"Electric Shock" type pain in my scalp!
It feels like someone is touching my scalp with an electric wire or prod. Like a “zap” and then it takes a few seconds to get over it. It happens 2 or more times per MINUTE! It lastes for a couple of days usually and when it goes away it takes a few more days for my scalp not to be sore. I don’t know how many times a year it occurs but when it does, like today, it drives me crazy. I walk around making weird faces and people stare at me. They think I have a headache or migrain but I don’t, the pain is only on my scalp not IN my head. Sometimes the shocks occur over and over for a minute, then go back to 2 or more times per minute. It’s the weirdest thing and I can’t wait for it to be over. I never know when it’s going to occur or what brings it on. Anyone ever heard of something like this?
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Andrew
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@ennergizerbunnee 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 do follow the prevention methods pretty regularly. What I don’t do regularly is use swimmers ear drops after swimming…I tend to only use them in the winter.
Colleen Young, Connect Director
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@ennergizerbunnee 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.
Good for you for following the prevention tips. If you swim regularly, you may think about the ear drops or ask your doctor about swimmer’s ear prevention tips.
Andrew
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@ennergizerbunnee 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.
When I wrote I had no shooting pains today I spoke too soon. They started up again shortly after I typed the above. If it continues or gets worse I’ll go to the doctor and they’ll likely tell me I have an ear infection.
Emily
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Andrew
@benneaf
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@ennergizerbunnee 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 went to the doctor and he says my ears are all clear. The pain has been horrible the last two nights. I’ve had that happen before where when I go in the ears look fine and then I go back a couple of days later and voila…ear infection. He gave me a prescription for some antibiotic so I’ll take that and see if it helps.
@normasmith381 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!!
HI NORMASMITH
You were my first hit and I couldn’t believe your description EXACTLY fit the description of my symptoms; shocking pain that makes me scream, grunt, flinch and swear. I thought the worst (embolism) that an artery had swollen an was about to burst in my scalp. In the last 2 days, the pain moved from the left side of my scalp above the ear to the right side of my head slightly above and behind my ear.
Maybe related,For the last 6 days, I’ve been treating a nasty infection in my prostate- yuch- related?- don’t know. I do know that some of my lymph nodes got active.( Using “doxycycline” to knock it out). Maybe the antibiotic is related too?
This pain, what ever its source, causes stress and shortness of breath. I may be imagining this, but I perceive it trying to override my pacemaker!.
getting old ain’t for sissies………….
Mike007
I’m experiencing the same thing and have before about a year ago. I’m beginning to wonder if it isn’t a result of the weather/pressure. (We went from 70* to 50* in a couple of hours during the day and the pressure is awful.) If it lasts much longer I’ll be seeing doc, as it is incredible aggravating. It stems from the sinuses I believe.
Any thoughts regarding this would be appreciated!
lauren123
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Parus
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Trying to solve and analyze ones own self with information online can, at times, lead to even more serious issues. I, for one, do not recommend doing thus as many health issues can mimic another. Arrive at a doctor’s office telling him/her you know what is wrong by what you read online can well lead you in a direction you may not benefit from-only a comment.
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david33
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@david33 My wife has the same and odd symptoms, she is also seeing a doctor for this whom claims its just headaches….but they are getting more intense…..there’s an explosion that goes off like a gun shot, and red liquid type will go over her eyes. No doctors believe her, even with the test, everything comes back normal.She even have a numbness behind right ear that if she touches it, feels like she is touching her brain, also if she scratches behind her left ear, she gets a pinching between her first two fingers on her left hand that drives her nuts. Before she can even scratch that part of her head she has me or her daughter to put pressure between those two fingers to stop the pitching. She has no idea what’s going on, but she does know headaches are and this isn’t it.
Can anyone help us here, and who to see.
