If you suffer from constant occipital headaches, finding the right care is the most important step towards recovery. When it comes to treating this type of headache, you’ll want an experienced occipital headache doctor in OKC by your side. Occipital nerve blocks are a medical procedure that offers positive results for individuals dealing with the pain and discomfort of occipital headaches. That’s why Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management provides all services related to occipital nerve block in Oklahoma City. We ensure that you get instant relief from your never-ending occipital headaches with our occipital nerve block. To know more about our services, contact us today!
What is an Occipital Nerve Block?
An occipital nerve block is an effective medical procedure that provides much-needed relief for people struggling with occipital headaches. Occipital nerves are a group of nerves found in the back of your head. There are three types of occipital nerves: Greater occipital nerve, Lesser occipital nerve, and third occipital nerve. The occipital headaches first start as intense, throbbing pain in the back of your head, which often extends up to the top of your scalp. Various factors, including muscle tension, often trigger pain, pinched nerves, or even stress. However, occipital nerve block only provides short-term relief and does not provide long-lasting relief.
Occipital nerve block involves injecting a pain-relieving medicine into the region where the nerve crosses our skull. Then, the needle is placed near the nerve, and the anesthetic is injected. You can immediately feel the pain relief after going through our occipital nerve block.
If you have the following unbearable symptoms, get an occipital nerve block right away:
- Pain that mainly affects the back of your head or one side of the head
- Migraine
- Cluster headaches
- Having a tender or painful scalp
- Spondylosis of the cervical facet joints
Call Dr. Robinson today to book an appointment for your occipital nerve block!
What Does Occipital Nerve Block Treat?
So, does the occipital nerve block technique solely target occipital headaches, or does it have a broader range of applications? Let’s dive into the details.
Chronic Migraines and Headaches
If you are plagued by frequent migraines that don’t seem to go away or stubborn headaches, occipital nerve block might be the game-changer. Occipital nerve block for migraines provides targeted relief by numbing your occipital nerves, which makes it an effective option for managing chronic migraines and headaches.
Cluster Headaches
We all know how excruciatingly painful cluster headaches can be. That’s why an occipital nerve block provides targeted relief by numbing the occipital nerves, making it an effective option for managing cluster headaches and minimizing their impact on life.
Spondylosis of the Cervical Facet Joints
Spondylosis of the cervical facet joints occurs due to wear and tear in the spinal joints of the neck. This condition can further lead to discomfort and reduced mobility. An occipital nerve block can help control these symptoms by blocking pain signals from the pain area, improving your overall quality of life.
Constant Tingling, Shooting Pain, or Burning Sensation at the Back of the Head
If you experience stubborn sensations like tingling, shooting pain, or a burning feeling at the back of your head, an occipital nerve block can become your best solution. Occipital nerve block interrupts the pain signals originating from the occipital nerves and offers you the comfort you deserve.
What You Need To Know Before an Occipital Nerve Block Procedure
Right after an occipital nerve block injection, you could feel pain relief in as little as 15 minutes. Depending on the individual, the full effect of the anesthetic and steroid on pain relief may last anywhere from a few weeks to months.
You may also experience some swelling in the area of injection after your occipital nerve block. This swelling will disappear after the steroids take full effect. Following the procedure, many physicians will allow you to resume your daily activities.
Depending on your condition and how frequently you experience migraines and headaches, you may need more than one occipital nerve block within a year. If you experience chronic headaches and migraines, 3-4 procedures a year will help mitigate the pain.
What Does the Procedure Include?
If you are new to the occipital nerve block procedure, you might feel overwhelmed and even scared, not knowing what you are preparing for. So, to make things easier, we have broken down the occipital nerve block procedure into different steps below-
- You must sit on the procedure table with your head tilted down, supported by either your hands or lying down on your stomach.
- You will get a mild sedative through an IV line in your arm.
- Your doctor will find the occipital nerve in the back of your head using fluoroscopy or ultrasound.
- Then, your doctor will use an antiseptic solution and clean the targeted area.
- Now, your doctor will inject the medication into the affected nerve or close to it.
- Your occipital nerve block procedure is done, and now it’s time to rest until the medication starts to work.
Even though the procedure sounds intimidating, it only takes 5 minutes. You will be in and out in no time, and you will feel instant relief! So book your appointment with us today!
Post-Procedure Care and Possible Risks
Once the procedure is done, you will rest for 15 to 30 minutes after the injection. During this time, our professional will observe you to ensure you don’t have any unexpected side effects. Then, you will be able to go home.
As soon as you return home from your procedure, it is important to rest and refrain from activities that could aggravate your pain. The next day, you can return to work and light exercise. Some short-term mild side effects can include dizziness, vertigo, numbness, and lightheadedness.
