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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Remedy For Headache

I'm researching for my dad. For years he has had massive headaches, sometimes lasting several days. Now he has found out that he has arthritis of the neck and is about to undergo having some sort of a shot in a nerve behind the ear for severe pain and hopefully to help the headaches. He is 83 and doesn't understand it all and I would like to know a little more about what this shot will be. Thank you
Mon, 14 Jul 2014
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Neurologist,  's  Response
Your best source of information is the doctor who plans to inject him but the most likely medications that will be used will be combination steroid and anesthetic. I can't exactly explain why they wish to go behind the ear as opposed to just below the rim of the occiput since occipital neuritis is believed to be the most common form headache provoking neuritis that is injected. Behind the ear is not the typical location for this sort of nerve block so obviously the physician is thinking in terms of some trigger point injection. In my experience as a headache expert I use these types of injections sparingly and only when there is absolutely no other choice because the success rate is generally poor or at least no better overall than noninvasive regimens using both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods. Here is the web address of a good comprehensive and nicely laid out article that explains nerve blocks for headaches. Good luck.

http://www.achenet.org/resources/nerve_blocks_for_headaches/
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Suggest Remedy For Headache

Your best source of information is the doctor who plans to inject him but the most likely medications that will be used will be combination steroid and anesthetic. I can t exactly explain why they wish to go behind the ear as opposed to just below the rim of the occiput since occipital neuritis is believed to be the most common form headache provoking neuritis that is injected. Behind the ear is not the typical location for this sort of nerve block so obviously the physician is thinking in terms of some trigger point injection. In my experience as a headache expert I use these types of injections sparingly and only when there is absolutely no other choice because the success rate is generally poor or at least no better overall than noninvasive regimens using both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods. Here is the web address of a good comprehensive and nicely laid out article that explains nerve blocks for headaches. Good luck. http://www.achenet.org/resources/nerve_blocks_for_headaches/