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Greater Occipital Nerve Blockade in Veterans With Post-concussion Headache: Sub-study 2

Anesthetic Greater Occipital Nerve Blockade in Veterans With Post-Traumatic Headache: Sub-study 2

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* United States Military Veterans within VA Connecticut Healthcare System1.
* Head injury with headaches that have continued to occur for at least three months after the head injury
* At least two headache days per week
* Review of the medical record does not reveal another source for headache

Exclusion Criteria:

* Skull defect
* Other contraindication to bupivacaine
* Allergy or adverse reaction (e.g., rash, cardiac effects) to amide anesthetics, such as lidocaine
* Instruction from clinician to avoid amide anesthetics, such as lidocaine
* Pregnant or lack of adequate birth control
* Clinical review of the patient's case reveals red flag signs or symptoms (e.g., side-locked pain, unilateral numbness/weakness during headache, rapid ascension to peak pain, syncope during attacks) that warrant further work-up (e.g., MRI, arterial imaging).
* Absence of imaging warranted by the standard of clinical care for the head injury with headaches.

About the study

Anesthetic greater occipital nerve (GON) blockade is a simple, inexpensive, and safe procedure that has demonstrable headache pain suppressing effects. In this study, Veterans with post-traumatic headache will be randomized to receive 0.0%, 0.05%, or 0.5% bupivacaine in bilateral GON blocks and the lasting (i.e., transitional) effects on headache frequency measured in a headache diary.

What is being tested

• Bupivacaine bilateral greater occipital nerve block (drug)

Sponsor: Yale University · Participants: 36 · Started: Sep 1, 2026

Contact the study team

• Emmanuelle Schindler, MD, PhD · Phone: 203-932-5711

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07796074

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Post-Traumatic Headache

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.