We offer advanced, highly sought-after treatments for migraines and occipital neuralgia, including Botox® injections and nerve decompression surgery.
Get Lasting Relief from Migraines and Occipital Neuralgia
Find out if you're a candidate for our Migraine Relief and Occipital Neuralgia Treatment procedures.
Our specialists are among the few across the globe to perform all aspects of reconstructive procedures.
Our Approach to Migraine Relief and Occipital Neuralgia Treatment


Understanding Your Migraines
Migraines are intense, often one-sided headaches that can last from 4 to 72 hours. Symptoms include throbbing pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound. Chronic migraines—15 or more headache days per month—can severely impact daily life and may not respond well to standard medications over time.
Occipital neuralgia, on the other hand, is caused by irritated or compressed nerves in the back of the head and neck. It leads to sharp, stabbing pain, sometimes with numbness or tenderness in the scalp. Though similar to migraines, it requires a different treatment approach.
Our Approach to Care
Patients who suffer from chronic head and facial pain usually experience a complex set of symptoms. Our underlying philosophy is that headaches and their management are very complex. While surgery may be a great answer for many, it may not be for others.
We are proud to be on the cutting edge of migraine and occipital neuralgia treatment with advanced procedures that provide lasting relief. Our treatment options for migraines and occipital neuralgia fall into four main categories: medication, lifestyle changes, non-invasive techniques such as Botox® injections, and nerve decompression surgery.
How
We Can
Help

Medication and Lifestyle Changes:
Simple lifestyle adjustments can make a difference for some headache and migraine sufferers. Tracking symptoms can help identify triggers, and strategies like dietary changes, stress management, or adding supplements may reduce the frequency or intensity of attacks. These modifications are often part of a broader, multidisciplinary treatment plan.

Botox® Injections:
Since 2005, The Institute has been a leader in using Botox® to treat chronic migraines and occipital neuralgia. By relaxing overactive muscles that compress or irritate nerves, Botox® can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of headaches. Many patients experience lasting relief for up to three months with minimal side effects.

Nerve Decompression Surgery
Also known as trigger point deactivation surgery, nerve decompression is a minimally invasive procedure designed to provide lasting relief from chronic migraines or occipital neuralgia. By carefully relieving pressure on the affected nerves, this surgery addresses the root cause of pain and has led to long-term success for many patients. In some cases, patients no longer require medical therapy after surgery.
See What’s Possible Beyond Temporary Relief
Our cutting-edge procedures have helped transform the lives of thousands of patients. Hear their stories:
Am I a Candidate for Occipital Neuralgia Treatment?
- Continue to struggle with chronic headaches despite medication or other conservative therapies
- Experience pain that begins in the neck and radiates to the back of the head or scalp
- Have been formally diagnosed with occipital neuralgia
- Have completed a recent brain MRI (within the last 2 years)
- Have tried an occipital nerve block and experienced relief, even temporarily
- Want to explore advanced options like Botox® injections or nerve decompression surgery for longer-lasting relief
Our Surgeons
About The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction
The Institute is a premier destination for patients seeking lasting relief from migraines and occipital neuralgia. Our surgeons specialize in advanced treatments that help patients reduce or even eliminate chronic pain that once disrupted their lives. People who believed they were out of options now travel from across the country and around the world to our centers in New York City and Red Bank, New Jersey, to find hope and healing.
What sets us apart is our focus on results and quality of life. We use advanced diagnostic testing to uncover the true cause of your headaches, then create a tailored treatment plan that matches your unique condition. With a track record of helping patients achieve significant, long-term relief, The Institute continues to set the standard for advanced headache care.
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Frequently
Asked
Questions
In occipital neuralgia, the occipital nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp are injured or inflamed, which is what causes the painful headache symptoms. In addition to pain, these headache sufferers can feel tenderness or diminished sensation around the nerve area.
While occipital neuralgia causes a jabbing pain in the area of the occipital nerve, migraines are characterized by recurrent headaches lasting 4-72 hours. Occipital neuralgia causes similar problems to migraine headaches, but may respond very differently to certain forms of treatment. Neurologists and other headache specialists sometimes have difficulty diagnosing the headache condition as one or the other, and there may be overlap in the classification. The bottom line is that there are 28 million migraine sufferers in the United States, one-third of whom find little or no benefit from traditional medical therapies.