An occipital nerve block is an injection (shot) of medicine to numb the occipital nerves in the back of your head and neck. It can treat headaches and other types of pain in that part of your body. There are three different occipital nerves: the greater occipital nerve, the lesser occipital nerve, and the third occipital nerve. Most nerve blocks are done near the greater occipital nerve.

The medicine used for the nerve block will have a local anesthetic (medicine to numb the nerve). It may also have a steroid (medicine to lower pain and swelling).

Your doctor may recommend an occipital nerve block if you have pain caused by:

• Occipital neuralgia. This is swelling or irritation around the occipital nerves that causes sharp, stabbing, or burning pain on your scalp or behind your eye.
• Some types of headaches, like migraines and cluster headaches.
• Whiplash or other injuries to the back of your neck.

Your doctor may also do an occipital nerve block to find out what exactly is causing your pain. If your pain gets better after you get the block, it means that an occipital nerve might be the cause.

Before the nerve block, make sure to:

• Tell your doctor about any medicines or supplements you take. This is especially important if you take blood thinners, since those medicines could cause problems during the procedure.
• Let your doctor know if you might be pregnant.
• Follow any directions your doctor may give you for not eating or drinking before getting the nerve block.

You might get a sedative (medicine to help you relax) through a needle into your arm . You’ll sit in a chair with your head tilted down. Or you might lie on an exam table on your belly. Your doctor or nurse will clean your skin with an antiseptic where the needle will be placed.

Your doctor will feel the back of your neck to find the right place to insert the needle. They may also use ultrasound or fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray) to guide them. Then they will use a thin needle to inject the medicine as close to the nerve as possible.

Placing the block usually takes only a few minutes. You’ll rest for about 30 minutes. Then you’ll be able to go home.

If you had sedation, you’ll need someone to drive you home from the hospital. But you should be able to resume your normal activities the next day.

For some people, pain gets worse right after they get the nerve block before it starts to improve. That’s because of the extra fluid injected next to the nerves. If you start to have severe pain, contact your doctor for help.

Relief from the nerve block may last for a few hours, days, or even months. It all depends on what’s causing your pain. You may need to get another block or try other treatments if the pain comes back.

There is a chance that the block won’t work to relieve pain. If that happens, you’ll work with your doctor to try other things.

The most common side effect is bruising, pain, or numbness where you got the injection. You may also feel dizzy. These side effects usually go away within a few days. If the medicine you got had steroids in it, you may have temporary hair loss or skin thinning around the injection site.

Serious problems are rare, but they can happen. These include:

• Infection or bleeding.
• Nerve damage.
• An allergic reaction to a medicine.
• Swelling in your face.
• Trouble swallowing, which usually goes away after a few hours.

Contact your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You have symptoms of infection, such as:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the injection site.
  • Red streaks leading from the site.
  • Pus draining from the site.
  • A fever.
• Your headaches get worse.
• You have numbness or weakness that’s getting worse.