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Third Occipital Nerve Block and Radiofrequency Ablation

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Interventional Management of Head and Face Pain
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Abstract

Pain stemming from the C2–C3 zygapophyseal (facet) joint is named “third occipital headache” as the joint is innervated by the third occipital nerve. It is seen in 27 % of patients presenting with cervicogenic headache after whiplash injury. Tenderness over the C2–C3 joint is the only suggestive physical examination finding, and a diagnostic third occipital nerve block is essential to confirm the diagnosis.

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Correspondence to Samer N. Narouze MD, PhD .

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Narouze, S.N. (2014). Third Occipital Nerve Block and Radiofrequency Ablation. In: N. Narouze, S. (eds) Interventional Management of Head and Face Pain. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8951-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8951-1_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8951-1

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