What causes occipital muscle pain?

What causes occipital neuralgia? Occipital neuralgia may occur spontaneously, or as the result of a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example), or because of prior injury or surgery to the scalp or skull. Sometimes “tight” muscles at the back of the head can entrap the nerves.

What does occipital neuralgia feel like?

Symptoms of occipital neuralgia include continuous aching, burning and throbbing, with intermittent shocking or shooting pain that generally starts at the base of the head and goes to the scalp on one or both sides of the head. Patients often have pain behind the eye of the affected side of the head.

What causes the pain in the occipital area?

What causes occipital neuralgia? Occipital neuralgia is also called an occipital headache or occipital neuritis, but all of these names point to a pain condition that originates in the occipital nerves. At the most basic level, occipital neuralgia is caused by irritation, inflammation, or injury to the occipital nerves.

How to tell if you have occipital neuralgia?

Throbbing, aching pain or sharp, electric-like pain that typically starts where the back of your head meets your neck. Pain that radiates to one side of your head, down your neck and/or back. Pain behind your eye. Increased sensitivity of your scalp.

How to get rid of occipital pain without surgery?

You should feel a stretch along the back and sides of your neck and the base of your skull. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then release. Sit in a chair or stand with your neck and head in line with your spine. Slowly rotate your head to the right, keeping your head straight, stretching as far as you can without pain or strain.

What are some exercises to help with occipital pain?

Try to move just your head back towards the back of the wall behind you. You should feel a stretch along the back and sides of your neck and the base of your skull. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then release. Sit in a chair or stand with your neck and head in line with your spine.

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