Pain of any kind can be absolutely devastating to productivity and quality of life. Occipital neuralgia, however, is a unique condition that causes unbearable pain in the back of the head and neck. In this article, we will take a closer look at the condition of occipital neuralgia and discuss whether chiropractic care is a viable option for treating this condition.
Occipital Neuralgia Basics
Occipital Neuralgia can be understood by breaking down the words contained in the name itself. Specifically, neuralgia means that there is a problem with the nerves or nervous system. Occipital refers to a region of the body that is located on the back of the head.
With occipital neuralgia, the greater and lesser occipital nerves are irritated in some way which leads to the debilitating pain that patients feel in the back of their head and neck.
Many times, there is no clear reason why this condition develops, however, it is often linked with trauma, repetitive neck motion, and certain disease processes.
Treatments for Occipital Neuralgia
Often, the treatments for occipital neuralgia are focused only on treating the symptoms of the disease rather than the underlying issue. This is unfortunate, as it is analogous to putting a band-aid on a wound that is being caused by something else entirely.
Most professionals will recommend the basic treatments for relieving the pain associated with occipital neuralgia such as moist heat, ice, rest, self-massage, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Perhaps the best of these options is the self-massage, as it may encourage some blood flow in the area, while, at the same time, loosening up some of the very tight muscles characteristic of occipital neuralgia. Similar to headaches caused by tension in the neck muscles, occipital neuralgia often responds well to treatments that loosen up the neck, such as a massage or a chiropractic manipulation.
In some rare instances, doctors may even suggest that their patients undergo surgery for the condition. Surgery for occipital neuralgia generally falls in one of two camps: arterial decompression or nerve stimulation.
By identifying which arteries may be compressed and causing decreased blood flow to this area, surgeons may be able to relieve the pressure and restore normal sensation. Similarly, surgeons may attempt to block the painful nerve signals by stimulating nearby nerve structures through a nerve stimulation process.
It should be said, however, that any surgical option comes with a significant level of risk. Therefore, if any patients are considering undergoing a surgery for occipital neuralgia, they should be well-versed in the potential risks and some of the devastating outcomes that could occur if anything should go wrong during the surgery. Again, this issue may be life-changing and debilitating, but it’s not life-threatening, and there is no need to rush into a surgery. It’s always good to weigh your options before deciding to move forward with a surgical procedure. Surgeries can never be undone, so it never hurts to wait and trial other, more conservative options before going under the knife.
Chiropractic Treatment for Occipital Neuralgia
Luckily, Chiropractic treatment can help with this devastating condition. By identifying the underlying issues that lead to the condition, such as a subluxed vertebra or another spinal misalignment of some sort, your chiropractor can devise a plan of care that will actually fix the root problems, not just the symptoms.
If you’re suffering from occipital neuralgia or any other condition for that matter, our team at At Last Chiropractic would be happy to help. For all your chiropractic care needs in Lithia, FL, we would be thrilled to assist you. Book your appointment today.
