Question

What can a neurologist do if you get occipital neuralgia?

Answer 1

What a neurologist can do if you get occipital neuralgia is first confirm the diagnosis of the occipital neuralgia through physical exams as well as imaging tests like a CT scan or MRI to rule out any other causes of occipital neuralgia.

The initial treatment for the occipital neuralgia that the neurologist will do are medications, heat therapy, massage and physical therapy.

Medications for occipital neuralgia include muscle relaxants, NSAIDs, or even neuropathic pain drugs anticonvulsants or antidepressants.

If these fail to treat the occipital neuralgia, then the neurologist may give you occipital nerve blocks or Botox injections to reduce any inflammation and provide some targeted and temporary pain relief from the occipital neuralgia.

The Botox injections for occipital neuralgia are used to decrease inflammation and nerve irritation in the body.

In some cases you might need nerve decompression surgery for the occipital neuralgia, which involves surgically freeing the nerve from the blood vessels, muscle or scar tissue or you may need neuromodulation, which is the implantation of devices like occipital or spinal cord stimulators which use electrical impulses to block out pain signals.

CT scans can help to detect the underlying cause of your occipital neuralgia, like tumors, bone spurs, or even abnormalities of the cervical spine, by providing the doctor with detailed images of any bony structures and tissues.

A CT scan is not always used to directly diagnose the nerve inflammation itself with occipital neuralgia, but the CT scan can help to rule out other conditions identify any structural issues that are causing nerve compression.

The purpose of the CT scan in occipital neuralgia is primarily used to see the size and shape of structures in your upper spine and skull or to identify any bone related issues that are causing nerve entrapment.

A definitive diagnosis of occipital neuralgia is often made through a physical and neurological exam and by evaluating if the pain responds to an occipital nerve block and so an MRI scan is often preferred to visualize soft tissue, nerves and potential impingement in more detail.

And scans can identify any underlying factors like arthritis, (C1-C2 joint, tumors or infections.

Imaging through MRI and CT scans helps, but diagnosis for occipital neuralgia is often made based on clinical evaluation and symptoms.

Neck problems like muscle tightness in the neck or pinched nerves in the neck can cause occipital neuralgia.

Occipital neuralgia can also be caused by a head or neck injury.

The age that people get occipital neuralgia is often between the ages 30 years to 52 years to 54 years of age.

However occipital neuralgia can occur in anyone of any age, including in children and teenagers.

Although occipital neuralgia is most commonly diagnosed in adults ages 30 years, 52 and 54 years of age.

The occipital neuralgia condition is most prevalent in adults between the ages of 30 and 50 years of age.

Although some people are diagnosed with occipital neuralgia between the ages of 40 to 70 years of age.

The risk of developing occipital neuralgia also increases as you age.

As you age, your risk of developing occipital neuralgia increases often as a result of age related factors like muscle weakening in the neck and cervical disc disease.

And although quite rare, occipital neuralgia can also occur in children and teens and can be triggered by head trauma, sports injuries like concussions or complications from birth.

The occipital neuralgia condition, is a painful neurological condition that is caused by injury or irritation to the nerves that run from the top of your spial cord to your scalp.

The injury or irritation to these nerves, result in chronic, shooting or electric shock like pain that occurs at the base of your skull, neck or even behind your ears.

The occipital neuralgia pain and condition is often managed through use of heat, massage, physical therapy as well as nerve blocks.

The symptoms of occipital neuralgia include intense, stabbing, throbbing or electric shock like pain.

And the pain with occipital neuralgia often starts at the base of your head/upper neck and radiates to your scalp, behind your ears or behind your eyes.

Sensory changes like sensitivity to light, scalp tenderness or numbness can also occur with occipital neuralgia.

Other common triggers of occipital neuralgia are washing your hair, brushing your hair or even moving your neck.

The occipital neuralgia condition occurs when the nerves become compressed, inflamed, or injured which can be a result of trauma, like head or neck injury or whiplash, muscle tension, like tight muscles in your neck or spasms, structural issues like cervical disease, tumors and osteoarthritis and even infections, inflammation of blood vessels or diabetes.

Heat, rest, physical therapy and massage can help manage the occipital neuralgia condition.

And even anti inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and even anti seizure medications like gabapentin can help manage the nerve pain.

Steroid injections or nerve blocks like anesthetic and steroid mixture and even surgery like decompression or neurostimulation or spinal cord stimulation for severe, chronic cases that don't respond to other treatments may be needed.

The occipital neuralgia condition is not life threatening, although the pain with occipital neuralgia can be severe and affect your daily life.