[Greater occipital nerve blockade: trigeminicervical system and clinical applications in primary headaches]

Abstract

Studies about greater occipital nerve injection in primary headaches had begun with Michael Anthony and almost all the studies today accept Anthony's studies as reference work. Although more than twenty years passed, there is not enough study about the subject. According to the present data, steroids are apparently effective in both preventive and acute attack therapy in cluster headache. Efficacy in migraine is not dramatic as in cluster headache. Despite the fact that local anesthetics has a role in relieving acute headache, single injection is not suitable in prophylactic treatment. In clinical practice, there is promising data about the usage of the procedure, until the beginning of the effect of principal preventive therapy in cluster headache and during the detoxification process in analgesic induced chronic migraine. Although there are case reports about the relieving acute pain in cluster headache and migraine, there is need for systematized clinical studies.