Occipital Nerve Block

Excerpt

Over 15% of the population reports experiencing a severe, debilitating headache. Headaches are ranked the 10th most common health problem and the first most common nervous system disorder. Approximately 1.4% to 2.2% of the global population experiences headaches at least 15 days per month. This painful disorder can reduce the quality of life and is associated with a large socioeconomic burden. For this reason, managing headache pain is becoming an increasingly popular topic among specialists.

The greater occipital nerve (GON) block is gaining interest among healthcare professionals as a treatment option for headaches. The GON traverses the upper neck and posterior occiput. Dysfunction of the nerve is associated with several commonly encountered headaches, including classic migraine, occipital neuralgia, cervicogenic, and cluster headache. The GON block can achieve significant analgesia as a primary treatment for headaches and can also be used as a second-line treatment when other methods have been unsuccessful. Symptom improvement frequently varies from patient to patient and can be difficult to predict.

When a GON block is successful, pain typically improves after 20 to 30 minutes and lasts for several hours to several months. For patients experiencing severe or frequent headaches, this treatment can significantly improve their quality of life. If more than 3 nerve blocks are required within 6 months, a provider should explore additional, alternative treatment options.