Greater Occipital Nerve Block

Greater Occipital Nerve Block

Greater Occipital Nerve Block

Definition

The greater occipital nerves are located at the back of the head above the neck area. When irritated by inflammation or swelling, these nerves can cause headaches, including tension headaches and migraine headaches. A greater occipital nerve block is an injection procedure that is intended to help relieve pain related to inflammation of these nerves.

Procedure

This procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure, which means that patients will be able to return home the same day. The patient will either be seated or will lie facedown for the procedure. The area of the injection at the back of the head and the neck area will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution to sterilize the area. The physician will then administer the injection which consists of a local anesthetic and a long-lasting steroid to relieve pain. The physician then may apply a small bandage over the injection site, and the patient will be monitored for a little while to mitigate any risk, and then will be sent home. The entire injection will only take a few minutes.

After Care

If the cause of a patient’s pain is truly the greater occipital nerve, the patient will likely feel some immediate pain relief due to the local anesthetic. Patients may feel a little sore around the injection site for a day or two, and can apply ice to the area if desired. Unless there are any complications or risk, patients will be able to return to work the next day.

The pain relief from the local anesthetic will wear off within a few hours to a day, and the steroid will generally take effect within a few days, and can provide days to months of pain relief. The injection may be repeated if required, but if pain relief is not achieved, the injection can be considered as a diagnostic tool and other procedures may be considered.

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