What causes your neck to hurt at the base of your skull?
A common reason that people have neck pain at the base of their skull is they have an issue with their suboccipital muscles. There are four pairs of suboccipital muscles, and they’re located at the base of your skull. Their job is to support movement between the skull and the first and second neck vertebrae.
How do you get rid of occipital neuralgia?
Medications and a set of three steroid injections, with or without botulinum toxin, can “calm down” the overactive nerves. Some patients respond well to non-invasive therapy and may not require surgery; however, some patients do not get relief and may eventually require surgical treatment.
What happens if occipital neuralgia is not treated?
Left untreated, complications of untreated occipital neuralgia can be serious or even life threatening. You can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you.
What can mimic occipital neuralgia?
Tension-type headache, which is much more common, occasionally mimics the pain of occipital neuralgia.
Can occipital neuralgia go away on its own?
Does occipital neuralgia go away? Occipital neuralgia may go away with time if the cause of your occipital nerve inflammation is corrected.
What are the causes of pain behind the ear and down the neck?
A cervicogenic headache or cervical headache, can cause pain behind the ear and down the neck. Cervicogenic headaches are caused by dysfunction in the muscles, joints, nerves or fascia in and around the cervical spine or neck, especially the upper cervical spine.
What are the possible causes of neck pain?
Causes. A possible cause of neck pain is muscle strain.
What is the reason for neck pain?
Costochondritis
How to soothe a sore neck?
take paracetamol or ibuprofen – or use ibuprofen gel on your neck. use a low, firm pillow. put heat or cold packs on your neck. try neck exercises