Electric Shock-Like Headache

[headachejeff]

Hello, I am a 31 year old male and I have been experiencing intense headaches since I was roughly 17.  I haven't been able to figure out what they are or how to treat them.  The headaches sometimes, but not always, begin with a pleasant tingling sensation, similar to static electricity, on the part of my head where the attack will occur.  This usually lasts a few minutes.  More frequently, I notice a sharp, stabbing pain that seems to originate deep in my ear canal.  Then, I experience extremely intense pain that feel like zaps of electricity in the same spot of my head.  The pain isn't constant but appear as instantaneous, hot stabs occurring as frequently as one every second or so to as infrequently as only a few a minute.  The entire episode typically lasts from as few as 3 days to as long as 2 weeks.  Usually, they last about 7-10 days.  Typically, I only get about 2 headache attacks a year, but they have been occurring with increasing frequency the past year or two (I have had 2 in the last 3 months).  I do not have light sensitivity during an attack and I do not ever feel the pain on my face.  I have felt the pain in multiple spots on my head in more severe attacks, but I usually only have one or two spots of pain per attack.  Moving my jaw by talking, eating, or swallowing appear to intensify or bring on another jolt of pain.
   I have seen multiple neurologists, had numerous MRI scans, and am currently taking injectible imitrex, with little relief.  I have found that taking 3-4 excedrin migraine pills as soon as I first feel pain, or the tingling sensation, prevents an attack from beginning.  However, nothing I have tried, including morphine, excedrin, codeine, etc., has stopped an attack once it has actually begun.  
    Any help/advice/suggestions would be extremely appreciated.  I have never felt pain more intense than these headaches and I am entirely non-functional during an episode.  I am literally brought to tears.  Thank you.

[Eddie1994]

In the last few weeks my migraines have taken a similar twist.  My neck seems to lock up and I get intense pain and seems to start when I doing certain brief activities like  preparing a meal.  To me it appears that something is occurring in the cervical spine area but for me it's too soon to notice a trend.  Migraine medications such as Maxalt MLT 10mg has worked so far for me but as I said this is only a recent change for me as my previous migraines started with an aura.  Hope this helps you.

[Eddie1994]

Consider trying an alternative treatment called EEG Neurofeedback.  If you search the term ISNR Neurofeedback you'll get objective and non biased information.  I suggest this because you seem to have exhausted most medications excepting antidepressants or anxiety medications.  I'm not to hopeful they really work but it is worth a try.  The EEG Neurofeedback is working wonders for my wife's migraines and I may have to try it for my migraines as well which are similar to the discussion below your comment.

[nheadpain]

Has anyone had one of these headaches in the back of your head on both sides of your spine where it enter your head? That's where I have mine and when they happen its like I almost can't move, and some time the pain shoots in to my legs.