Guide To The Causes Of Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia occurs when the nerves running from the top of an individual's spinal cord to their scalp become injured or inflamed. This inflammation of the occipital nerves leads to pain in the base of the skull or back of the head. While occipital neuralgia is often confused with a migraine, it's important to get the correct diagnosis so patients can treat the condition effectively. Several issues can cause occipital neuralgia, and anything that leads to irritation or excess pressure against the occipital nerves can increase an individual's risk. In some cases, individuals may be aware they have an injury. In others, the development of symptoms might surprise them.

Tight Neck Muscles

Tight neck muscles can lead the occipital nerves to become pinched, pressurized, or injured. Individuals are also more likely to experience a muscle injury if the muscles in their neck are tight. An individual's neck is considered stiff if they have difficulty moving it in certain directions, particularly to the side. Affected individuals might also experience soreness.

Plenty of circumstances can cause the neck muscles to tighten, including sleeping with the neck in a strange position or holding it abnormally for long time periods. Prolonged anxiety and stress can cause the neck and shoulder muscles to tense up as well. Slouching and poor posture when sitting or standing can hurt an individual's muscles, as can repetitive motions like turning their head side to side as they swim.

Gout

One thing that can lead to occipital neuralgia is gout in the neck. Gout is a type of arthritis that may cause inflammation in individuals who have high uric acid levels in their blood, which leads to the development of crystals in one or more joints. Affected individuals will experience sudden and severe episodes that include swelling, warmth, redness, tenderness, and pain. If the crystals form in the joints in the neck and add pressure to the occipital nerves, patients may experience a headache in addition to overall gout symptoms. The headache may persist after the initial gout attack has subsided, but it may also fade with the gout symptoms.

Osteoarthritis

There are dozens of different types of arthritis, though the most common, by far, is osteoarthritis, which affects millions of individuals all over the world. Bones are cushioned by protective cartilage that keeps them from rubbing painfully together. When this cushioning wears down over time, the result is osteoarthritis. The condition can cause damage to any joint, though spinal joints are commonly affected.

When osteoarthritis affects the neck, it can lead to tension in the occipital nerves and potential damage. While joint damage from osteoarthritis can't be reversed, there are multiple lifestyle changes and medications that can help slow the disease's progression. If individuals are concerned about their joint health, they should talk to a doctor.

Blood Vessel Inflammation

Blood vessel inflammation can lead to occipital neuralgia when it causes damage or pressure to the occipital nerves and then occipital neuralgia. Inflammation of the blood vessels is a condition commonly known as vasculitis, which leads the blood vessel walls to change in various ways. They may become thicker, weaker, narrower, or scarred. In serious cases, the changes can cause a restriction in blood flow, which in turn leads to tissue and organ damage. If a major blood vessel becomes completely blocked, individuals may have a heart attack or stroke. Some individuals may have chronic vasculitis, which lasts for long periods, though others have short-term vasculitis that clears up rather than persisting.

Cervical Disc Disease

Cervical disc disease is a rarer cause of occipital neuralgia, but it's still a possibility. This condition causes pain in the neck and degeneration of the cervical discs, which can, in turn, lead to injury or inflammation of the occipital nerves. The degenerative process often causes radiating pain throughout the neck, and affected individuals may also have weakness and numbness in their hand, arm, and shoulders. The level of mobility loss and pain varies from case to case, but it can be debilitating. Each of an individual's seven vertebrae is separated by cushioning discs, which help stabilize their neck and let it turn smoothly without pain. When the discs start to break down, moving the neck and back becomes painful and difficult.