Greater occipital nerve blocks in the treatment of refractory chronic migraine: An observational report of nine cases.

AIM: To report the effects of greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks on refractory chronic migraine headache.

METHODS: Nine patients who were receiving the conventionally accepted preventive therapies underwent treatment with repeated GON block to control chronic migraine resistant to other treatments. GON blocking with lidocaine and normal saline mixture was administered by the same physician at hospital once a month (for three times in total). Patients were assessed before the injection and every month thereafter for pain frequency and severity, number of times analgesics were used and any appearant side effects during a 6 mo follow-up.

RESULTS: Eight of nine patients reported a marked decrease in frequency and severity of migraine attacks in comparison to their baseline symptoms; one reported no significant change (not more than 50%) from baseline and did not accept the second injection. GON block resulted in considerable reduction in pain frequency and severity and need to use analgesics up to three months after the injection in the present cases. The patients did not report any adverse effects.

CONCLUSION: Hereby we noticed a remarkable success with refractory chronic migraine patients. We believe that this intervention can result in rapid relief of pain with the effects lasting for perhaps several weeks or even months. Further controlled clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the effect of GON block in the treatment of refractory migraine cases.