A method of treating chronic pain in a subject by positioning a lead containing electrodes subcutaneously in the occipital region of a subject's skull at the height of an imaginary line connecting the tops of the ears; and energizing the lead with an electrical signal effective to suppress pain, and below the level where the subject can feel the lead being energized. Typically the procedure involves a trial phase and a permanent implant phase. The procedure is known as occipital neuromodulation.