Occipital neuralgia recover rime and best relief?
I’ve been dealing with what doctors think is occipital neuralgia / cervicogenic headache / migraine overlap for about 6 months.
It started suddenly while driving when I turned my head left and felt a sharp pinch/electric sensation at the back left side of my head near the base of the skull. Since then, turning my head left/down and sudden movements trigger pain. Over time it spread more around the base of my skull and sides/top of my head.
What’s weird:
- cardio actually helps a lot
- shoulder/trap workouts flare it badly
- posture and sleep position matter
- acupuncture and neck brace helped some
- gabapentin + low dose amitriptyline help, but symptoms come back when meds wear off
Neurologist thinks migraine pathways may also be involved. I’m considering an occipital nerve block next.
For people who improved:
- how long did recovery take?
- what helped the most?
- did injections help?
- were you able to taper off meds eventually?
Would appreciate honest experiences/success stories.