Brief Answer:
New onset headache needs medical attention

Detailed Answer:
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You are concerned about having stabbing sharp pains above your ears. If this is the first time you are experiencing this pain then I recommend that you seek medical attention. New onset headache perhaps the worse headache you have ever had is a danger sign and needs to be seen right away.

If this is typical headache then it is not as emergent. Headaches have numerous causes including TMJ, temporal arteritis, tension headache or migraine.

For pain on one side of the scalp radiating above the ear my first thought is for possible TMJ or Tempromandibular joint disorder. This is the jaw joint next to your ear getting arthritis and painful muscle spasms into the scalp. If you grind your teeth at night or chew gum frequently or notice a popping or grinding sound from your TMJ then you probably have TMJ syndrome. For this I have my patient get a bite guard to wear at night to protect the teeth from grinding and to reduce wear on the TMJ. I also recommend reduce gum chewing or chewing of anything that takes effort. You can also use Naprosyn or ibuprofen to help the pain.

For Temporal arteritis this is a condition from an autoimmune disorder. There would be a tender ropy feeling to the temporal artery which is found on the side of the head just by the eyebrow. To diagnoses temporal arteritis you need additional lab testing.

With typical migraine or tension headaches there are several treatments including ibuprofen or Naprosyn and Imitrex. I recommend that you discuss this with your doctor.

Hope this answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional medical concerns or questions.

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