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Treating Headache and Migraine with Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks

November 10, 2009 by dean · Leave a Comment 

Blocking the greater occipital nerve (which prevents information from the neck influencing the brainstem) continues to attract attention.

The authors after reviewing 21 pieces of research, whilst recommending that further research needs to be done, concluded that blocking or anaesthetising the greater occipital nerve is a worthwhile treatment approach for cervicogenic (neck-related) headache, cluster headache and migraine.

The positive results obtained through this procedure suggest that neck disorders are involved in the mechanisms of these headache conditions …. but blocks are not necessary … a skilled examination and treatment of relevant neck disorders can achieve the same result, without injections!

Cheers

Dean

(Tobin J, Flitman S.Occipital Nerve Blocks: When and What to Inject? Headache 2009;49:1521 - 1533)

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About dean
Consultant Headache & Migraine Physiotherapist; International Teacher; Director, The Headache Clinic & Watson Headache Institute; PhD Candidate Murdoch University, Western Australia; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, Physiotherapy School, University of South Australia; MAppSc(Res) GradDipAdvManipTher Experienced health practitioners trained in the Watson Headache Approach perform the examination and treatment techniques developed by Dean Watson. These techniques are based on his extensive experience of 7000 headache patients (21,000 hours) over 21 years and are now taught internationally. For your nearest practitioner who has completed training in the ‘Watson Headache Approach’ please refer to the ‘Practitioner Directory’.

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