A pain that starts at the base of your skull and shoots up over one side of your head, sometimes settling behind the eye? A scalp so sensitive that even brushing your hair is unpleasant? These are the hallmarks of occipital neuralgia — a headache that starts in the neck and is very often mistaken for migraine.
What is occipital neuralgia?
The greater occipital nerve exits between the upper cervical vertebrae, passes through the deep neck muscles and climbs the scalp towards the crown. When it is compressed or irritated — most often by deep muscle tension or dysfunction of the upper neck joints — it produces the characteristic pain: shooting, stabbing or throbbing, along the nerve’s path from skull base to crown.
Common symptoms
Sharp, shooting or burning pain from the base of the skull up one side of the head; a scalp tender to the touch; pain triggered by neck movements or prolonged positions; discomfort behind the eye on the affected side; constant tension in the upper neck. Unlike migraine, the pain follows a clear path with a palpable starting point.
Common causes
Chronic tension in the upper cervical muscles (desk work and “text neck” are frequent culprits), C1–C2–C3 joint dysfunction, forward-head posture, whiplash-type injuries, cervical arthritis, and stress that keeps the neck muscles guarded. In most patients the cause is mechanical — and treatable.
Can it be treated without surgery?
Yes — occipital neuralgia of musculoskeletal origin, by far the most common type, responds very well to targeted conservative treatment. Nerve blocks and invasive procedures are reserved for cases that fail a properly conducted programme.
How we treat occipital neuralgia at Medicine Park
After a careful assessment of your upper cervical spine and suboccipital muscles, your plan may include manual and chiropractic care for the upper neck joints, dry needling for the muscles compressing the nerve, suboccipital myofascial release, postural retraining for head position, and ergonomic advice — all in English, in central Bucharest.
How long does recovery take?
Many patients improve significantly within 3–6 sessions. Chronic cases sustained by years of posture and stress need a longer programme — but the direction usually shows quickly.
When to seek help
If headaches starting at the back of your head keep returning and painkillers help less and less, stop enduring them. Your first assessment at Medicine Park is free — find out whether it is occipital neuralgia and what your treatment plan looks like.
