How to Recover From Occipital Neuralgia
Occipital neuralgia is a type of headache caused by a problem somewhere in the occipital nerve. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), it can cause chronic pain that is piercing or throbbing around one side of the upper neck, back of the head and behind the ears. A number of different treatment options are available to people suffering from this condition, and many people are able to stop experiencing the associated pain after treatment.Things You'll Need
- Medications and therapies as recommended by a doctor
Instructions
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Recovering from Occipital Neuralgia
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Visit your doctor to determine the cause of your pain. The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Pain Center reports that occipital neuralgia can be difficult to diagnose because of its similarity to other pain conditions. Your doctor may refer you to a pain specialist if the cause of your pain cannot be found. Medical intervention is important to recovering from occipital neuralgia because the area affected needs to be targeted specifically by treatments.
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Use medicinal therapies as directed by your doctor. A large number of medications may be used to relieve pain from occipital neuralgia, including, according to the MGH Pain Center: anticonvulsant, mood-stabilizing and muscle-relaxing drugs, nerve blocks in the form of steroids and local anesthetics and botox.
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Make use of non-medicinal therapies, after discussion with your doctor, to seek relief from occipital neuralgia. The MGH Pain Center recommends the use of treatments like massage, physical therapy, acupuncture and heat treatments.
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Discuss surgical options with your doctor. Surgery may be necessary if there is damage to the nerve or if you cannot otherwise find relief from the pain of occipital neuralgia. The goal of surgery may to be either relieve pressure on the nerve or to cause damage in the nerve, which interrupts its ability to send pain signals.
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