Temporary, Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Refractory Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital neuralgia (ON), also known as C2 neuralgia or Arnold’s neuralgia, is a chronic pain condition that is characterized as unilateral or bilateral paroxysmal shooting or stabbing pain in the posterior part of the scalp, in distribution(s) of the greater, lesser, and/or third occipital nerves, sometimes accompanied by diminished sensation or dysesthesia in the affected area and commonly associated with tenderness over the involved nerve(s) [1]. The greater occipital nerve (GON) is the most frequent cause of ON and arises from the dorsal primary ramus of C2, with variable contribution from C3 [2]. The pathophysiology and underlying mechanism of ON remain unclear; ON can be a challenging diagnosis to make, as its symptoms can overlap with other common pain syndromes. Because of the difficulty in diagnosis, its true incidence and prevalence remain poorly defined. A Dutch study showed an estimated incidence rate of 3.2 per 100,000...