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Occipital Neuralgia

Posted , 5 users are following.

katherine60248
katherine60248

Does anyone have problems with occipital neuralgia? I have been having headaches everyday going on 7 months now that are dull and cause shooting head pain. It travels from my neck, to the top of my head, behind my ears, and beind my eys. I have had MRI's and CT scans, and everything has come back normal. I have gone to PT for 4 months and had 2 nerve blocks. Nothing has given me relief. I went to a new doctor yesterday and he suggested that I may have occipital neuralgia. I am desperate to hear about what has helped other people and to hear about how eveyone else copes with this/if it has gotten better.

Look forward to hearing back.

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • theboyfromxtown
    theboyfromxtown katherine60248

    Posted

    I think that might be what I have...although no doctor has said it to me directly.  I'm on gabapentin at present but it doesnt seem to be taking away the daily headaches complletely.  I 've been given propranolol to try.
  • annag77
    annag77 katherine60248

    Posted

    Hello

    Although I don't have Occipital Neuralgia, I do get shooting pains behind one eye which has been diagnosed as Primary Stabbing Headache.  I have been prescribed a low dose of Amitriptyline and I must stay that after a month on it my pains have gone from 7-8 a day to none.  It takes a while to get into your system but I am very impressed with its effectiveness for nerve pain.  It might be worth a try?

     

    • annag77
      annag77 theboyfromxtown

      Posted

      Hi

      I started on 10mg and the first week I was straight to sleep when I went to bed a few hours after taking it.  I think your body gets used to the side effects, that is why you need to increase the dose slowly until you find your therapeutic level.  I am on 15mg now with no pains so I have no intention of increasing it any further.  I will wean myself off in a few months to see if the pains have gone, which is what my consultant has suggested to do.

    • theboyfromxtown
      theboyfromxtown annag77

      Posted

      Try a little exercise when you start to reduce the dosage. That helped me when I came off of it.

       

  • sld12day
    sld12day katherine60248

    Posted

    Hello Katherine-

    I have been experiencing nearly identical headaches since 2000. I've been subjected to countless injections that did not work, Lyrica, Ultram, Topamax, various antidepressants...you name it, I've tried it. As for medication, I take Fioricet and Zorvolex which do not work all the time but better than anything else - neither makes me sleepy (there's a healthy dose of caffeine in the Fioricet).

    However, the greatest relief I have ever obtained has been from Botox injections. I can go weeks at a time with zero pain and I have had NO side effects. Not sure what it's like in the UK when trying to get your health insurance to cover it, but in the U.S., my doctor must use the diagnostic code for migraines because sometimes insurance does not recognize cervicogenic headaches and occipital neuralgia as "real" conditions.

    I hope this info helps and you get relief soon...I know how miserable this condition is and wish it on no one.

  • tone4994
    tone4994 katherine60248

    Posted

    Had the same problem for six mo.after seen 5 doctors. One finally found the problem. It was inflammation around the back of my neck. Doctor said some thing to do with my disc. She was going to give me some kind of shot in the neck like other doctors wanted to do but she decided to give me some cream to put on my neck 3 times a day that i had to get from the prarmacy to see if that would bring down the inflammation before going to the shots treatment. The cream worked great in one week started feeling good...have to put the cream on for one month. ..I wish I would have known before I seen an eye doctor a nerurlogest a chiropractor getting MRI a CAT scan and seen a physiologist for anxiety witch I never had before. ..
    • tone4994
      tone4994 theboyfromxtown

      Posted

      DGL CRM: DIC / GAB /LID  15 /10 /10 %                                                        DICLOFENAC / GABAPENTIN / LIDOCAINE DRUG COMPOUNDED BY PHARMACY this is what it say on my prescription tube the doctor order me...any other questions please message...  
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