Stretching the occipital muscles at the back of the neck can help relieve muscular headaches by reducing tension and compression in the suboccipital region, where tight muscles can irritate surrounding nerves and restrict blood flow to the head. When these muscles become overactive from poor posture, stress, or prolonged screen use, they can refer pain upward into the scalp and behind the eyes. Gentle stretching helps calm the nervous system, restore normal muscle length, improve circulation, an

Case study 107 - Occipital neuralgia Occipital neuralgia is a rare neurological condition that involves shooting, shocking, throbbing, burning, or aching pain and headache that generally starts at the base of the head and spreads along the scalp on one or both sides of the head. It involves the occipital nerves, which run from the area where the spinal column meets the neck, up to the scalp at the back of the head. Pain is typically felt in the: * Upper neck * Back of the head * Behind the eyes