While full blown Occipital Neuralgia might be uncommon, there are different degrees of this and different levels of pain. Occipital Neuralgia happens when the occipital nerves get injured or inflamed.

Medicine believes this is solely due to a severe structural imbalance such as:

• Osteoarthritis
• Trauma
• Cervical Disc Disease
• Infection

What they miss is that altered function and movement can cause pressure and tension on the occipital nerves resulting in occipital neuralgia headache pain. 

What are the Occipital Nerves?

It is irritation or inflammation of the occipital nerves that leads to occipital neuralgia headaches, but what are the occipital nerves?

The occipital nerves originate in the upper neck at the level of C1. There are 3 pairs of occipital nerves that travel from the upper neck into the head. One pair goes into the back of the head. One pair goes into the temple area. And, the third pair goes over the head to the forehead. 

Nerves are incredibly sensitive tissue and even slight pressure or tension causes significant pain and inflammation. 

Symptoms of Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia causes the following pain:

• Aching, burning, or throbbing pain from the upper neck into the head
• Affects one or both sides of the head
• Often pain behind the eye on one side

Medical Treatment of Occipital Neuralgia

Medicine uses a range of treatment from the rather benign to very invasive. But, their treatment rarely even attempts to address the functional imbalances that can cause occipital neuralgia headaches. Treatment includes:

• Heat 
• Oral Pain Medication
• Nerve Block Injections
• Decompression Surgery

Outside of the heat and maybe the pain meds, that gets pretty invasive. Especially considering they aren’t even attempting to address a functional cause of the occipital neuralgia headache pain. 

What do I mean by functional cause?

The occipital nerves exit the spine between the base of the skull and the first cervical vertebra. 

Here’s a post of mine: Headaches are a Pain in the Neck

A Functional Mechanical Cause of Occipital Neuralgia

The upper neck is a very critical and delicate area. The neck has to balance the head which weighs about 11 pounds. Take a look at the average person’s posture from the side. Their head is in front of their shoulders. For every inch the head moves forward it is like adding another 11 lbs that the small muscles of the neck must hold up. 

Some of those small muscles connect the base of the skull to the first and second vertebrae. This is the same region where the occipital nerves exit the spine. When these muscles tighten up to hold the head up they can “pinch” the occipital nerves. 

The top 2 vertebrae of the neck are very important. Not only do they balance the head but the brain stem is in that area. Any tension or pressure to the brain stem can result in an overactivity of the Sympathetic “fight-or-flight” system, resulting in increased muscle tension, spasm and pain through the neck and shoulders. 

What we have is some very fine, delicate, and exquisitely sensitive nerves that exit the spine between two bones with an 11 lb weight sitting on top. 

Is it any wonder how something might go wrong?

Long-Term Occipital Neuralgia Headache Relief

Unless there is something wrong with the occipital nerves like an infection or permanent damage from trauma the least invasive approach is to look for a functional cause and correct it. 

Key #1: Occiput Junction – the first place to look for dysfunction is the joint between the base of the skull (occiput) and the first vertebra (atlas). The skull is intended to rock or nod on top of the neck just as though you were nodding your head gently yes. 

If that nodding movement is lost the very small muscles that attach the first and second vertebra to the skull tighten up and compress the joint even more. It is critical to restore that smooth nodding motion to the very top of the neck. 

Key #2: The Atlas – The top vertebra (C1) in the neck is called the Atlas after the Greek God Atlas who held up the world. Your Atlas holds up your world. The vast majority of your ability to turn your head comes from the very top of the neck at C1/C2. If the atlas is misaligned it causes tightening of those suboccipital muscles and a possible pinching of the Occipital Nerves. 

Key #3: The Axis – The second vertebra in the neck is called the Axis because everything turns around this bone. All that motion of rotation in the neck is largely the Atlas turning on top of the Axis. 

We want the Axis balance and moving freely to enable motion above it at C1 and the Occiput. Any imbalance of the Axis can create more imbalance and tension above it. 

Key #4: Postural Balance – Our modern life has us sitting much more than is healthy. Computer work is an additional postural stress. Over time we adopt postural and movement patterns that create muscle tension and spasm in the neck and shoulders. As we correct the imbalances in the upper neck as well the entire spine it is critical to increase your awareness of the postural shifts that immediately increase muscle tension and pain. 

The vast majority of time Occipital Neuralgia Headaches are the result of long term postural and emotional stress. They can be dormant for a long time or only show up very periodically when stress rises. 

Rather than resort to injections and possible surgery the more logical approach is to start as conservatively as possible. 

If the cause is mechanical and neurological in nature why not give every try possible to restore proper joint function and movement in an effort to remove tension and interference from the occipital nerves in the upper neck. 

Because of the postures we assume much of the day as well as the level of stress we all live with it is understandable that the upper neck is a very vulnerable area susceptible to imbalances that might result in occipital neuralgia. 

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