Definition of ablative. 1  1 : of or relating to ablation. 2  2 : tending to ablate ablative material on a nose cone.
Occipital Nerve Block. An occipital nerve block is an injection that numbs the nerves at the back of the head. There are four nerves on each side of the scalp. Occipital nerves allow us to feel sensations in the scalp. An occipital nerve block is done to decrease headache pain, caused by migraine, injury (concussion), muscle tightness or occipital neuralgia. The medicine used is either a local anesthetic or a combination of a local anesthetic and a steroid. The medicine is placed around the occipital nerves, which are located just beneath the skin, in the back of the head. The occipital block is usually done in the office.
Disorder of this nerve is one of the causes of cervicogenic headaches, referred to as occipital neuralgias. A common site, and usually misdiagnosed area of entrapment for the greater occipital nerve is at the obliquus capitis inferior muscle.