Greater Occipital Nerve Block

Overview

This injection treats one or both greater occipital nerves. These nerves branch out from the spine in your neck. They supply feeling to your scalp at the top of your head and over your ears. A greater occipital nerve block manages pain and some types of headaches linked to these nerves.

Preparation

To begin, we inject numbing medicine into the back of your head just above your neck. This numbs the skin and tissue in the area.

Injection

Now it's time for the nerve block. We insert a fine needle into the numbed tissue and down to the nerve. Then, we inject medicine to bathe the nerve. The medicine will reduce pain and swelling. Depending on your needs, we may repeat the procedure on the other side of your head. If you have pain linked to these nerves, you may feel relief within minutes.

End of procedure

When it's done, we may bandage your skin. We watch you for a short period of time, and then you can go home. Over the next several days, you'll feel the full effect of the medicine. You may need more injections in the future. Your doctor will create a plan that's right for you.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.