Diagnosis and treatment of occipital neuralgia: focus on greater occipital nerve entrapment syndrome

Background: Occipital neuralgia is defined as paroxysmal shooting, or stabbing pain in the posterior part of scalp, distribution greater and lesser occipital nerves. may present only an intermittent pain, but different opinions exist on its cause diagnostic criteria.Current Concepts: According to latest version headache classification, included criteria, persistent aching excluded. Pain intensity was also limited severe cases. It has therefore become difficult classify existing neuralgia, whose main symptom rather than pain. classified either idiopathic secondary. Secondary caused by structural lesions innervating trigeminocervical complex (TCC) upper spinal cord, dorsal root second cervical nerve (GON).Discussion Conclusion: Although no cause, entrapment GON tendinous aponeurotic attachment trapezius muscle at superior nuchal line recently been proposed etiology. Chronic, irritating afferent input seems be associated with sensitization hypersensitivity second-order neurons TCC receiving convergent from trigeminal structures. induces referred facial area.