How do you get rid of occipital headaches?
You can try to:
- Apply heat to your neck.
- Rest in a quiet room.
- Massage tight and painful neck muscles.
- Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, like naproxen or ibuprofen.
What does occipital headaches mean?
Occipital Neuralgia is a condition in which the occipital nerves, the nerves that run through the scalp, are injured or inflamed. This causes headaches that feel like severe piercing, throbbing or shock-like pain in the upper neck, back of the head or behind the ears.
Can stress cause occipital headaches?
Some cases of occipital neuralgia may be related to poor posture stressing the nerves.
Can occipital neuralgia go away by itself?
Does occipital neuralgia go away? Occipital neuralgia may go away with time if the cause of your occipital nerve inflammation is corrected.
Can occipital neuralgia cause a stroke?
In some cases, occipital neuralgia symptoms may actually indicate a life-threatening stroke.
Who specializes in occipital neuralgia?
Pinching or irritation of occipital nerves can trigger headaches or migraines. If you are experiencing severe or persistent headaches, it is recommended that you visit a neurologist or head and neck specialist to receive a proper diagnosis.
Does caffeine help occipital neuralgia?
When you forget to drink your caffeine, those same blood vessels widen, increasing blood flow and putting pressure on your nerves. Because of this, people with occipital neuralgia should avoid caffeine.
What is the best position to sleep with occipital neuralgia?
The best position for people with occipital neuralgia to sleep in is on their back with a pillow that provides neck support and prevents side-to-side movement. If you cannot sleep on your back, the next best position is on your side.
How do you sleep with occipital pain?
How bad is occipital neuralgia?
The primary symptom of occipital neuralgia is sudden, severe pain that many people associate with migraines. This pain is described as intense, piercing, stabbing, and sharp. The episodes of intense pain may only last for a few minutes or seconds, but tenderness around the nerves may persist afterward.
Can a bad pillow cause occipital neuralgia?
Sleeping Position Matters Failing to get adequate sleep and sleeping in the wrong position can intensify the pain. In fact, sleeping with a poor posture is a top cause of occipital neuralgia. People say they wake up with a stiff neck, which means a muscle is strained and nerves inflamed.
How do you treat occipital headache?
Chiropractic care is a highly-effective option for how to treat occipital neuralgia. Through multiple cervical spine manipulations, a chiropractor can help reduce tension and pain in this area. Like physical therapy, chiropractic care has little to no side effects.
What can help occipital neuralgia and headaches?
Heat: patients often feel relief when heating pads or devices are placed in the location of the pain.
Does occipital neuralgia ever go away?
If a nerve block injected between the C2 and C3 vertebrae makes the symptoms go away, it is a strong indication of occipital neuralgia. Deadening the nerves with anesthetics and corticosteroids helps individuals feel better, although the effects are temporary, only lasting about 12 weeks .
How to treat occipital headaches?
The medical treatment for occipital neuralgia can vary. Often, conservative treatments including heat, massage, rest, physical therapy, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory medications are used as first-line options. If the pain persists, daily medications to help calm the nerve may be used.