Occipital Nerve Block 

Procedural Overview

Occipital nerve groups are the nerves that branch out from the C2 and C3 spinal nerves – these are located above the neck and behind the head. If these nerves suffer from degeneration or become injured they lead to conditions like sensitivity and pain behind the eyes, tender scalp, and neck/headache. To tackle these conditions and symptoms, the Occipital Nerve Block is administered that arrests the inflammation of the affected nerve, thereby decreasing the pain. Occipital Block therapy is a minimally invasive therapy in nature.

In this therapy, the Dunes Pain physician will disinfect and clean the area where the procedure will be done. Subsequently, the doctor will give a local anesthetic for dumbing down the area and tissues in the vicinity of the occipital nerves. After the numbing, the physician will inject the anti-inflammatory pain-relieving steroids medication with the help of a needle. This entire procedure takes only a few minutes, and once done, the patient is made to rest in the recovery room.

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After Care

Generally, the occipital nerve block procedure does not involve any sedative, therefore, the patients can themselves drive back home without any support. Initially, patients experience a reduction in pain but that is primarily due to the anesthesia. When the anesthetic effect wears down, the steroids will come into action taking 3 to 5 days to reduce the pain. Patients will experience relief of pain and other symptoms caused due to conditions like occipital neuralgia, headaches, and migraines.

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Apart from applying an ice pack and taking ample rest to lessen the pain, or swelling, due to the procedure, clear aftercare instruction will be imparted by the Dunes Pain physician. The procedure can provide relief lasting from a few days to months depending upon the patient’s condition. Sometimes, multiple injections might be needed for prolonged relief.

In the majority of the cases, there aren’t any adverse reactions. But if patients experience aggravating pain, swelling, infection, or any allergic reaction, the Dunes Pain Specialists is only a phone call away!