title: Case report of an alleviation of pain symptoms in hypnic headache via greater occipital nerve block.
abstract: Background Hypnic headache is a rare primary headache disorder with a few hundred described cases so far. Due to the fact that this headache disease is rare, there are no placebo-controlled oral medication studies. After all reported oral medication failed to control pain symptoms of a hypnic headache disease, we were able to reduce pain intensity and frequency via two greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks. Case We report on a 74-year-old patient diagnosed with hypnic headache in our headache outpatient department two years ago. Over a course of nine months none of the recommended oral drugs had an effect in pain alleviation and we decided to try an occipital nerve injection therapy. Two GON-blocks then led to a stable and significant pain reduction over the course of six months during monthly follow-ups. Conclusion GON block can be a successful therapeutic approach for the treatment of hypnic headache when oral medication fails.
authors.affiliation: 1 Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bochum Bergmannsheil, Department of Neurology, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rehmann
authors.affiliation: 1 Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bochum Bergmannsheil, Department of Neurology, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tegenthoff
authors.affiliation: 2 Marienhospital Bottrop, Department of Anesthesiology, Bottrop, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.affiliation: 1 Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bochum Bergmannsheil, Department of Neurology, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stude
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D051270:Headache Disorders, Primary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Hypnic headache; greater occipital nerve block; pain reduction; therapy; trigeminal convergence