What is Occipital Neuralgia?
Occipital Neuralgia is a condition characterised by sharp, painful, electric-shock like sensations on the back of the head, neck or ears.
Symptoms include pain behind the eye, radiating pain on one side of the head/neck/back and increased sensitivity of the scalp. These symptoms are caused by the irritation or compression of the occipital nerves that run at the top of the spine to the scalp. Chiropractic care is an effective treatment if you are experiencing these symptoms or similar but here are 3 ways to relieve the pain in the mean time –
- Chin tuck exercise
A chin tuck exercise aims to stretch and strengthen muscles and connective tissue in the painful area. If this exercise increases pain or discomfort, stop immediately
- Stand straight, tuck your chin down, and pull your head back. Aim to bring your head back up in a straight line without titling
- Hold stretch for 5 seconds before resting, and repeat x10 (Easy Chin Tucks for Neck Pain | Spine-health – video demo)
- Heat/Ice Therapy
Apply ice pack or heat pad under the base of your skull as you lie down, leave for no more than 20 minutes at a time and always use a barrier between your skin and the temperature source. This will help to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
- Gentle neck massage
Massages can help calm tight muscles, relieving tension and pain, although it is important to stop if this aggravates your pain
