HI I posted a few days ago and very glad I found this forum. I am having surgery in 9 days now and Mt Sinai called me at work Thursday to tell me I had to get a occipital nerve block on Monday, a week before my surgery. They say it will help with my spasms after surgery. Has anyone had this before surgery, and will it also help with pain? It's funny because I have large chiari but I don't get headaches. They are amazed. I have swallowing issues, (terrible), vision and balance are awful and have sleep apnea. I've posted everywhere and haven't quite figured out how this forum works. Sorry, any help will be appreciated. All the best.
Hi, I haven't had any procedure you're asking about, but I did a google search on occipital nerve block and found this: http://www.medcentral.org/Main/OccipitalNerveBlock.aspx
Hope it helps.
Thanks Fugu, I googled and found the same site as you but I want to know if anyone who has chiari, had to have this done before their surgery. What I am seeing is it helps with headaches, which I don't get, but my surgeons NP said it will help with my spasms after as once the fluid hits my spinal cords again, my nerves aren't going to know how to react. I was hoping someone else went through this. Thanks for your prompt response, I truly appreciate it and am nervous about surgery...my first at age 51.
I can't imagine how you're feeling, but I understand the stress that comes with an illness and/or treatment you don't know much about. Meditation (if you're not doing that already) can reduce the stress you're experiencing and improve your life quality overall. I'f you haven't done it- just doing breathing exercises when you feel stress or fear, anger, anything upleasant, will help. Your body and mind will be grateful.
I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I just want to help in any way I can. Hope someone can answer the questions you have!
Thank you....I go tomorrow for the nerve block. I will ask the pain management doctor his thoughts....and I DO APPRECIATE your thoughts, suggestions, and postitive attitude. I hope I am one of the ones who get a great deal of relief from the surgery.
Good luck with the procedure!
The nerve block wasn;t bad. The pain management was excellent. He reports that I am in such good health besides, that my outcome with the surgery should go very good. I am looking forward to being able to see and read without closing one eye, walk a straight line and hopefully not aspirate my food anymore......