What is an occipital nerve block?

An occipital nerve block is an injection of anesthetic medication near an occipital nerve to provide temporary pain relief and help inflammation from headaches or other conditions. Sometimes, the injection may also include steroid medication.

An occipital nerve block can help treat several headache disorders, including:

• Occipital neuralgia.
• Migraine headaches.
• Postdural puncture headache (a complication of a lumbar puncture).
• Cervicogenic headache.
• Cluster headache.

Occipital nerve block is performed under local anaesthesia on outpatient basis in our special procedure room using ultrasound guidance for precision. The procedure takes 10-15 minutes and patient can go home after few minutes of observation.

How long will an occipital nerve block last?

Pain relief from an occipital nerve block varies considerably from person to person. The outcome can be difficult to predict. Successful occipital nerve blocks typically improve pain 20 to 30 minutes after the injection and can last for several hours to several months.

Lasting pain relief for occipital neuralgia and cervicogenic headache can require a series of several injections. It may also be possible to provide longterm relief with radiofrequency ablation in a similar manner.