Occipital neuralgia is characterized by sudden and severe pain, often likened to migraines, that can be intense, piercing, stabbing, and sharp. These episodes of intense pain may be brief, lasting only a few minutes or seconds, but residual tenderness around the affected nerves may persist. It is common for the pain to be localized more on one side of the head than the other, similar to migraines. Unlike some other primary headache disorders, occipital neuralgia episodes typically do not present symptoms like eye watering or eye redness. In contrast to tension headaches, occipital neuralgia pain is described as a stabbing sensation rather than a dull throbbing. While these are the primary symptoms associated with occipital neuralgia, individual experiences may vary, and additional symptoms may occur in some cases.