According to the research presented at American Headache Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, Greater occipital nerve block (GONB) may demonstrate as an efficient method to treat moderate to severe headache among emergency department (ED) patients with an acute migraine and on standard therapy with intravenous metoclopramide. Of the ED patients, only 25% succeeded to attain freedom from headache, despite the fact which medicine they received. Most medications involved restlessness, drowsiness and dizziness. These issues can be solved with the help of an approach known with the name of greater occipital nerve blocks.

The scientists for this paper conducted a comparative analysis to evaluate the  GONB with bupivacaine efficacy to reduce headache rates as compared to sham injection among two urban EDs. Migraineurs with mild to severe headaches of 1 hr or longer and 10 mg of intravenous metoclopramide were randomly divided into two groups; bilateral intradermal scalp injection (1 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine) and bilateral GONB (6 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine). The complete relief from headache within 30 minutes after the dose was considered the primary outcome. Sustained headache relief involved achievement of headache level mild or none and maintain that level without the use of any supplementary headache medications (48 hrs) was taken as a secondary outcome.

A total of 76 patients were chosen; out of which 28 were selected and provided with GONB (n = 13) and sham injection (n = 15). The study was terminated before obtaining the a priori sample size due to slow registration. The GONB group showed 31% response as compared to 0% response by the sham group with concern to headache freedom at 30 minutes ( P = .035).  Further, sustained headache relief for 48 hours was noticed more in GONB group (95%) as compared to the sham group (23%); P = .087.  No difference was seen between the groups concerning the side effects. GONB may exhibit significant safety and efficacy to treat episodes of headaches among ED patients, but the study was closed before attaining the a priori sample size.