Ultrasound-Guided Occipital Nerve Block for Treatment of Atypical Occipital Neuralgia

Abstract

Occipital neuralgia can occur secondary to injury to the occipital nerves or the C2 or C3 nerve roots. Symptoms of occipital neuralgia can include sudden and debilitating craniofacial pain, otalgia, neck pain, shoulder pain, vision changes, and tinnitus. We describe how an ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve block substantially reduced symptoms associated with a middle-aged woman's atypical presentation of occipital neuralgia, which was refractory to oral medications and other procedural interventions.