brief stabbing pains R side of head

I have had a headache on the right side of my head for 5 days now.  The sensation includes brief stabbing pains in a very localized area on the right side followed by a general headache covering the entire R side.  The brief stabbing pains are sometimes continuous and other times come and go.  I saw a general prac yesterday and he gave me imitrex which helped but the headache is back this morning, not as intense as it had been.
I am in good health, 36 years old, and I have no history of headaches before.  I do have a father that has migraines, but this does not follow his pattern. Should I continue to be treated with imitrex or have other tests run?  Thanks for your input.  Robyn

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Robyn:

Actually, your headaches do not sound migrainous in nature.  We think of migraines as having pounding-vascular like pain that is bifrontal, duration of 24-72 hours, having a sensitivity to light and sound, and maybe some nausea.  Your sharp stabbing pains that are one sided sound like hemicrania cephalgia.  I would suggest seeing a neurologists and see if this is what your having or somesort of atypical headache.  Since your symptoms remit on their own, whether the immitrex was happenstance or curative is uncertain.  Seeing the neurologist will help sort this out also.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Savannah]

Never heard of this one before... what is it? Does it have other names?

[Jim Voges]

Dear Robyn:

I belive your discription of pain is similar to mine.  Sharp shooting pain when trigered by nurve sensors on one side of the head.  It is call Trigeminal neuralgia.  Seek out a Neurosurgen who can treat it and consult with him/her.