Occipital Neuralgia is
pain
located in the neck and back
regions of the
head. In some
cases the pain may extend
into the sides of the head, and
into the
facial and
frontal
regions.
Occipital Neuralgia is actually
a superset of two separate disorders
with similar symptoms; Lesser
Occipital Nerve Neuralgia, and
Greater Occipital Neuralgia.
The most common triggers for these
disorders are injuries that produce
a blow or sudden twist of the head,
such as whiplash.
Common symptoms include:
- Pain from base of skull near
mastoid process radiating to
area of skin over ear and lower
temple. (Lesser)
- Pain from base of skull near
midline toward vertex and
across top of the hemisphere
toward frontal areas. (Greater)
- Pain is often intermitted
and frequently has a sharp quality.
- Often tenderness of
nerves and muscles is found at
the nuchal line.
A specific and effective
treatment has proven difficult to
find. In general, a combination
of several classes of drugs
are used:
Sources: PainNet, various web-sites