2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
5 Neuro-Ophthalmology
Chapter 12: The Patient With Head, Ocular, or Facial Pain
Facial Pain
Occipital Neuralgia
Paroxysmal stabbing pain in the distribution of the greater or lesser occipital nerves may be confused with other causes of head and facial pain. Tenderness may be elicited with pressure over the affected nerve. Injection of local anesthetic drugs relieves the pain and is helpful in confirming the diagnosis.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 5 - Neuro-Ophthalmology. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.