Head pain please help

[San1987]

Hi, I keep getting really sharp shooting pain on the left side of my head about 2-3 inches above and behind my ear, it seems to happen in episodes of 15 mins but each individual pain lasts no more than 5 seconds and within the 15 mins it happens 20-30 times, it doesn't happen every day but I'd say on average 4-5 days out of a week and sometimes it can happen twice in one day!  I'm really scared to go to the docs as I'm fearing the worst!! The pain is so bad when it comes please does anyone know what is causing this pain???

[mkh9]

The location is sort of where an acoustic neuroma might be. They are benign tumors behind the ear and can be removed fairly easily considering the area. My friend had one removed. So, the sooner the better. They don't become cancerous ever but they can press on a nerve.
mkh9

[mkh9]

It can't hurt to keep a diary of when you get it and if the site where it hits you is different. TIme of day. I do get stabbing pain in my head that is totally different from my migraines. It feels like a knife and I was told it was tension. I have to drop everything and grab my head. But I have never had one wake me up from sleep. So that could be something different. It is best to have it checked.
mkh9

[San1987]

Thanks guys I don't think it is migraine I suffered a lot in my teens with migraine and the pain is totally different and there is no sickly feelings on lines in my vision which I always used to get, it could maybe tension - stress related maybe as it happens more during my working hours or of a night after I get home! I think i will just have to brave a visit to the docs lol put my mind at rest as it does really panic me, the pain can be that bad it will wake me from deep sleep in the mean time while I'm waiting for an appointment maybe it will be worth keeping a diary of when the pain comes and what I have eaten / been doing prior to the pain starting maybe rule stuff out myself?? Thanks for both your advice x

[mkh9]

It could be tension (believe it or not). Or it may be a migraine. I get sharp pains that are terrible and my neurologist said it was tension. then I also have migraines. Both are on one side of my head. But the migraines last a long time white these sharp pains only last a very short time 5-10 seconds and go away. Usually those short ones are a lone time thing but can come back on another day. In your case it may be a migraine. I wouldn't bother going to a GP  I would go to a neurologist. I don't think it is serious. To test it out try Ibupropin and see if that helps stop it. If you can take Ibupropin take it with food. Try it for  a few days about 400-600mg depending on what you need Maybe twice a day. In the morning and at night. When do you get them? I was diagnosed by the symptoms and by an electroencephalogram (EEG). This measures your electrical brain activity. I also had a CT scan at one point because when I was younger I didn't get the headaches or auras like I have now only the nausea and vomiting and stomach pain. I also at that time was getting the shooting pains for  a short time once in a while. Mine were always at night. Now they are anytime. Anyway, if you get to see a doctor see a neurologist who specializes in migraines they are so much better. Ibupropin works well for me but let me know how this goes. You can also try sumatriptan (Imitrex). but this is a prescription. You can't take it more than one day two max. Then you get more migraines . That is why I switched to trying not sumatriptan. But I think at this point that it could be that it is tension. Try rubbing it and relax when the first one hits. relax lay back an try not to tense up. It my take some practice. You may try having a meditation Ipod that you can have ready after the first one hits. Not if this doesn't work and Ibupropin doesn't work you may have a migraine that requires stronger meds. If not get a CT and rule out anything else. Because it is on one side of the head I think it is migraine. Do you ever get visual wavy lines or anything? You might look at your food to see if you are injesting MSG that is a trigger for most migraine people. Also, red wine. Let me know if any of this works.

[muna_1994]

I think that you are suffering from migraine . Unfortunately this disease doesn't have a medicine that treats its patients completely . You should be more confident to visit a doctor who can diagnos this disease and prescribe some medicines that may help you to avoid the pain .