A type of health condition affecting the nerves while moving through the scalp to the pinnacle of the spinal cord, medically termed the occipital nerves, occipital neuralgia causes extreme pain. The occipital nerves are either injured or inflamed, and might feel certain discomfort or recurring pain in the base of the skull, back of the head, or behind the eyes or ears. 

People may confuse this pain with a migraine or any other headache because the symptoms seem to be similar. However, the treatments for these conditions are quite different. If you persistently experience headaches, it's better to make an appointment with a neurologist or a neck and head specialist to diagnose rightly and remove the occipital neuralgia surgery scar. 

Symptoms Common in Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital Neuralgia often rises in the body with pain. 

Patients in this condition often endure extreme pain similar to the feeling of a jabbing, electric shock in the backside of the neck and head. Plus, the patients may notice other symptoms, such as:

• Tender scalp

• Burning, throbbing, and aching pain that usually rises from the back of the neck and goes to the head

• Pain that radiates from one and both sides of the head goes down to the neck.

• Increased sensitivity of the scalp

• Sensitive to lights 

• Extreme pain behind your ears and/or eyes

• Feels painful to move the neck

• Numbness

All these symptoms are typically caused by the occipital nerves’ irritation through their path. The triggering of these symptoms may occur due to:

• pinched nerves

• an injury or surgery that spontaneously reacts to the nerve root in the neck

• It affects the C2 and/or C3 roots present at the crest of the cervical spine

• certain movements such as turning head, combing hair, or resting head on a pillow

• pressing ahead 

Medical conditions that are directly or indirectly linked to it are:

• Infection

• Diabetes

• Gout

• Trauma to the backside of the head

• Tight muscles of the neck

• Neck tension

• Tumors in the neck

• Cervical disc disease

• Blood vessels inflammation 

Treatments to Cure Occipital Neuralgia Surgery Scar

Before anything else, the first thing that you will want is to get relief from the pain. For this, you can try:

• Applying heat to the neck using an electric heating pad. Application of heat can increase the blood flow to the neck and dilate local blood vessels. However, it's best to keep the timing less than 20 minutes. Also, use a hand towel or any piece of cloth that will act as a barrier to the skin.

• Applying ice to the neck as ice therapy can alleviate local inflammation and give relief from unbearable pain. You may take an ice pack and tuck it under your head as you lie down for 20 minutes.

• Get a massage to the painful and tight neck muscles. Gently press the base of your skull from your fingertips to relax your tight muscles and liberate yourself from tension. You can also put a rolled towel first and then lie down on your head and neck over it. The pressure coming from the towel can even give a gentle massage. Unfortunately, if your pain aggravates, stop it immediately!

• Consume anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation and get relief from neck pain and headaches. Nonetheless, make sure to take them under expert supervision for safety reasons.

These are simple self-care tips. If these don't ease your occipital neuralgia, visit the doctor's clinic to get relief through guided therapy and/or prescribed medications. 

Decompression Migraine Surgery 

At Migraine Surgery Speciality Center, we specialize in curing occipital neuralgia surgery scars and pain by performing a relatively new surgical approach called occipital decompression surgery. Doctors use this surgical procedure when no other treatments can provide satisfactory relief from the occipital pain. Designed to relieve the pain and pressure on the occipital nerves, the approach involves:

• Identification of the irritated occipital nerves to expose them. 

• Releasing the presence of compressive elements like fibrous bands or tight muscles with care

• Keeping enough room around the affected nerves to prevent any future compression 

Here, our experienced surgeons perform the releasing surgery of occipital neuralgia using the latest and advanced technology and techniques. Post-surgery, you will get relief from the prolonged pain caused by occipital neuralgia. During the surgery, the surgeons release the occipital nerves from any abnormal muscle tension or compressive tissues. Thus, the nerves get more space to revive and lower the risk of future compression.

This is perhaps an effective surgical treatment for a significant number of patients suffering from occipital neuralgia. Also, the surgery is well-concealed to hide the scars.

Takeaways

When you suffer from occipital neuralgia condition, it affects the nerves while running through the scalp. Since this condition causes a headache like a migraine, it is considered a type of headache disorder, causing pain in the base of the skull, back of the head and neck, or behind the ears and eyes. Even though the symptoms of this disorder are similar to migraine, occipital neuralgia needs the right diagnosis from a medical expert. With the latest treatments, the occipital neuralgia surgery scar will be well-concealed.