How to diagnose occipital neuralgia?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Occipital neuralgia is a very common condition, generally characterized by pain in the back of the head. The nature of the pain is usually dull, but it can radiate to the top of the head. To diagnose occipital neuralgia, the main examination is to see if there are any significant tender points along the course of the greater occipital nerve. If there are obvious tender points, it is likely that occipital neuralgia is a possibility. Additionally, there are some underlying causes of occipital neuralgia, such as cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis, or inflammation of muscles in the head and neck area, and even some tumors. Therefore, it is necessary to perform comprehensive auxiliary examinations to rule out these related diseases, including MRI of the cervical spine and X-rays. Treatment is relatively simple and may include the administration of nerve-nourishing medications and pain relievers. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Cheng Bin
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Is it sciatica?

It should be noted that the incidence of sciatic nerve pain is still very high in clinical settings, and there are many causes which can lead to severe pain when it occurs. Common causes of sciatic nerve pain include conditions like sciatic neuritis, which can result in patient discomfort, as well as lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spondylolisthesis, lumbar spinal stenosis, and lumbar tumors. Compression of the spinal nerves can also lead to sciatic nerve pain. Additionally, piriformis syndrome can cause sciatic nerve pain in patients. Determining the specific cause requires a physical examination along with some auxiliary tests to make a clear diagnosis, after which active symptomatic treatment can be completely effective.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
1min home-news-image

How to diagnose occipital neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia is a very common condition, generally characterized by pain in the back of the head. The nature of the pain is usually dull, but it can radiate to the top of the head. To diagnose occipital neuralgia, the main examination is to see if there are any significant tender points along the course of the greater occipital nerve. If there are obvious tender points, it is likely that occipital neuralgia is a possibility. Additionally, there are some underlying causes of occipital neuralgia, such as cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis, or inflammation of muscles in the head and neck area, and even some tumors. Therefore, it is necessary to perform comprehensive auxiliary examinations to rule out these related diseases, including MRI of the cervical spine and X-rays. Treatment is relatively simple and may include the administration of nerve-nourishing medications and pain relievers. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Symptoms of neuralgia

Neuralgia comes in many types and is generally quite severe. Patients may experience episodes of intense, short-lasting pain. The common symptoms include: Firstly, a classic type is trigeminal neuralgia, where patients primarily suffer from episodic severe pain in the areas innervated by the trigeminal nerve. This can feel like burning or electric shocks, and is often unbearable. Treatment usually requires antiepileptic drugs. The second major type of neuralgia commonly seen is postherpetic neuralgia, where pain is intense and follows the nerve distribution. Tricyclic antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs can be used for treatment. Additionally, peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes can also lead to neuralgia. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Causes of Neuralgia

Neuralgia is extremely painful, with patients often experiencing severe, unbearable pain. The causes of neuralgia mainly include the following types. The first type to note is viral infection, such as herpes zoster virus infection, which can leave postherpetic neuralgia. In such cases, it is crucial to actively use antivirals and employ neuropathic pain medications for treatment. The second scenario may relate to nerve compression, such as trigeminal neuralgia, which may be associated with local vascular compression causing abnormal nerve discharges. Surgical treatment might be necessary to relieve the compression. Sciatica is also caused by compression of the sciatic nerve. The third case might be due to nonspecific inflammatory responses. For example, Guillain-Barre syndrome can also cause neuralgia, and treatment should be directed at the underlying cause.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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How to relieve neuralgia

Neuropathic pain can be relieved through treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and surgery. Medications used primarily include antiepileptic drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, sodium diclofenac, ibuprofen, and celecoxib. Physical therapy mainly involves localized heat application, massage, manipulation, and acupuncture. Surgical treatment is mainly suitable for patients who do not respond well to medication and physical therapy. Currently, the surgical approach mainly involves minimally invasive surgery to relieve nerve compression, thereby alleviating the symptoms of neuropathic pain. Beyond symptomatic treatment, it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause of the neuropathic pain, such as tumors, trauma, diabetes, etc. These causes can lead to neuropathic symptoms, so it is crucial to actively control these underlying diseases to potentially relieve neuropathic pain at its root. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)