Surgery Can Ease Headaches From Pinched Nerves

Some headaches last all day and ignore medicine. Doctors say a few of these pains come from nerves that feel squeezed by nearby tissue or muscle. These are called trigger‑site headaches. When the occipital nerve in the back of the neck is squeezed, pain starts behind the neck and spreads to one side of the head. If nerves above the eye, called supraorbital or supratrochlear, are compressed, pain begins over the brow and travels to the forehead. Surgery may help people who do not get relief from drugs or other treatments.

A surgeon cuts a small opening along the hairline, about five centimeters long. The cut lets the doctor see the nerve that is being pressed. The surgeon removes the muscle or connective tissue that is pressing on it. For nerves near the eye, the surgeon makes a similar small cut as used in some eyelid surgeries. The tissue around the nerve is taken away, easing the pressure. Many patients feel better within weeks after the operation. The relief can be a welcome change for those who have struggled with constant headaches.

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