Occipital Nerve Block is a pain treatment to treat occipital neuralgia which is characterized by pain in the upper neck and/or head. The medication that will be injected includes a steroid (long-acting cortisone type medication) and a local anesthetic. The actions of these medications are to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling. The local anesthetic may provide temporary, immediate relief. The steroid may take anywhere from a few days to a week to start working but is intended to provide extended relief. The doctor will insert a small needle near of top of the neck at the base of the skull and inject medication around the nerve. This may cause a tingling sensation that travels up and over the top of the head. After the injection, it is not uncommon to experience some dizziness with movement or numbness at the back and top of the skull. This is not unusual and will subside over the next several hours. For this reason, it is important that you have someone to drive you home.