Generally, occipital nerve blocks are very safe, and complications are rare. But some possible risks of this injection include:
- Bleeding at the injection site
- Vasovagal syncope (fainting)
- Facial edema (swelling)
- Worsening headache
- Temporary difficulty swallowing (transient dysphagia)
- Nerve injury
- Arterial injury
- Infection at the injection site
The steroid may irritate the occipital nerves in some patients after the anesthetic wears off. In such cases, we suggest placing ice on the injection site and taking over-the-counter pain medications. After the first or second occipital nerve block, many patients experience relief from their headaches. If your pain is not decreasing after one or two injections, let your doctors know.
Is an Occipital Nerve Block Right for You?
Generally, doctors recommend an occipital nerve block if you experience:
- Chronic migraines and headaches
- Cluster headaches
- Spondylosis of the cervical facet joints as a result of age and degeneration of the neck bones
- Constant tingling, shooting pain, or burning sensation that is located at the back of the head
Are Occipital Nerve Blocks Safe for Everyone?
While this procedure is highly effective at managing pain, it’s not meant for everyone. For example, people who are allergic to either the anesthetic or steroids should avoid this procedure as it may not be safe.
Patients who have diabetes or heart-related conditions may also want to refrain from this procedure. This is because steroids can cause an elevation in blood sugar levels.
Contact Occipital Nerve Block Doctors in OKC
While we all experience headaches from stress and muscle tension, frequent migraines and head pain should prompt you to visit a doctor. If an occipital nerve block is required, this simple procedure may be the help you need to relieve chronic pain. At Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management in OKC, doctors are equipped to diagnose whether an occipital nerve block is required and will carry out the procedure effectively. Contact us to learn more about Occipital Nerve Blocks in OKC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
After the occipital nerve block injection, you will have to rest for about 10 to 30 minutes, depending on whether you have sedation or not. While you’re resting, a nurse will make sure that you don’t have any unusual side effects. After taking a rest, you can go home. The common side effects that you see later from occipital nerve block injection are pain, redness, and swelling, which go away within a couple of days.
Book a ConsultationThe pain relief outcome from occipital nerve block varies from patient to patient. However, if the occipital nerve block procedure is successful, your pain will improve within 20 to 30 minutes after injection, and its pain relief effects will last several hours to several months. If you want longer pain relief for occipital neuralgia and cervicogenic headache, it requires 2 to 10 series of injections.
Book a ConsultationSince the occipital nerve block procedure involves inserting a needle through the back of your head’s skin to deeper tissues, by default, you will feel some pain. However, before this procedure, doctors usually numb this skin and deeper tissue with local anesthetic so the pain won’t be unbearable. After the procedure, you will feel pain in the form of headaches for 24 to 36 hours, which will wear off as the medication that was injected during the occipital nerve block starts to work.
Book a ConsultationYes, most of the insurance covers an occipital nerve block because it is a well-established medical procedure. However, pre-authorization of service or co-payments completely depends on the insurance you have or your insurance company. For pre-authorization, we, Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, fully assist our patient in obtaining this document as per their need/condition.
Book a ConsultationAn occipital nerve block costs $1,070 to $1,570 per session in Oklahoma. The cost of an occipital nerve block injection varies depending on several factors, such as insurance coverage, location, and the number of injections required. At Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, we strive to provide affordable and competitive patient pricing options. Please contact us for more information on cost and payment options.
Book a ConsultationDexamethasone steroid is usually used for occipital nerve block to reduce inflammation and pain. Additionally, anesthetics like Lidocaine or Bupivacaine are used to numb the area of injection, which usually wears off within 2 to 6 hours.
Book a ConsultationYes. Once the local anesthetic, which was injected during the occipital nerve block, wears off, the headache can return for 24 to 36 hours. You can also temporarily feel dizzy, weak, numb, or lightheaded for 6 to 8 hours. After this time, the medication injected during the procedure will start to work, and you will gradually feel relief from the pain; if it doesn’t, talk to your doctor immediately.
Book a ConsultationEpidural injections and occipital nerve blocks are utilized to relieve pain but target different areas and conditions. Epidural injections are administered into the epidural area of the spinal column to alleviate the symptoms of various spinal conditions. Occipital nerve blocks, on the other hand, are focused specifically on the occipital nerves, making them more suitable for treating headaches, migraines, and Occipital Neuralgia.
Book a ConsultationAccording to research, the average success rate of occipital nerve block is 78%. So, patients can receive these successful occipital nerve blocks every few weeks. However, it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s advice to determine the most appropriate treatment schedule as per your needs.
Book a ConsultationYou can get occipital nerve block injections at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management in Oklahoma. Our top priority is providing effective pain relief and improving the quality of life for our patients. Our medical professionals take precautions to minimize risks related to occipital nerve block injections by using relatively safe procedures. To schedule an appointment at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, please call us or fill out the contact form to schedule an appointment.
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