Chronic migraines, chronic daily headaches sinus headaches are all issues arriving in the Trigeminal Nervous System and are in many ways the same problem.related. Occipital headaches and occipital neuralgias have a different origins but there is a tremendous crossover both neurologically and structurally.
At the end of this article are patient testimonial videos but it is important to understand the concepts before watching the videos.
According to Johns Hopkins occipital neuralgia is "Most of the feeling in the back and top of the head is transmitted to the brain by the two greater occipital nerves. There is one nerve on each side of the head. Emerging from between bones of the spine in the upper neck, the two occipital nerves make their way through muscles at the back of the head and into the scalp. They sometimes reach nearly as far forward as the forehead, but do not cover the face or the area near the ears; other nerves supply these regions.
Irritation of one these nerves anywhere along their course can cause a shooting, zapping, electric, or tingling pain very similar to that of trigeminal neuralgia, only with symptoms located on one side of the scalp rather than in the face. Sometimes the pain can also seem to shoot forward (“radiate”) toward one eye. In some patients the scalp becomes extremely sensitive to even the lightest touch, making washing the hair or lying on a pillow nearly impossible. In other patients there may be numbness in the affected area. The region where the nerves enter the scalp may be extremely tender."
What Johns Hopkins does tell patients is that the position of the head , jaw and neck are closely related and that neck and jaw problems caused by overclosure or malpositioning of the mandible can create excessive pressure on posterior nerves and muscles .
Johns Hopkins says "Occipital Neuralgia may occur spontaneously, or as the result of a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example), or as the result of prior injury or surgery to the scalp or skull. Sometimes “tight” muscles at the back of the head can entrap the nerves." but they ignore the easiest to fix problem, the bite.
The Quadrant Theorem of Guzay clearly shows the relation of the head and jaw position to the first two cervical vertebrae. These connections are the structural key to understanding how neck problems interact with the Trigeminal Nervous System and the TrigeminoVascular system to cause headaches.
Whenever the answer to a problem requires different professions to work together patient frequently suffer form incomplete or partial treatment.
