"Electric Shock" type pain in my scalp!

Over 24 hours and still pain-free with not one zap. Scalp is still tender but over the years, I have grown accustomed to that tenderness ... Bottom line ... I am not experiencing ANY electrical bolts in my scalp. Wonder if the ice pack and prednisone addressed this issue or just coincidence??

@rebe glad your better who knows ice works wonders but your result counts.

Hi.

I found this discussion by searching online for my symptoms. I currently suffer from these Zap / electric shock style pains a few times a year.
In the last month I have had these periods twice. I am currently in the middle of one of these episodes and its driving me crazy.
I seem to always get it on the top of my head at the back. It often moves behind the ear but mostly on top of the head.
I always thought it was down to tiredness as sometimes it would go away if I had a good long sleep.
The Zaps are bearable but can be annoying sometimes. I have had this for around 5 years or so. I had a sinus infection recently and wondered had that brought it on.
I was wondering how @rebe feels now? has the Zaps stopped since you tried the ice pack and one 20mg prednisone tablet?

Any information would be appreciated.

Sounds like some type of facial neuralgia, the facial pain network site has information regarding the different types of neuralgia, causes etc... It may be something else but symptoms sound very familiar... Correct diagnosis is key to treatment.

The electrical zaps came back for a period of one hour on 3/20/18. I immediately took 2 prednizones and the zaps disappeared within the hour and have not returned. I do believe that the prednizone stops the electrical zaps to my head based on the results from these 2 occasions (when in the past I could not find any relief for weeks). As mentioned in my earlier posts, methylprednizone had earlier been prescribed to address sciatic nerve pain and to address nerve damage from a slipped disk in my neck ... plus post-hepatic nerve damage from shingles. All three of these occurrences (which occurred in a time span of 5+ years) dealt with nerve inflammation and the prednizone successsfully eliminated the pain. I realize that each of our cases are very individualized but i hope that this information might help at least one person find relief.

This my first time on this site and am sure it won't be my last! Three days ago I started experiencing sharp pains in one ear. They felt like intense electrical shocks. They occurred when I was sitting down inside the house and then lying down in bed. I can see how wind might cause this because wind has bothered me in the past but never with pain like I've been experiencing. I decided to consult an otolaryngologist this morning and she was baffled. She said there was no sign of an infectiion and that she was hesitant to prescribe something for trigemial neurolgia as it has serious side effects. I told her that the pain reminded me of shocks that I feel in a spot in my arm occasionally for no reason other than having received an injection in that area in 2005----as if the site has nerve memory or something similiar. (Although she did not react to my statement, I'm pretty sure the doc thought I was nuts.) I told the doctor that I would take some over the counter meds and also keep a log of future shocks and return to her if necessary. Meanwhile, I'm trying to find out on my own what in the world is going on. I am completely up-to-date with dental work but wonder if I could have an undetected infection.

This condition is known as "Allodynia," and is well described and discussed in a great article (2016) by the head of neurology at the Univ. of Toledo, Dr. Gretchen Tietjen, M.D It results from central sensitization of nerve fibers within the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) rather than peripheral neurons, and they become hyiperexcitable. About 80% of persons suffering from migraines experience allodynia at some place on the body. The sensation of inappropriate pain may result from various kinds of stimuli, such as dynamic allodynia from brushing the hair or shaving, thermal allodynia from warm or cold exposure, etc. The severity varies widely from person to person. Women suffer from the condition more than men. Obesity and smoking also predispose one to occurances of this condition. She discusses several drugs which may be useful in preventing and/or treating this debilitating and painful condition. Best wishes from Oklahoma, Loren Martin, PhD, emeritus professor of medical physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa

Please see attached file!

Hi I am certain your pain is from an inflamed /compressed Occipital nerve and not Trigeminal Neuralgia which causes pain on side of head/face. If you press on the area at the base of your scalp there are a bones called the occipital condyles . Press this area between the condyle and cervical vertebrate you should have a feeling of pain/pressure then you know this is your problem. The neck muscles are attached to the condyles and the occipital nerves runs through them. believe the nerve gets trapped between Cervical vertebrate and the Occipital bone causing the pain. I have had the same electrical zaps for years if I turn my head the wrong way so I decided to rbuprofen and a chiropractor to reduce inflammation and chiropractor to release trapped nerve. I suggest a massage esp. Your neck and scalp before chiropractor so you don't and up with a pulled neck muscle. Im sure this will help you!

Thx