I am having mine next month (February) My headpain started back in April 2021 one week after my second vaccine. My first vaccine gave me lots of mini headaches. One week after my second vaccine my headache has been constant. It is one headache that has lasted nearly two years.Every second of every damn day! So have never taken another vaccine since........
Just got my first nerve block injections today with lidocaine I believe. First hour felt great except I could tell we missed a spot on my left temple because my head was still pulsing. After an hiyr though the pulsing came back on both temples and my forehead and the back of my head a bit. Pain is still much less than before I went in for the appointment but not really cured. Im trying not to get discouraged and just think that maybe the spots I got the injections werent exactly where my nerve was. But I have another nerve block appointment set up with an actual migrain clinic in 3 weeks so I hope this goes much better. If anyone else has had a similar experience with nerve blocks not working the first day please comment! I need hope. But like I said, occipital lobe feels a lot better but temples and forehead not so much. Just icing it for now to relieve pain.
I find each time can be a little different. Sometimes it can take a few appointments to get the best locations. My neurologist does try different locations occasionally to focus in on some really bad pain points, as well as to try give best larger area results. I write down my results and give feedback. I really hope things are improving for you.
My cluster headaches have increased by about 3x this cluster and im getting my nerve blocks again this week. The only thing that has helped me in between was sumatriptan injection. It has been a literal lifesaver for me. Hope you can continue to have a reduction in your pain.
Triptans are definitely helpful. I have triptan pills, and I also have wafers (wafers dissolve under the tongue so they work faster and still work during vomiting migraines). Sorry to hear yours have increased this cluster. Hopefully the nerve blocks will add up to more relief for you too.
Thank you for sharing so much info on occipital nerve blocks. I will probably have to get one of these..I hope you’re feeling tremendously better these days. God bless you! ❤️
Thank-you for the blessings. God's blessings to you as well. Hope this info helps you and many more. ❤ I have had good results from this treatment. Better results than many other more expensive treatments. I continue to do these needles to accumulate better results each time. 15 - 20 years of my issues & chronic pain doesn't often disappear overnight unfortunately. It is great to have that temporary relief and break, and then see lasting results makes it my favorite treatment. I have noticed major and minor improvements in many areas related to this treatment. I can now brush my hair without the intense scalp pain. It's normal feeling now. I also have lower severity with my tension headaches, and I don't feel like I need to constantly crack my neck. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I would love to hear how it goes for you or if you get this treatment. Hope things improve for you.
I had my first nerve block today and I already love. Occipital nerve block right side and So far I love it and I want to get the left side done as well. I will update as time goes on.
So sorry to hear you struggle too. Here for ya. It is so hard and exhausting. Are you receiving help? Are you looking for more information? Not selling anything here, just want to help.
How are you doing today? My blocks are scheduled for Friday because my two series of cervical epidural injections helped for 3 days then the 4th day the my pain was horrible and I have a shoulder injury too!
You mentioned at the end that you’d tried “the earrings”. Is that migraine related? I’ve been doing Botox for 4ish months now (for chronic migraines with neurological effects that looked like seizures) and while the Botox worked for the first round, I’m not having as much luck with my second round. While I have only had one seizure like episode, I’m ramping up to non stop pain and forehead pressure again. Found this vid cause I’m looking into nerve blocks, but if earrings are a thing...I’ll try anything once 😂
Yes I have daith piercings in both ears. I found they helped with stress headaches and the lack of sleep headaches I get in my forehead. Similar positive results for friends and family. Have heard it works similar to acupuncture reasoning. Obviously it doesn't fix but noticeable improvement. It is a 50/50 chance of getting the piercing in the correct spot to work. Sister has one in correct spot and one where she moved as they did it so placement is off. She still noticed improvement
I was supposed to do injections months ago but so scares and hoping physical therapy would help but I've noticed more activity makes symptoms worse so getting apt for injections. In justcsuprr scared. Do you have more symptoms with more activity?
I have an appointment for a nerve block tomorrow. I am assuming it is the occipital nerve block and I am really skeptical about it but hopefully things go well
Hope it goes well for you. Let me know your results and opinions. It can be a nice temporary relief and I found it does add up to noticeable results as I repeat them.
