"Electric Shock" type pain in my scalp!

Did you find anything out? I'm suffering from the same thing. I described it to my husband as a repeated wasp sting in the same place on my scalp. He sees nothing...except for me freeze in place and wince in pain.

I'm currently experiencing my second round of this pain. The first was two years ago and lasted more than a month before it finally went away. When people ask me to describe the pain I ask if they have ever seen the children's movie, "Fern Gully". I feel like the character Batty who escaped from a lab with wires implanted in his head and every so often they shock him. Two years ago a dr told me this was shingles, even tho there are no visible sores. The right half of my scalp, including my ear, feels almost numb and tight. As the days go by it is getting worse and the tingling is developing into more defined zaps. I find myself massaging my scalp to try to "loosen" the scalp from the scull if that makes any sense... I'll start looking for a neurologist tonight...

Hi, @annieg. I'm sorry to hear about the pain you are experiencing. Here is a link to the Neurology department at Mayo Clinic that may be helpful: http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/neurology.

I have this sensation. It just started recently. Its scary. I dont have a headache or anything...its just these electrical bursts on my scalp and then its just sore to the touch. They only last 5 seconds. What is this?? Somone please tell me. Its so strange and I never know when it is coming on!!

Yes I have had this over the years and have it right now since about 5pm, not able to sleep yet with the zap happening.VERY painful for about 4 - 8 seconds. I have been informed that there is a very slight swelling in the ear canal and the nerves at the side of the head run very closely to the nerves of the ear so it triggers off a synapse which is very painful. I found i get it if the windows are open in the car, i can't have a breeze blowing at my ears or it happens like clock work. This morning i got splashed in the swimming pool into the ear, and then drove 1/2 hr to apt with windows open , it was a beautiful day free from smoke from the forest fires and i forgot so now i pay the price. I usually have a pair of ear puffs from the sporting goods store for skiing that i wear when the wind it up and i wear them, don't care if it looks silly in summer but my hair covers them up. Better that than the horrid pain. I currently have taken a Tylenol #2, 5 mg of Oxycontin and 15 mg of oxazipam and i put an ice pack in the towel at the side of the head to numb the spot. The spot is about 2 1/2 inches above the ear on the scalp this time. Hope it simmers down asap, i need sleep.
I am a retired nurse. You have to pay attention to what you were doing within about 5 hours before onset of the zapping to know what is setting it off. good luck, always wear hats in cold weather.

I am currently having this very thing going on. It started last evening and I am still experiencing it 20 hours later. I have had it before in the past, but never this painful or lasting this long. I timed it and I'm having between 4 and 6 episodes every minute with the episode lasting one or two seconds max. I barely made it through the grocery store today because I'm in so much pain and it's hard to not wince, distort my face, or call out when its happening. I had to call off work today because of it because I work with the public. I got very little sleep last night and unless this lightens up some, I don't think I'm going to be getting much tonight. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning. I've taken 9 motrin in the last 12 hours. It helps for an hour or two and then it's right back to where it was. It's maddening. How does one put up with this for long periods of time??

Hi @lorimar89,
Welcome to Connect.

Here's some information about trigeminal neuralgia http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/basics/preparing-for-your-appointment/con-20043802. This might help prepare questions for your doctor's appointment, especially if @switchinggranny's hunch is right.

You may also want to connect with @Restless67.
I hope you can rest well tonight. Please let us know what you find out at your appointment tomorrow.

Colleen
Connect Community Director

Turns out it's shingles! The electric shock feeling on my scalp is because my rash, now lesions, are on my neck, behind my ear and half way up the back of my scalp. Believe me, I have wondered...could i possibly have two things going on at the same time?? I have to go back to the doctor on Tuesday so they can see the progression and make sure the path it's on is not a danger to my eye. If I'm still having the electric shock feeling on my scalp, I'll address TN once again. I think they dismissed it after they saw the rash on my neck going up into my scalp. Also, I have NO facial pain, and that seems to be the most prominent symptom.

Sorry for my ignorance here. (I am a Trigeminal Neurolgia survivor in the face. I had a massive Ritzotomy in the brain) But are you sure it is TN? What you all have is surely real. I was under the suggestion TN was only with the 3 branches in your face. The nerve is hitting against a blood vessel ..

@lorimar89 What a relief it must be to have a diagnosis. Were you prescribed anything for the pain? I'm glad to hear that they are monitoring the path and taking care about your eye.

Here's some information about shingles in case you'd like to read more. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/basics/definition/con-20019574

Let us know how your appointment goes on Tuesday.