Occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia are two types of neuralgia caused by nerve inflammation and compression. Neuralgia is the severe shooting pain that occurs due to damaged or irritated nerves. It can interfere with a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Depending on the areas of the body and nerve affected, there are different types of neuralgia, such as occipital neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia, peripheral neuralgia, and intercostal neuralgia.
The key difference between occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia is their cause. Occipital neuralgia is caused by irritation and damage to the occipital nerve, while trigeminal neuralgia is caused by irritation and damage to the trigeminal nerve.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Occipital Neuralgia
3. What is Trigeminal Neuralgia
4. Similarities – Occipital Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
5. Occipital Neuralgia vs Trigeminal Neuralgia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Occipital Neuralgia vs Trigeminal Neuralgia
7. FAQ – Occipital Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
What is Occipital Neuralgia?
Occipital neuralgia is a type of neuralgia that affects the occipital nerves. This nerve originates in the neck and sends signals to the back of the head. The possible causes of occipital neuralgia are keeping the head in a downward, forward position for a long time, tensed neck muscles, inflamed blood vessels, tumors in the neck, infections, gout, diabetes, and head injuries. The symptoms of this condition may include aching, burning, and throbbing pain that starts at the base of the head and goes to the scalp, pain in one or both sides of the head, tender scalp, pain when you move the neck, pain behind the eye, sensitivity to light, numbness, and pain behind the ears.

Figure 01: Occipital Neuralgia
Occipital neuralgia can be diagnosed through physical examination, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound. Furthermore, treatment options for occipital neuralgia include applying heat to the neck, resting, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, taking prescription muscle relaxants, anti-seizure drugs such as carbamazepine, antidepressants, nerve blocks, steroid shots, Botox injections, and surgeries like microvascular decompression, occipital nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, occipital release surgery, and ganglionectomy.
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia affects the trigeminal nerve in the head. Trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by an enlarged blood vessel and multiple sclerosis. The symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia may include severe, sharp, shooting facial pain that lasts from a few seconds to about 2 minutes, pain in the teeth, lower jaw, upper jaw, or cheek, and a constant throbbing, aching, or burning sensation between attacks.

Figure 02: Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia can be diagnosed through physical examination, neurological examination, and brain MRI. Furthermore, treatment options for trigeminal neuralgia may include medications such as anti-seizure medicines, muscle relaxants (baclofen), surgeries like microvascular decompression, radiosurgery, rhizotomy, peripheral neurectomy and other treatments like botulinum toxin, acupuncture, biofeedback, psychotherapy, yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy.
Similarities Between Occipital Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia are two types of neuralgia.
- Both are due to nerve inflammation and compression.
- They can cause sharp, stabbing pain in different parts of the body.
- Both can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
- They can be treated with specific medicines and surgeries.
Difference Between Occipital Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
Definition
- Occipital neuralgia is the inflammation or compression of the occipital nerve.
- Trigeminal neuralgia is the inflammation or compression of the trigeminal nerve.
Cause
- Occipital neuralgia can be caused by the trauma to the back of the head, osteoarthritis, neck tension or tight neck muscles, infection, gout, tumors in the neck, cervical disc disease, diabetes, and blood vessel inflammation.
- Trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by an enlarged blood vessel and multiple sclerosis.
Symptoms
- Symptoms of occipital neuralgia include pain that often spreads or shoots up from where the neck meets the skull, soreness and sensitivity to the touch, sensitivity to light, bursts of pain that come and go, and a lingering ache between more severe bouts of pain.
- Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia include brief episodes of stabbing or shooting pain, pain triggered by brushing the teeth, washing the face, shaving, or putting on makeup, pain usually affects only one side of the face, pain that may affect just one part of the face or spread to a wider area, after an attack the face that may twitch uncontrollably and anxiety.
Diagnosis
- Occipital neuralgia can be diagnosed by medical history, physical examination, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound.
- Trigeminal neuralgia can be diagnosed by physical examination, neurological examination, and brain MRI.
Treatment
- Occipital neuralgia can be treated by applying heat to the neck, resting, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen, taking prescription muscle relaxants, anti-seizure drugs such as carbamazepine, antidepressants, nerve blocks and steroid shots, Botox injections, and surgeries.
- Trigeminal neuralgia can be treated by taking antidepressants, muscle relaxants alone or along with anticonvulsants, Botox shots, acupuncture, biofeedback, psychotherapy, yoga, meditation and aromatherapy.
The following table summarizes the difference between occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia.
Summary – Occipital Neuralgia vs Trigeminal Neuralgia
Neuralgia is a condition that results in pain caused by a nerve that is irritated or damaged. Occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia are two types of neuralgia. There are multiple types of neuralgia. Occipital neuralgia is caused by the irritation and damage to the occipital nerve, and it results in headache pain, while trigeminal neuralgia is caused by the irritation and damage to the trigeminal nerve, and it results in severe, recurrent pain in the face, usually on one side. This is the basic difference between occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia.
FAQ: Occipital Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia
1. What causes occipital neuralgia?
- Occipital neuralgia may occur as a result of a pinched nerve root in the neck. Occipital neuralgia is due to compression in occipital nerves. This can be caused by keeping the head in a downward, forward position for longer periods of time, tension in the neck muscles, tumors in the neck, inflamed blood vessels, infection, gout, etc.
2. How to fix occipital neuralgia?
- Treatment options for occipital neuralgia are hot and cold therapy, stretching, massage, cord stimulator or occipital nerve stimulator, medicines like muscle relaxants, anti-seizure drugs such as carbamazepine, antidepressants, etc., and surgery.
3. What age does occipital neuralgia start?
- Occipital neuralgia usually starts during the middle age and tend to get worse as one gets older. In contrast to other types of headaches, occipital neuralgia affects usually one-side.
4. What is the main cause of trigeminal neuralgia?
- Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by a blood vessel pressing against the trigeminal nerve. Over time, the pulse of an artery rubbing against the nerve can wear away the myelin, leaving the nerve exposed and highly sensitive.
5. Can trigeminal neuralgia be cured?
- Anticonvulsive medications, antidepressants, and muscle relaxants are the first treatment choice for trigeminal neuralgia. The other treatments include surgery, Botox shots, acupuncture, biofeedback, psychotherapy, yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy.
Reference:
1. “Occipital Neuralgia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International.
2. “Trigeminal Neuralgia (Facial Pain) Causes and Treatments.” WebMD.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Woman Having a Headache While Working” By Mikael Blomkvist (CC0) via Pexels
2. “Trigeminal Neuralgia” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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