Mayo Clinic Treats Severe Headaches Caused by Nerve Compression

Surgery offers relief when other treatments don't work for trigger site-induced headaches

Apr. 13, 2026 at 12:43pm

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A highly detailed, translucent X-ray-style image revealing the internal structures of a human head, with glowing nerves and blood vessels visible against a dark background, conceptually representing the clinical approach to treating nerve-related headaches.Mayo Clinic's specialized nerve decompression surgery aims to relieve severe headaches caused by compressed nerves.Rochester Today

Mayo Clinic is treating severe headaches caused by nerve compression through surgical nerve decompression procedures. These headaches, often called trigger site-induced headaches, can be resistant to other treatments like medication. Patients are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team to develop a personalized care plan, which may include surgery to remove surrounding tissue and muscle compressing the occipital, supraorbital, or supratrochlear nerves.

Why it matters

Severe headaches caused by nerve compression can be debilitating and difficult to treat. Mayo Clinic's specialized approach to evaluating and surgically decompressing the affected nerves provides an option for patients who have not found relief through other means, potentially improving their quality of life.

The details

Mayo Clinic uses a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate patients with severe headaches caused by nerve compression. Doctors gather data and imaging to determine if the occipital, supraorbital, or supratrochlear nerves are being compressed by surrounding tissue or muscle. For occipital nerve decompression, a 5-centimeter incision is made along the hairline to identify and remove the compressing tissue. For the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, a similar incision to a cosmetic eyelid surgery is used. Many patients report feeling relief within weeks of the nerve decompression procedure.

  • The Mayo Clinic Minute video was published on April 13, 2026.

The players

Dr. Antonio Forte

A Mayo Clinic microvascular plastic and reconstructive surgeon with deep experience in migraine surgery.

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What they’re saying

“Headaches that originate from compression of the occipital nerve will usually have a pain that starts on the back of the neck and radiates to the side of the head.”

— Dr. Antonio Forte, Mayo Clinic Surgeon

“Patients who have headaches that originate from compression of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve, they will usually start with a pain site that is above their eye, and that pain will radiate to their forehead.”

— Dr. Antonio Forte, Mayo Clinic Surgeon

“When patients undergo surgery for decompression of the supraorbital or supratrochlear nerve, we then perform an incision that is similar to the incision that we do when we are performing a cosmetic eyelid surgery.”

— Dr. Antonio Forte, Mayo Clinic Surgeon

The takeaway

Mayo Clinic's specialized approach to treating severe headaches caused by nerve compression provides an important option for patients who have not found relief through other means. By thoroughly evaluating the source of the headaches and surgically decompressing the affected nerves, Mayo Clinic is able to help many patients improve their quality of life.