Overview
If your headaches seem to start at the base of your skull, back of your head, and crawl forward toward your eyes, you may be dealing with an irritated occipital nerve. For some, this pain is sharp and stabbing; for others, it’s a deep, dull ache that never quite goes away.
An occipital nerve block can calm this nerve down, often within minutes, and give you a break from the constant cycle of pain.
What Exactly Is the Occipital Nerve? You have two main occipital nerves: the greater and lesser, running from the upper neck, through the scalp, to the back of your head. When they get irritated, inflamed, or “overfired,” they send constant pain signals to the brain.
These nerves are often involved in migraine, tension headaches, cluster headaches, and a condition called occipital neuralgia.
How an Occipital Nerve Block Works
An occipital nerve block involves injecting a small amount of numbing medicine (and sometimes anti-inflammatory medication) around the nerve.
It is like pressing the mute button. By quieting the nerve, you’re not just stopping current pain; you may also prevent it from sparking future headaches.
Occipital nerve blocks can provide relief for up to 70% of patients with nerve-related headaches.
Who Can Benefit
Have chronic migraine that starts in the back of the head or neck
Experience occipital neuralgia — sharp, electric shock-like pain at the skull base
Suffer from cluster headaches
Notice headaches triggered by neck strain or poor posture
Have tenderness when pressing on the back of your head
What to Expect During the Procedure
- Consultation: You’ll sit comfortably while Dr. Kanaan locates the nerve by gentle touch.
- Preparation: The skin is cleaned, and a fine needle delivers the medication right where it’s needed.
- Injection: You might feel a brief pinch, then a spreading warmth or numbness in the back of your head.
- Immediate Effect: The whole process takes about 5 minutes, and you walk out the same day.
- Many patients report their headaches easing before they even leave the clinic.
Benefits of Occipital Nerve Blocks
- Fast relief: minutes to hours for many patients
- Can reduce the frequency and severity of future headaches
- Helps confirm whether the occipital nerve is the pain source
- Targeting the source of headache pain
- Minimal downtime — most people return to normal activities the same day
- Can be repeated if headaches return
Possible Side Effects
- Most side effects are mild and temporary:
- Tenderness or swelling at the injection site
- Numbness in the treated area (expected)
- Rarely, dizziness right after the injection
- Dr. Kanaan uses a precise, gentle technique to keep discomfort minimal.
Recovery and AfterCare
- Relief can last from a few days to several weeks or even months, depending on your condition.
- Avoid touching or massaging the injection site for 24 hours.
- If the pain returns, the procedure can be repeated safely.
- Pairing nerve blocks with other headache treatments, like Botox or trigger point therapy, can lead to even better, longer-lasting results.
Why Choose Dr. Saad Kanaan for Occipital Nerve Blocks
- The Only Headache Specialist in Dubai with American Board Certification and Fellowship training in headache medicine.
- Fellowship-trained in Headache Medicine at Harvard Medical School, with advanced skills in nerve-targeted headache treatments.
- Over a decade of experience performing occipital nerve blocks and over 10000 nerve block procedures performed
- Precision-guided injection technique to target the occipital nerves accurately for optimal results and minimal discomfort.
- Integrated treatment approach combining nerve blocks with other therapies such as Botox and trigger point injections for lasting relief.
- Proven patient outcomes with significant reductions in headache frequency, severity, and improved quality of life.
- Combines precise injection skills with a full treatment strategy for long-term results
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