occipital neuralgia - any experiences?

[jso12235]

To caveat I am seeking professional help, but I just want to check if anyone has suffered from Occipital Neuralgia and if the below symptoms align with their experiences and what they did to help themselves.

Very rarely a headache-y person usually, last year went through several extremely stressful situations, on top of working long hours. Had an unrelated medical issue which was resolved but also resulted in me being forced sedentary for several months. Started slowly realising I was getting sharp pains in my head throughout each day, mainly one side. Symptoms -

1. Headaches very on and off, could have them for several days and then have several weeks (or even a few months) of nothing at all
2. When I have a headache it feels more like a quick ‘bolt’ of head pain that lasts 1-10 seconds, and then disappears rather than a headache
3. Mainly on one side of head
4. At times my scalp feels very tender
5. Can be worse when my hair is tied up
6. Felt around eye but also can be on and down head into neck
7. Head/neck exercises help a lot
8. Poor sleep/stress seem to make it a lot worse
9. Sleeping in an awkward position can also trigger

I have something very similar and just starting investigations with a referral to physio and orthopaedics. I have also been sedentary and work full time from home. I had very scary head pain and blood pumping through my head loudly last weekend and went to A and E where they tested my blood for giant cell arteritis. Have you looked at that? Mine is not just head pain but also head pressure and the feeling that my brain is rattling around loose in my head. It’s much worse when I’m tired. I hope you get some answers.