Electrical shocks in earlobes

[marwre]

Does anyone experience electrical shocks in their earlobes as I do? No doctor has been able to explain them to me.  I have had them for years.  Someone on the blog said the shock feels like a cattle prod - yes, exactly. And strong enough to make me jump on occasion. Has anyone blown a lightbulb when turning on a lamp? It happens quite often with me. I think this phenomenon is related to the electrical shock to my earlobes. I wonder?

[jensequitur]

There's a couple of things going on...  First of all, you're experiencing a paresthesia.  Paresthesias in the head are quite common - electric shocks, burning, tingling, cold and hot sensations.  I think this is because there's more white matter in the head, and so the cranial nerves are affected more than the rest of the body.

The other thing is that sometimes a sharp paresthesia can set off a myoclonic jerk.  I get those in my legs - where there's a sharp stinging or electric sort of pain, and my leg will jerk involuntarily.

I don't know about you, but I prefer the minimum amount of medication to get me through my day.  When I described my whole-body myoclonic episodes to my neuro, she prescribed Keppra for me, which has really helped.  Some days I have a little one, but I haven't been having the episodes that I was having.  It's rather like Benadryl, but for the overactive nerves rather than the itchy nose.

Neurontin (gabapentin) helps with neuropathic pain, but I understand it also makes you a bit groggy.  I've never tried it.

So I would definitely talk to your neurologist about the pains.  He/she might be able to prescribe you something that would improve your quality of life.

[AnnaW74]

Hi. Years ago, when I was a teenager, I used to get electric shock -like sensations right behind my left ear. This happened very rarely, and only one shock lasting for one second each time. I had this happening for some time - in the space of a year or so? Can't remember. I didn't go to the doctor because these shock sensations happened so rarely and they didn't bother me really.

At first when this happened I thought my metal earring had "opened up" and stinged behind my ear. But it wasn't that at all. It was like someone had snapped you with two fingers in you head suddenly, with force. Anyways, at the time I didn't really pay attention to this as the feeling passed so quickly. And after those teenage years, this electric shock hasn't returned.

Much, much later I was diagnosed with ms. Now thinking about this, it must have been a neurologic symptom, brought by sleeping ms perhaps?. Paresthesia? Sensory partial epileptic seizure?

AnnaW