Learn About the Causes, Treatment, and Prevention of Occipital Neuralgia Symptoms

Occipital Neuralgia Symptoms: Causes,

Treatment, and Prevention

Headaches are a common symptom for modern people these days, and in most cases, they improve with rest when a headache occurs.

However, there are times when a sharp, tingling pain like an electric shock appears. In such cases, occipital neuralgia may be suspected.

Today, let’s look at the causes of occipital neuralgia, occipital neuralgia symptoms, and ways to treat and prevent these symptoms.

The occipital nerve is a nerve that starts at the lower back of the head and travels upward, passing between the trapezius tendons, and it is responsible for sensation in areas such as behind the ears and the sides of the head.

The occipital nerve is divided into the greater occipital nerve and the lesser occipital nerve, and when this area is irritated, sharp, tingling pain can occur, which is called occipital neuralgia.

In the case of occipital neuralgia, it can mainly occur when the nerve is compressed due to excessive muscle tension or misalignment of the cervical spine.

It can especially occur easily in office workers who spend long hours working in one posture in front of a computer, and it can also be accompanied by occipital neuralgia when there are conditions such as forward head posture.

It can also occur when there has been trauma to the back of the head or when there is a congenital spinal deformity.

Occipital neuralgia symptoms can appear in various ways. First, pain develops around the back of the head and shoulders, and at first, a sharp, tingling pain like an electric shock occurs.

The back of the neck may also become stiff, and the area from the back of the neck to where the shoulder blades are may feel heavy, and there may also be a feeling of heaviness in the head.

As occipital neuralgia symptoms worsen, intraocular pressure increases, and pain may feel as if the eyes are going to pop out, and symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain and dizziness may appear.

Because the symptoms are similar to those of a cervical disc problem, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two conditions, so it is best to visit a clinic, get examined, and receive treatment.

To treat occipital neuralgia, symptoms can usually be improved with anti-inflammatory pain relievers and physical therapy to relax the muscles at the back of the neck.

However, while taking anti-inflammatory pain relievers may improve symptoms, they may recur, so in some cases, anticonvulsants may need to be taken together.

Also, if there is a condition in the cervical spine, such as a disc problem, that can continuously trigger neuralgia, treatment for the cervical spine condition must be carried out for the pain to be relieved.

It is important to make an effort to prevent symptoms in daily life. If you sit for long periods doing work or studying, maintaining the correct posture is important.

Also, if you must sit for long periods, it is good to stretch your neck and shoulders from time to time, and it is advisable to regularly perform exercises that strengthen the muscles at the back of the neck.

Today, we looked at the causes of occipital neuralgia, occipital neuralgia symptoms, and ways to treat and prevent the symptoms. Please refer to this information and try to improve your symptoms.