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Shooting pain up skull temporary tongue and face paralysis

Hello,
I am a 42 yr/female. Diagnosed with SLE (fairly mild) at 28 after birth of 2nd child. Starting at about 18 years of age I occasionally experience something very scary: I get a sharp shooting pain that starts at the left side of the base of my skull, travels up my head, paralyzing my tongue and left side of face, and causing numbness on my head. Each time I look like I have had a stroke, although some episodes are stronger than others. The paralysis goes away after a couple of minutes. A dull headache and very mild numbness lingers for a few hours after. Neck soreness (left side only) lasts sometimes for days. For the first few years these episodes occurred only once, maybe twice a year. Now I tend to have them several times a year. Another strange symptom that seems to be getting worse is that I get blurry vision and not quite double vision but more like halo vision within minutes of being out in sunlight. I do not have this issue when indoors.
When I was 36 I was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the C5-C6, but don't think this is related because I have been experiencing the shooting pain attacks since since the age of 18. The arthritis was diagnosed by x-ray, but I have never had a Brain MRI.

Could this be a pinched nerve? If so, do symptoms worsen with age?

Thank you for your time. I'm going crazy trying to figure this out, but am having a hard time finding similar symptoms.
Karen
2 Responses
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Avatar universal
Karen, you might have a problem with the Occipital Nerve going up the back of the head, or for that matter, anywhere along its passage through the head or neck. Your symptoms sound like mine, but my problem is with both sides. Occipital Neuralgia is what you should look up. The fact that it goes up the head, to the top? involves the face in such a way you appear to be a stroke victim (when mine gets bad my face becomes somewhat rigid) and it leaves you with a sore neck points to the ON. Oh, and the stabbing shock of pain at the Occipital lobe, vise-like headache, pressure behind the eye, blurry vision, yeah, ON. It ***** big time.
Helpful - 1
412913 tn?1213494987
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I would recommend that you get seen by a neuro specialist for a complete assessment including an up to date MRI of the brain and the cervical spine.
There are a variety of possibilities for chronic pain attacks like what you have such as migraine, atypical facial pain, trigeminal neuralgia and cluster headaches to  name a few.
Helpful - 1

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