Steroids in Occipital Nerve Block for Treatment of Headache

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Currently there is limited evidence of benefit for the addition of steroids to occipital nerve blocks for treatment of headache, and not all steroids have been explored. The purpose of this research is to learn more about whether the addition of a specific kind of steroid (dexamethasone) provides any additional benefit to nerve blocks.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Treatments: Bupivacaine; Dexamethasone; Lidocaine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Treated for headache including but not limited to occipital neuralgia, episodic migraine, chronic migraine and/or cervicogenic headache.

• Stable on preventative medication dosing for at least 1 month prior to occipital nerve block and no change in preventative medication regimen during the course of the study.

• Able to understand the requirements of the study and return for treatment.

• Able to independently provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of cluster headache according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition.

• Occipital or other cranial nerve block administered within 3 months prior to initiation of study.

• History of adverse reaction or contraindication to any of the study ingredients (bupivacaine, lidocaine, dexamethasone).

• Pregnancy.

• Infection or bleeding at site of injection.

• Cranial bone or cervical spine defects/prior surgeries near injection site that prohibit use of landmark-based technique.