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sharp, shooting headaches

For the past 6 years I have been getting these terrible sharp, shooting headaches in the back left part of my head.  They feel like a lightning bolt through my brain, extremely severe pain, but they only last for a couple seconds and then they are gone.  For those 2 seconds I just have to shut my eyes and grit my teeth with the pain.  The pain is always located in the exact same place in my head.  I've tracked my symptoms and there doesnt seem to be any specific triggers.  I have had MRIs and CT scans with no results.  The only other diagnosed medical condition I have is a herniated disc in my C4-C5 vertebrae and chronic rhomboid pain that results from it.  I also have a strange undiaganosed heat-sensitive peripheral neuropathy that responds to nerve pain meds.  Could these all be related?

Any insights you have to offer would be greatly appreciated!
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Avatar universal
Your discription sounds identical to what I have, only that mine is on the right side of the head. I have had constant headpain for the past two years and daily electric shock like pain that literally causes me to let out a yelp. I initally got some relief from taking Tegretol. Then as time went by the Tegretol has not given me relief other than having less of the shooting pain. I was recently put on Oxycontin by my neurologist, but that too has not really helped

I saw a neurosurgeon today who feels strongly that I may have something called "crushed syndrome" otherswise damage to the c2 root ganglion. I am nervous of surgeries as many have told me do not let anyone kill the nerve. The surgeon of course feels different. I had to quit my job and am on long term disability because the daily pain is too much to handle and the electric pain like attacks leave my head burning. Let me know if you have had any relief.

I too have a problem with the c5-6 vertrabrae but the neurosurgeon does not think the head pain is related.
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Avatar universal
First of all, I am not a doctor, but I have suffered from peripheral neuralgia (and its treatments) for nearly 30 years.  I have been very involved in my treatment for the last fourteen years, and have studied neurobiology for 10 years.

Sharp, shooting electric shock pain is the hallmark of neuralgia. The area you describe is served primarily by the greater occipital nerve on the left side of your head, and in most people this nerve originates from the C2 dorsal root ganglion, though some nerve fibers in the distribution of the occipital nerve often get routed to C1 or C3 nerve bundles.  Although you are only aware of damage near the C4-C5 discs, your head pain symptoms are an indication that there is damage farther up in your spine. Incredibly, the pain you feel is usually caused my trauma so slight that it is not evident on MRIs or other scans.  Occipital Neuralgia is most often diagnosed by the location and type of pain, though nerve blocks can be used to verify diagnosis.  

If the nerve is being compressed, it can usually be decompressed surgically, though nerve compression accounts for only a small percentage of cases. Peripheral neuralgias are most often treated with medications, generally through "off-label" use of anti-depressants and/or anti-seizure drugs.  Some people have benefited from BoTox injections, though BoTox is expensive, and usually the shots must be repeated every three to six months.

A neurologist ought to be able to helpbut be prepared to be treated as if you are experiencing migraines. In my personal experience as well as in stories I've heard from many others, you are most likely to receive the best treatment from a pain clinic, especially if the clinic is affiliated with a major teaching hospital.

Best of luck!
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