For migraines and more severe headaches, over the counter medication may not provide enough relief. The office of Dr. Latimer utilizes occipital nerve block injections to manage migraine headache pain for our patients in Bethesda, MD and surrounding areas.
What are occipital nerve blocks?
The occipital nerves send signals to your brain that allow your scalp to “feel” sensations such as pain and heat. You have two greater occipital nerves — one on each side of your head. They reach from your upper neck to the muscles in the back of your head, and to your scalp. They feed the feelings, such as pain, to the back and top of your head. In some cases, they can supply feeling to the forehead as well, but not to your face. Occipital nerve block injections can numb these nerves to relieve the pain you suffer from your migraine.
These injections aren’t necessary for everyone. Ideal patients for nerve block injections are people with pain in one side of their head, near the back, and patients who are suffering from occipital neuralgia. Occipital nerve blocks might also be effective for treating cluster headaches as well.
The procedure is relatively simple and easy, and relief occurs soon after. Nerve blocks are not a permanent solution, and the duration they last can differ from patient to patient. Prior to suggesting injections, we will give you a neurological evaluation and look through your medical history to determine whether or not it’s the best course of action for you.
Call the Latimer Neurology Center at (202) 625-4898 to set up an appointment if you are experiencing migraines, cluster headaches, or pain near the back of your head. Our occipital nerve block injections for patients in Bethesda, MD could be the solution to the pain you’ve been experiencing. We look forward to helping you.