Cervical neuralgia, also known as occipital neuralgia, causes piercing headaches that can start in the back of the head or upper neck and spread to the front of the head, scalp, and forehead. Treatment includes nerve blocks, antidepressants, anti-inflammatory drugs, heat, rest, and massage. Surgery may be necessary for severe cases. Conservative treatments can also manage symptoms.
Cervical neuralgia, also known as occipital neuralgia, is a type of neuralgia that can affect the major occipital nerves. These nerves typically emerge from the spine at the back of the neck and can extend through the scalp muscles to the forehead. Cervical neuralgia can cause tingling, throbbing, or shooting pain in the back of the head and upper neck, or throughout the scalp and forehead. Sometimes, the pain is accompanied by swelling and tenderness, and the pain is often, but not always, confined to one side of the head. Treatment may include nerve blocks, antidepressants, anti-inflammatory drugs, heat, rest, and massage.
Although often very painful, occipital neuralgia is not considered life-threatening. It can occur without an obvious cause, as a result of a scalp injury or as a complication of scalp surgery. Cervical neuralgia can also occur when one or both of the occipital nerves become pinched or trapped, due to spinal problems or muscle strain. Tumors or injuries to the neck, gout, diabetes, and vasculitis are sometimes implicated in the development of this type of neuralgia. Tilting the head forward for extended periods of time can also contribute to this condition.
Cervical neuralgia typically causes piercing headaches that most often begin in the back of the head or upper neck. Neuralgic headaches often start in the neck and spread to the front of the head. Pain can occur behind the ears, behind the eyes, and on the scalp and forehead. The scalp and forehead can become inflamed, and the pain can be so severe that any physical contact with the area is unbearable for the patient.
An occipital nerve block can be used to numb the sensation in the occipital nerves, relieving the pain of cervical neuralgia. Occipital nerve blocks are usually given as a diagnostic procedure, and patients who respond well to them may be candidates for more invasive and permanent procedures if needed. Surgery often focuses on permanent numbness of the occipital nerves, which can ease the pain of the condition, but often leaves the scalp, forehead, and neck somewhat permanently numb. Compression of the occipital nerve can often be relieved by surgical removal of the bone, muscle, or other tissue responsible for the compression. An occipital nerve stimulator may be installed to relieve pain by stimulating the occipital nerve with electric shocks, although this procedure often leads to permanent tingling sensations in the scalp, forehead and upper neck.
In many cases, more conservative treatments can manage cervical neuralgia symptoms until the occipital nerve can heal naturally. You may be prescribed anti-inflammatory and antidepressant medications. Massage, warmth, and rest can help relieve muscle tension that often leads to trapped nerves.
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