Neuralgia: trigeminal and occipital nerve pain

What are the symptoms of neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia affects the nerve that carries feeling from the face. It causes:

• Sudden, intense, shock-like or stabbing pain, usually on one side of the face
• Attacks that last a few seconds, up to about two minutes, and can repeat many times a day
• Burning, aching or tingling between attacks

It is most common in people over 50 and in women, and in some people the attacks become longer and more frequent over time.

Occipital neuralgia affects the nerves that run from the upper neck over the back of the scalp. The pain can be aching, burning, throbbing, or sudden and piercing like an electric shock, usually starting at the back of the head or behind one eye.

When should you see a doctor?

See a clinician if you have repeated attacks of sharp facial or head pain, pain that wakes you or stops you from eating or talking, or pain that keeps coming back after a head or neck injury.

How is neuralgia diagnosed at INPM?

Diagnosis starts with your history and a neurological exam. For trigeminal neuralgia, an MRI is usually ordered to look for a blood vessel pressing on the nerve or another cause of facial pain. For occipital neuralgia, an occipital nerve block can show whether that nerve is the source of the pain.

What treatment options are available?

For trigeminal neuralgia, medicines that calm nerve signals, such as anticonvulsants, are usually the first treatment; surgery is considered only when medicines fail or cause intolerable side effects. For occipital neuralgia, options include heat, massage, physical therapy, medicines and nerve blocks.

At INPM, treatment can include:

• Nerve blocksAnesthetic injections near a nerve to relieve headache and painLearn more about Nerve blocks

Who treats neuralgia at INPM?

• 

  Dr. Amar Anand

  Neurologist · Headache, stroke and neuroimaging

• 

  Dr. Alexandra Nicholson

  Neurologist · Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders

Where can you be seen?