One of the putative causes of headache is osteoarthritis of the C2-3 zygapophysial joint. A technique for blocking the third occipital nerve which innervates this joint was devised and used as a screening procedure for headache mediated by this nerve. Seven out of ten consecutive patients presenting with suspected cervical headache were found to suffer pain mediated by the third occipital nerve...

Occipital neuralgia is a condition manifested by chronic occipital headaches and is thought to be caused by irritation or trauma to the greater occipital nerve (GON). Treatment for occipital neuralgia includes medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRFA). Landmark-guided GON blocks are the mainstay in both the diagnosis and treatment of occipital neuralgia. Ultrasound is...

A consecutive series of 100 patients was studied to determine the prevalence of third occipital nerve headache in patients with chronic neck pain (> three months in duration) after whiplash. Seventy one patients complained of headache associated with their neck pain. Headache was the dominant complaint of 40 patients, but was only a secondary problem for the other 31. Each patient with headache...

BACKGROUND The anatomy of the greater and lesser occipital nerves has come under increased scrutiny with the increased appreciation of their role in the causation of chronic occipital headaches. Classic anatomical descriptions of their paths have differed from some recent published reports. METHODS Measurements of the courses of the greater and lesser occipital nerves were conducted bilateral...