Occipital Neuralgia – Migraine-like Pain without the Migraine

A sharp and sometimes electric nerve pain coming from the back of the head that can radiate over the top of the skull or into the eyes.⁣
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The pain from occipital neuralgia can be severe, and is often misdiagnosed as a #migraine.⁣
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While occipital neuralgia is common after a head injury like #concussion, it can come out of nowhere from tight neck muscles or inflammation to a nerve called the greater occipital nerve.⁣
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These types of headaches can be resistant to most medications, but can be alleviated by addressing mechanical factors in the neck, especially in the #atlas of the upper cervical spine.⁣
While there is no definitive test to diagnose occipital neuralgia, we can often find a tender point in the back of the head/neck that can reproduce the pain. That along with a detailed health history can help us identify the source of the head pain so it can be treated properly.⁣