Cervicogenic headache: anesthetic blockades of cervical nerves (C2-C5) and facet joint (C2/C3).
In a series of 14 patients with cervicogenic headache, cervical nerve blockades (C2-C5 and facet joint C2/C3) have been carried out in order to elucidate possible underlying mechanisms and to evaluate the diagnostic potential of these procedures. Blockade of the C2 nerve resulted in freedom from pain in 5 of 10 patients and seemed to be the most informative procedure. Two patients out of 9 reported freedom from pain following C2/C3 facet joint injection. No patients experienced complete pain relief following C3, C4 or C5 blockades. C4 and C5 nerve blockades are probably of little value in the work-up of such patients. When evaluating the C2/C3 facet joint injection, one has to take possible leakage of anesthetic agent from the joint into consideration, since the third occipital nerve which runs close to the facet joint may be anesthetized through the leakage.
Bovim
Gunnar
G
Department of Neurology, Trondheim University Hospitals, Regionsykehuset, N-7006 TrondheimNorway Department of Anesthesiology, Trondheim University Hospitals, Regionsykehuset, N-7006 TrondheimNorway Department of Radiology, Trondheim University Hospitals, Regionsykehuset, N-7006 TrondheimNorway.
Berg
Rakel
R
Dale
Leif Gunnar
LG
D000328:Adult; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement
D000777:Anesthetics