I have Occ Neuralgia. Been to the pain management doctor. Had trigger polint injections, and facet injections. They did not stop the pain at all.
Anyone else have this problem?? Maybe the doctor was not using the right stuff????

I've had the facet injections and RFA to the cervical facets and it didn't help the ON.

The ON nerve blocks, done with Marcaine and steroids and administered to the scalp do work for me.

Let me know if this is the type of info you're looking for.

I have found that at times you need to find another pain doc - depending on where htey learned, they may or may not be doing the injections properly. I had one doctor give me the needles in the back of the head - KILLED ME. The next doc - no pain and his worked unlike the 1st - BIG difference in where they went to school (the 1st also did the wrong side!) I hope you find relief and if so please report back - it can help some of us.
Thanks
Paininhead

Hi,

I just want to point out what helps one person may not help the next person even though each person is dxed witt the same thing. All Of our body chemistries are different. The same injection will help a person for about 6 weeks where the same in injection might help another person for a week. Also the doc do the injections in a series a 3.


Kate

I am new here and also have been diagnosed with occipital neuralgia. Mine comes from an injury that also resulted in muscle damage to my back. As for the Occipital Neuralgia, I have had therapy which helped very little. I have had a constant headache for 9 months. Actually 2 headaches. I also have a tension headache. I had an occipital nerve block done on both sides that provided relief for 2 weeks to the day. Then I had a radiopathy (sp?) done to cauterize the nerves. That worked for 6 weeks. Now my pain management dr has me starting topamax. I am concerned about the side effects. I also take fioreicet for the tension headache (with fair results), ibuprofen, darvon and flexeril. I also use a tens unit and lidocaine patches on my back. And I am still in pain. Above all I am concerned about the long term effects on my body. At 50 I still have a lot of years left in this body!

Be sure to look into getting some remedial massage for those back muscles. Tight and knotted back muscles can both cause and worsen ON, as they pull down on the neck muscles.
I've had wonderful freedom from ON since having regular remedial massage.