How does it compare to botox? Ive been getting Occipital blocks since February after 20 yrs of chronic pain. Head injury ,pituitary adenoma, and most recently damage to my right facial nerve from a parotidectomy. Prayers girl
So sorry to hear you struggle so. Hoping you notice improvement. Thank-you for the prayers. Prayers for you too. 🙂 I had been doing botox for around 2-3 years when I started the occipital nerve blocks. Very different reactions and initial results. I found faster good effects and less adverse reactions with the nerve block compared to botox. I have about 2 weeks of struggling through side effects when botox starts and again when it wears off. (My neck muscle pain due to injury creates migraines so it is a vicious cycle. Short term pain, long term gain.) Once the botox is working, it is better. To have the muscles which cause my migraines paralyzed has been very helpful. When asked to choose by my neurologist, I said hands down it is the occipital nerve block. Much less expense, less side effects, and it seems to have made faster changes. This may have been different if I had not already had botox for so long. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other questions or updates.
@@GYST2020 wow!! Very interesting! You poor thing. I read a lot about side effects but, am so desperate for relief!!Please keep me updated. I'm so happy to hear the blocks are helping tho!! My neck is awful and i cant do any at the base. It makes it more tight. Xoxo!
I get my first occipital next week. . . Does it make your face feel numb?? Can you feel it start to wear off like you can after you go to the dentist and get your mouth numb??
Yes, it often does make the areas injected feel numb...ish. very similar to dentist feeling except most areas you would still feel it if you were to poke with a needle. They do wear off similar to dentist needles too. The more often you get these needles, the better and longer they seem to last. It is interesting when the occipital nerves get frozen because the freezing spreads out and towards the top and front of the head. This area of injections has really helped my over sensitive scalp nerves. I no longer feel like I am pulling my hair out when I lightly brush my hair. I have had a few different levels of results happen with these needles depending on headache present that day and other factors, but definitely positive results overall.
I am so sorry to hear you suffer for so long also. I hope I can be helpful to you and many others who struggle. Can you list what you have tried that did not work? Just so I don't tell you a whole bunch of items you already know. I have tried so many things and have had some small improvements in prevention and pain relief.
Keeping a diary of symptoms, level of pain, time of day/night symptoms occur, how long they last, sleep schedule, medications taken, how these headaches effect your daily life, and anything you think might be contributing/related to issues really helps when you talk to doctors/specialists. You will be able to be specific and accurately communicate what is going on instead of trying to recall the blur of pain in the moment at the appointment. If they see you have been keeping track, can be specific about issues, have a timeline of symptoms/medications tried/previous related appointments, and how it effects your daily life, it is more likely they will be better able to asses what is going on and will take you seriously. If you are unable to get medical help currently, keeping a diary throughout the day of symptoms, where symptoms happen, intensity level of symptoms, eating and sleeping habits, foods eaten, meds taken, stress, emotions, light or noise changes, smells or chemicals (perfumes, things used to clean, gas station fumes etc), injuries, (cycles if your are female), any things you do to try relieve symptoms, and writing down your activities (or lack thereof) can help you see trends and triggers. This diary gave me the ability to see a few foods, electronics, situations and activities that were triggers. I can see trends of improvement to know when treatments are helping slowly. I can also see trends of when things are getting worse and if symptoms go back to same or worse than before. I learnt I have a few different types of migraines which last last longer than most people's do, there are neurological effects after, and I could prove I haven't had a day without a medium to bad headache since I was injured over 10 years ago. This helped me feel like I could have some power over my part of trying to feel better. It also helped me to know which professionals could help me and feel better approaching them to be taken seriously finally after all this time of suffering. I could show what I had tried, what works, what does not work, and I have proof to show and communicate what is really going on and what I want help with.
Back of the neck, back of the head and possibly other areas of difficulty. Location of needles goes with where the nerves are and where your areas of injury or pain are. I get several needles for the occipital nerve as well as high pain headache areas.
I am Canadian so I get the first so many per year paid for if administered by a neurologist who can prove I have chronic pain and need for the treatments.
Yes, that seems true. Since my doctors and neurologist can't seem to get to the roots of the issue, (or won't work to find those answers) treating symptoms is what we try. I would love to find the root causes and fix it all. These nerve blocks are helping me have a little better quality of life, and also helping me take less other medications so less side effects from those.
The only side effects I found were tiredness and tenderness when the 'freezing effect' wore off so sometimes I had some difficulty sleeping the night after.
