An occipital nerve block is a procedure that involves injecting pain-relieving medication into your greater and lesser occipital nerves.

It’s primarily used as a treatment for chronic migraines and headaches. The first step of the occipital nerve block treatment is applying a local anesthetic to the treatment area. This helps to relieve any discomfort that may occur during the injection process. Once the treatment area is numbed, a needle will be carefully inserted into the area surrounding the occipital nerves, in the back of the head right above the neck. After the needle is in place, the injection will be performed. This treatment is typically completed in less than an hour. After treatment, you may notice some minor swelling or bruising at the injection site, but these effects usually fade within a few days.