The head and neck are connected by muscles and nerves, and these connections often mean that when one hurts, so does the other. Neck pain is estimated to affect more than 21% of people annually. In many cases, this pain moves into the head where it can cause headaches, and this issue affects more than 75% of people every year.
People who are dealing with a sharp pain in their neck and head could be dealing with headaches. They might also have neck pain that is spilling over into their head. However, a third option that can cause this type of pain is a condition called occipital neuralgia.
How does occipital neuralgia cause sharp pain in your neck and head?
Occipital neuralgia is a condition that occurs when nerves in the head and neck are inflamed or damaged. It affects a group of nerves called the occipital nerves. These nerves run from the top of the spinal cord in the neck and into the scalp. Occipital neuralgia tends to cause sharp, jabbing pain in the neck and head, which can feel like an electric shock.
Three steps you can take to deal with the sharp pain in your neck and head from occipital neuralgia
There are several steps you should take to help treat the sharp pain in the neck and head that occipital neuralgia causes. These three steps are:
- See your doctor — Occipital neuralgia is estimated to occur in 3.2 out of every 100,000 people annually. This makes it much more rare than other sources of neck and head pain. It’s a good idea to see your doctor to confirm that you have occipital neuralgia. This way you can ensure you do have it before taking further treatment steps.
- Rest — A commonly prescribed treatment for occipital neuralgia is plain, old-fashioned rest. This is because the condition is often triggered by neck muscle issues or accident injuries like whiplash. Resting for a few days will allow your body to start healing the nerves and other tissue if an injury is the source of your occipital neuralgia.
- Attend physical therapy — Some of the most effective treatments for occipital neuralgia symptoms can be found in a physical therapy clinic. One of these is therapeutic exercises. These exercises are designed to strengthen the neck. In turn, the strengthening can help relieve pressure on injured or inflamed occipital nerves. One medical review reports that therapeutic exercise can benefit occipital neuralgia patients. The review shows that six medical studies report that this therapy method reduced pain and improved neck function in patients with occipital neuralgia.
Panther Physical Therapy can help treat the sharp pain in your neck and head
Are you looking for a physical therapy team to help treat the sharp pain in your neck and head? Our Panther Physical Therapy team is primed to help you. Our clinics offer free screenings to help you begin the therapy process. We also excel at building individualized therapy plans designed to reduce neck and head pain.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule a free screening.