerves do not cause pain at the top of the head or behind the eyes. What an idiot. I am a CPC (Certified Professional Coder). I review medical records in every specialty, surgeries, etc. I review medical coding done by billers to make sure they are billing appropriate based on medical records, op reports. I have taken anatomy and physiology etc. I am not an idiot but I am aware I am not a doctor but I do know what I am talking about. All I want is pain relief. One of the messages about from a wife about her husband she said her husband just wanted to die. I personally have been in that spot so many times and just recently too. I have actually said this to others that all I want to do is die. Me saying this isn’t really do depression but more do to I can’t take the pain any longer. I try to remember that when I look at other people that we are all different and that nobody knows what another person is going through in their life whether it be pain, divorce, depression etc until you have walked in that persons shoes. So, unless you suffer from occipital neuralgia you have no clue the pain we are in. We just want the pain to stop or just die. I hope someone reads this and at least know that someone else is out there that knows what you are feeling and is thinking the same thing. You are not alone.

By: Dee

Dee — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:51:08 +0000

I too suffer from O.N. Fortunately I have a doctor who gives me blocking shots in the neck and I have to tell you they are an absolute godsend. It might take a couple of times to find the right spot, but it takes them entirely away. I suggest you call around and find someone who gives these blocking shots. There is no need to suffer or fill up on pain meds when there is such an easy solution.

By: R.T.

R.T. — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:01:24 +0000

I’ve been having these headaches 24/7 for nine months. Now I have limitations with my activity because the headaches get so severe with increase of activity. I can no longer exercise. I injured my neck @ work from tilting my head side ways to hold the phone trying to multitask. everyone out there this is a no no. Now my life has changed. I try to increase my activity slowly but I always end up with severe headaches that I have to force myself to sleep. Pain medication does not help at all. acupuncture is the only thing that has helped, but only temporary. I want my life back. This non active life forced by pain to lay around doesn’t work for me. I feel weak everyday from just not being able to be active and sometimes not being able to get out of bed due to the headaches. If I lift a gallon of milk it triggers the pain, this is no life. I can’t even go grocery shopping I have to depend on others to go with me because sometimes pushing the cart it increases the pain. Is anyone else experiencing the same symptoms I’m having? I’m waiting to get a nerve block. If acupuncture helps me, the combination of both should help. I’m so desperate I don’t know what else to do.

By: Chip

Chip — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:02:29 +0000

I’m here in Upstate NY. In October of 99, I began having pain just above my left obital. As I went through evey pill ,treatment and therapy mentioned by you guys as it has developed, I now feel 98% sure it is OC. Over 13 Drs., MRI,CAT,PETS,pills,tic this,trigemimal that.Even,post herpetic neauralgia…Some treatments two and three times. Radio nerve ablaltion , but in my eye socket,never the nerve,acupunture,PT..So desperate at one point paid some Healer to sit 10 feet away and magicly suck $200 bucks out of my butt…Now I feel its OC caused by over exertion at the gym. Neck and trap constently
sore,swollen, but addicted the working out. People touched on that but you deny and continue. I did stop but never for more that 4 days. Now I went to PT /8xs,and have totally stopped the gym for two weeks..much better. I feel foolish to have let the last ten years of my life be controlled by pain.The pain was at times almost overbearing,throbbing heat, eye..Questiondoes the muscle ever become totally healed, anti inflamed etc..Thank you all for helping me feel more sure of my self diagnosis..I’ve felt depressed for the longest..I’ll find you all on face book..

By: rose

rose — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:04:23 +0000

I feel like ive lost my life and this condition has taken over, people try to understand my pain but unless one has felt this themselves nobody can imagine the pain we go through with this condition. The skin on my head feels like its been burnt all over and I have tingling pins n needles prickling sharp stabbing pain all over my head all the time it never goes away I also get a throbbing pain in my eyes too, I have never in my life felt pain worse then this I wouldnt wish it on anyone it is horrible I spend so much time crying trying to get relief but there is none I can take all the pain meds i want and still barely comfort. Im affected by the cold weather, the wind the heat it all triggers bad attacks of pain for me and had changed my life completely, Has been over a year now since ive slept through a night my pain is that bad not even sleeping meds can keep me sleeping the most sleep at any one time i can get is an hour and half. If anyone knows what meds work good for this condition or just anything at all that could help to comfort this please please let me know.

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:58:53 +0000

I have had these excruciating headaches/neck pain for 2 years now. Dr gave me MRI and told had herniated C5-6 so thought that was what was causing the headaches. Had chiropractic, physical therapy, and now 2 years later still having chronic pain so went to pain clinic. Dr. said I have occiputal neuralgia. He put me on Lyrica. I’m still have pain though it is much less. I will go back and ask about a nerve block next. I have daily pain from the back of my scalp over the top of my ears. Also dizziness. I want my life back.

By: Lycia

Lycia — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:48:22 +0000

HI, 9 years ago I had a chiropractic neck adjustment that started my ON. After the doc. adjusted my neck I felt like a cord snapped inside my head and I developed a chronic headache. He told me to ice my head, which I did. no relief came and for 2 years I went through all kinds of test to figure out what was going on. In 2003 I found a neurologist who figured out that I had ON. I tried all kinds of meds that did nothing and then went for the shot. After a day or so I got relief. Until this pass week I have not had a flare up. As of sunday, I have had debilitating headache, nausea feel like I am going to black out. Had a CAT scan which turn out normal, Thank God, but I am convinced that the ON is the cause of this horrible pain that I am in. I see my neurologist this week and will probably be getting another injection. I have 5 days until I see him hope I can make it til then.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:48:30 +0000

I was fine, until I had a car accident and flared up all of the back of my neck. On July 28, 2008 I had a car accident. My headaches started immediately, but increased in severity and regularity gradually after the car accident, and doctors didn’t know how to diagnose (Migraine or Occipital Neuralgia). By January 2009 my headaches had become 24/7 with light and sound sensitivity (I spent 6 full months in excruciating pain). Also affected were my sight, smell and taste. My headaches would start at the back in the middle and move toward my ear, then over top my head to the front just above my eye. After numerous attempts at Neurological medication, chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, nerve blocks, etc. (None of which helped, I even had two rounds in the hospital from nausea that made me dehydrated.). I ended up having nerve decompression surgery in July in Texas from Dr. Carlton Perry. I am from the Pittsburgh area and had met with Dr. Jho, but he stated two reasons why he wouldn’t consider me as a patient for the surgery. One, I didn’t respond well to the nerve blocks and two, mine was a result from a car accident. He doesn’t like being involved if there is possible litigation. I am wonderful now, no headaches at all. Dr. Perry said it has something to do with the fact that I had an abnormal anatomy, trapezius muscle went way up the back of my skull, and caused my Greater Occipital nerves to bend around it and through it. Also, I had my Lesser Occipital Nerve going through a tendon. He removed part of the muscle and tendon, to relieve the pressure.

I have created a group on Facebook called Migraine or Occipital Neuralgia. I am trying to put information all in one place for people suffering like I was. In addition to Drs. Perry and Blake that work out of Houston, Dr. Jho in Pittsburgh PA, I also understand that there is a Dr. Dellon in Baltimore that is doing this procedure. If anyone is aware of any doctors, I would appreciate finding out more information on them.