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What Causes Intermittent Sharp Pain In Head?
Question: What headache do I have? Some days I get these sharp pains in my head and I notice it appears when I lay down a lot or tilting my head forward sometimes . However, it does not happen constantly. Could this be severe migraine or tension from my neck causing this? The first doctor I went to gave me medicine for hypertension. My vision is fine, no fatigue, no nausea, I feel great it's just the off and on sharp pains shooting in my head. Now I noticed a sore spot in the front of my head and the soreness decreases when I lay on my back.
Brief Answer:
Primary stabbing headache seems more likely.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
From what you describe the most likely type in your case would be primary stabbing headache, known also as ice pick headache. It often coexists in the same patient with other types of primary headache like migraine, but can exist separately as well. At times they can be triggered by neck movements.
Treatment depends on the frequency of the episodes, since usually they last under one minute it doesn't make sense to take any pain killer as the pain would stop before they came into effect anyway. So often this type of headache is left as it is (if migraines also present they are treated accordingly)
If episodes are frequent and affecting quality of life then preventive treatment is used, the most used agent is Indomethacin, 25 mg 2-3 times a day.
Also there have been reports of botulinum toxin injections (botox) being effective in their prevention, but I'm not sure about their availability where you live and should be tried as a last resort anyway.
This type of stabbing pain is not typical for hypertension headache, however if you have high blood pressure on repeated measurements that must be treated as well anyway. I don't know what you were given, but some high blood pressure medications like propranolol or verapamil are used in headache prevention, so if there is another type of headache like migraine in the mix (as I said often coexist) they might help for that as well.
I hope to have been of help.
Primary stabbing headache seems more likely.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
From what you describe the most likely type in your case would be primary stabbing headache, known also as ice pick headache. It often coexists in the same patient with other types of primary headache like migraine, but can exist separately as well. At times they can be triggered by neck movements.
Treatment depends on the frequency of the episodes, since usually they last under one minute it doesn't make sense to take any pain killer as the pain would stop before they came into effect anyway. So often this type of headache is left as it is (if migraines also present they are treated accordingly)
If episodes are frequent and affecting quality of life then preventive treatment is used, the most used agent is Indomethacin, 25 mg 2-3 times a day.
Also there have been reports of botulinum toxin injections (botox) being effective in their prevention, but I'm not sure about their availability where you live and should be tried as a last resort anyway.
This type of stabbing pain is not typical for hypertension headache, however if you have high blood pressure on repeated measurements that must be treated as well anyway. I don't know what you were given, but some high blood pressure medications like propranolol or verapamil are used in headache prevention, so if there is another type of headache like migraine in the mix (as I said often coexist) they might help for that as well.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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