This is Laura, thank you for reaching out. The doctors says there’s nothing they can do for me and go to a charopractor and see if my neck is out. I’m not sure if the will help cause the pressure gets bad at times and I have a hard time focusing on things. I’m going to college on like, and when the pressure hits I lag in classes. Does anyone else have this problem or me?
david33
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@JustinMcClanahan Hi @genzel, welcome to Connect. I am glad you found a conversation and other members experiencing symptoms similar to your own.
While we wait for other members to weigh in, would you mind sharing a bit more about yourself and your experiences? Have you discussed these symptoms with your medical provider? What are you currently doing to manage the symptoms other than waiting it out?
When my symtoms hit, I add more pressure to the spot, or try to. Then my right side of head will feel like its being wieghted down by a rock. I was also told I was looking for sympathy.
david33
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@david33 My wife has the same and odd symptoms, she is also seeing a doctor for this whom claims its just headaches….but they are getting more intense…..there’s an explosion that goes off like a gun shot, and red liquid type will go over her eyes. No doctors believe her, even with the test, everything comes back normal.She even have a numbness behind right ear that if she touches it, feels like she is touching her brain, also if she scratches behind her left ear, she gets a pinching between her first two fingers on her left hand that drives her nuts. Before she can even scratch that part of her head she has me or her daughter to put pressure between those two fingers to stop the pitching. She has no idea what’s going on, but she does know headaches are and this isn’t it.
Can anyone help us here, and who to see.
They can’t do anything for me, the doctor acted like my pain didn’t excist and he diffently has a God’s complex.
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor
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@david33 My wife has the same and odd symptoms, she is also seeing a doctor for this whom claims its just headaches….but they are getting more intense…..there’s an explosion that goes off like a gun shot, and red liquid type will go over her eyes. No doctors believe her, even with the test, everything comes back normal.She even have a numbness behind right ear that if she touches it, feels like she is touching her brain, also if she scratches behind her left ear, she gets a pinching between her first two fingers on her left hand that drives her nuts. Before she can even scratch that part of her head she has me or her daughter to put pressure between those two fingers to stop the pitching. She has no idea what’s going on, but she does know headaches are and this isn’t it.
Can anyone help us here, and who to see.
This might be helpful. I had the same head issues….like a tight band was around my head. Neurologist said it had nothing to do with the cervical fusion and kind of ignored the need for an MRI. This was right after my SFN skin test results and diagnosis. Sooooo….I started meditation and mindfulness whenever the head was bad. I found out that the head pain was really stress related. Now if I feel the band tightening, I stop whatever I am doing or exit an uncomfortable social situation, put in my Lullabies for adults music and do a body scan or simple guided meditation. I am learning how to avoid the head issues by avoiding the cause…..stress. My neurologist was right.
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Jim, Alumni Mentor
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@david33 My wife has the same and odd symptoms, she is also seeing a doctor for this whom claims its just headaches….but they are getting more intense…..there’s an explosion that goes off like a gun shot, and red liquid type will go over her eyes. No doctors believe her, even with the test, everything comes back normal.She even have a numbness behind right ear that if she touches it, feels like she is touching her brain, also if she scratches behind her left ear, she gets a pinching between her first two fingers on her left hand that drives her nuts. Before she can even scratch that part of her head she has me or her daughter to put pressure between those two fingers to stop the pitching. She has no idea what’s going on, but she does know headaches are and this isn’t it.
Can anyone help us here, and who to see.
@david33 – Don’t you love it when a doctor doesn’t believe you!
The electric sensation for me is in my feet – peripheral neuropathy. Have you seen a neurologist or a pain specialist? They have both gone out of their way to find the causes and treatment for my pain. If you don’t like the doctors you’ve seen, you can look online for patient reviews before choosing one. I know of 3 sites – Vitals.com, GoogleScholar, and Lifescripts. They aren’t a guarantee of a genuine God’s gift, but they can give some clues.
I hope that as you persist in finding a doctor who listens and respects you, you’ll be successful.
Jim
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@benneaf
In reply to @ennergizerbunnee
I read the healthline article and my symptoms tend to follow the middle ear description and I have been told my tubes are more horizontal.