Occipital Neuralgia Chiropractic Doctor

Occipital Neuralgia is a pain syndrome that causes severe jolting pain at the back of the head. Like its cousin Trigeminal Neuralgia, it can be a destroyer of one's quality of life. We will discuss the ramifications of whiplash-type trauma and its effects on the nervous system. Then we will offer a natural noninvasive form of care that has been helping patients recover their normal healthy lives.

Occipital Neuralgia Symptoms:

 • Aching, burning, and throbbing pain typically starts at the base of the head and radiates to the scalp.

 • Pain on one or both sides of the head.

 • Pain behind the eye.

 • Sensitivity to light.

 • Sensitivity to sound.

 • Slurred speech.

 • Pain when moving the neck.

We have found that most patients who have chronic health problems have pre-existing whiplash-type trauma that precedes their onset of health problems.

Many times the injury was many years prior and the person does not connect the event to their health problems. The American public knows little about the harmful effects neck injury can have on their health traumas like car accidents, sports injuries, and other jolting trauma that can cause the upper cervical spine to structurally misalign.  

The head-neck relationship is a precarious one. The head weighs 10-12 pounds and the top bone in the neck the atlas weighs 2 ounces. Furthermore, the headrests on the top of a "stick" to your neck. This relationship makes it susceptible to injury.

When the neck and head sustain jolting movements micro-tears to the soft tissue and joint capsules(ligaments that support joints) occur. This causes instability in the joint and what results are muscle spasms and structural adaptation that causes irritation to the nervous system.

Occipital Neuralgia is caused by injuries to the upper cervical spine which then causes chronic muscle spasms in the neck which entraps and irritates the occipital nerve. Patients who suffer from this syndrome typically have symptomatic treatment with drugs and are ignoring the root cause. To get well one must correct the cause not cover up the symptoms.

Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic is a specialized form of care whose goal is to correct interference to the nervous system by correcting spinal misalignments in the upper cervical spine.

As we have discussed, a misaligned upper cervical spine can influence the central nervous system causing irritation to the brainstem. The goal of upper cervical care is to correct brain-stem interference. Upper cervical doctors run objective testing to locate the cause.  

Then precise x-rays are taken to determine the direction of joint misalignment and its angulation. Once this information is gleaned the patient receives a precise gentle correction. There is no twisting, popping, or pulling. After the correction is made the patient is monitored over time to ensure healing is taking place. The goal is for the vertebra to stay in its normal position for as long as possible.