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Suggest Treatment For Occipital Neuralgia

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Posted on Tue, 9 Dec 2014
Question: My daughter had a TBi a few years ago and has seizures. She has been diagnosed with Occipital neuralgia and receives lidocane shots every 3 months. She has a 8 mm Virchow XXXXXXX space beside the basgl ganglia.

Most of her seizure happen after urination,. sometimes she urinates two or three times in a short period. Most seizures happen in the washroom or a few minutes after leaving the washroom. She can't tell whether or not her bladder is voided. Sometime she falls down and it looks like vagovasal faint. If we elevate her feet prior to her seizing, she sometime comes to. Her blood pressure is usually low. All seizure activity is accompanied by vomiting, sometimes quite excessive, the vomit just pours from her mouth. She looses bladder control and sometimes bowel control. The vomiting aspect of the seizure activity has to be stopped to get the seizure to stop. The meds that work the best to stop teh seizure activity is 10mg maxaran, 12.5 mg benedryl, and 2 mg ativan or versed. We were wondering if nerve damage, ie: vagus nerve, the occipital nerve, or if her dopamine levels were off, could cause the seizures. She has a focal dystonia in her left foot, and eye sight problems in her left eye, and cognitive deficits since her injury.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Amarnath (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
needs medical care and follow up by neurologist

Detailed Answer:
Welcome to hcm,
occipital neuralgia is caused by damage to ther nerves either by trauma or by constant physical stress to the nerves.
the severe pain on both sides of the head, sensitivity to light and sound slurred speech, vomitting and nausea are symptoms of it it has to be properly managed immediately or else this itself will cause seizures.

Dilation of the Virchow XXXXXXX space is associated with many other disorders. Disorders include alzeimers disease,stroke multiple sclerosis etc.
associated dissorders has to be treated.
to prevent further seizures,she is adviced to continue the medications as prescribed by the neurologist along with
avoiding seeing of flickering of lights
avoid watching television and computers (there will be flickering of lights)
avoid going near machinaries
avoid driving
avoid travelling in bus or train in the window seat (seeing continuous trees pass one by one)
things which trigger seizure activity has to be avoided
continue her present medication
most of the time head ache will occur before the seizures activity
so early intake of medicines when headache occurs will prevent attack.
whenever she goes to bathroom and wash room it is adviced not to close the room and some one can accompany to those places.
further more she will need a continuous sound sleep for 8 hours.
if there is lack of sleep she might need an increase the sedative medications in the night.
she will need a neurologist follow up every 2 weeks .
hope this explains
with regards
Dr.Amarnath


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Amarnath (14 minutes later)
Is it true that when you urinate, dopamine is released in the brain and excessive urination may result in high dopamine levels which may cause seizures?

Can damage to the vagus nerve cause seizures?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Amarnath (11 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
occipital neuralgia will cause seizures

Detailed Answer:
welcome to Hcm,
Damage to the vagus nerve may be the reason for occipital neuralgia. and constant headache in occipital neuralgia will cause seizures.
there are other causes of seizures some of them include vomitting diarrhea, malnutrition, stroke,stress sleep deprivation, hypoglycemia, head injury,missed anti convulsants (medications)
The stress which is involved for initiation of her urination may be also the cause . Hope i have described all the most probable cause for seizures
with regards
Dr.Amarnath

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Amarnath (31 minutes later)
One last question. Which anticonvulsant medication is most recommended for treatment of occipital neuralgia?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Amarnath (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
variety of anticonvulsants are used

Detailed Answer:
Occipital neuralgia means pain in the nerves emerging from the occipital region so the treatment starts from reducing the pain first by pain relievers
Then neck physiotherapy.
Electrical stimulation of the nerve
Anti convulsants such as gabapentin as this is a preascription based medicine consult with your neurologist.
Anti depressants
How this explains
With regards
Dr.Amarnath
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Amarnath

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 463 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Occipital Neuralgia

Brief Answer: needs medical care and follow up by neurologist Detailed Answer: Welcome to hcm, occipital neuralgia is caused by damage to ther nerves either by trauma or by constant physical stress to the nerves. the severe pain on both sides of the head, sensitivity to light and sound slurred speech, vomitting and nausea are symptoms of it it has to be properly managed immediately or else this itself will cause seizures. Dilation of the Virchow XXXXXXX space is associated with many other disorders. Disorders include alzeimers disease,stroke multiple sclerosis etc. associated dissorders has to be treated. to prevent further seizures,she is adviced to continue the medications as prescribed by the neurologist along with avoiding seeing of flickering of lights avoid watching television and computers (there will be flickering of lights) avoid going near machinaries avoid driving avoid travelling in bus or train in the window seat (seeing continuous trees pass one by one) things which trigger seizure activity has to be avoided continue her present medication most of the time head ache will occur before the seizures activity so early intake of medicines when headache occurs will prevent attack. whenever she goes to bathroom and wash room it is adviced not to close the room and some one can accompany to those places. further more she will need a continuous sound sleep for 8 hours. if there is lack of sleep she might need an increase the sedative medications in the night. she will need a neurologist follow up every 2 weeks . hope this explains with regards Dr.Amarnath