Head Pain (Occipital Neuralgia)
What is Occipital Neuralgia?
Occipital neuralgia is a type of headache that involves the occipital nerves — two pairs of nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp. This headache happens when the occipital nerves are inflamed or injured.
Doctors don’t know what causes occipital neuralgia. It’s hard to diagnose because the symptoms of occipital neuralgia are like the symptoms of other headaches and migraines.
What are the Symptoms of Occipital Neuralgia?
A common symptom of occipital neuralgia is intense, sharp pain in the back of the head and neck. The pain may be infrequent and last only a few seconds to a few minutes.
Other symptoms are:
Other symptoms are:
- Pain on one or both sides of the head
- Pain behind the eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Tender scalp
- Pain when you move your neck