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Updated: Oct 15, 2026

Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves
Published on: September 13, 2024
Effectiveness and Accessibility: A Retrospective Comparison of Distal vs. Proximal Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks in
Inbal Kish1, Gabriel Lichtenstein1, Nadav Calderon2
1Pain Clinic, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Background:
Greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks are used in migraine management. While ultrasound-guided proximal GON blocks at the C2 level (GONC2) have been suggested to provide more sustained benefit, distal landmark-guided GON blocks are used due to their simplicity and accessibility.
Conclusions:
Distal GON blocks provide meaningful short-term reduction in migraine frequency and represent an effective, accessible initial interventional option. Proximal GONC2 blocks demonstrate sustained benefit and may be considered in selected patients. These findings support a pragmatic, stepwise approach to procedural migraine management.
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