Sharp Pain in Head

Sharp Pain in Head






Sharp pain in the head is not a serious problem, but it is definitely a nuisance. It can be described as a sudden ice-pick Headache felt at the back of the head or around the eyes. It may occur one or few times a day or even more. But the headache vanishes totally as it comes. It occurs and causes pain only for few seconds. For some there may be dullness for some minutes after they had sharp pain. You need not worry about the pain if it is rare but in case it is recurring, then you need to consult your doctor.

•  The pain may be felt as stabbing or punching the knife on the head. The affected person may feel as though someone has rammed a sharp needle on his head.


•  The pain is sudden and there is no indication of getting the pain.


•  It lasts only for few seconds but its impact is severe


•  This sharp pain is totally different from migraine

Causes :

Getting a sharp pain is not a serious problem but having it daily or recurrently is a serious issue. Range of factors contributes for headache and pain occurs in different areas of head like left side, right side and at the back of your head.

Some of the causative factors for sharp pain in head are given below:-

Sinusitis :

Getting sharp pain beneath the ears or around eyes is indicative of sinus problem. There are variety of sinusitis that causes pain in your head and behind the ears and eyes. There would be sharp intense pain when bending for people who suffer from sinusitis.

Migraine :

In this type, pain is felt at one side of your head and the intensity may vary from mild to severe. People may get throbbing pain and it may disturb his daily activities very much. A person having migraine headache will also have other symptoms like nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. This pain may last for minutes or even hours and still there is no cure for migraine.

Encephalitis :

It is a very rare disease causing swelling of the brain tissue caused by virus infection. There would be sharp staggering pain in the head followed by vomiting, seizures and nausea.

Meningitis :

The brain tissues become swollen affecting the spinal cord also in meningitis. Here again there would be sharp pain with stiffness of neck with other signs like nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat and seizures.

Apart from the above factors, there are headaches caused by hangover, withdrawal of certain medicines, and spinal cord problem. It can also be caused due to change in hormone level which causes one side headache.

A person who is emotionally aroused or under stress will get a headache and pain at the back of his head Trigeminal Neuralgia is termed as a feeling of stabbing pain on the head, cheeks and jaw. This kind of pain is felt when eating or drinking and even brushing the teeth.

Nummular headache is described as the condition of dull pain with tension provoked headache. A small circular area of the head will feel the pain.

Headache can also occur due to exercise, coughing, loss of sleep or having sex or drop in temperature. Some of the major types of headaches are cluster headache, migraine, rebound headache, headache due to sinus and tension.

Treatment :

Most of the mild to moderate forms of headache will go away by taking painkillers. However if you have persistent headache with other symptoms you should visit your doctor. Even for migraine headache, you can take Ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Oxygen inhalation therapy is beneficial for getting rid of worse headache with sharp pain. Though pain relievers can be taken, it cannot prevent the headache.

Some doctors prescribe Triptan kind of drugs for reducing the intensity of pain during headache.Preventive medicine comes in the form of steroids and calcium blocker drugs like verapamil.You can also try alternative medicine like herbal products and homeopathic treatment for getting rid of headache.

Sharp Pain in Head – Causes and Treatment

Sharp Pain in Head – Causes and Treatment

Causes of Sharp Pain in Head

The below are key reasons for severe or sharp pain in the head.

Migraine
This is the type Headache that is normally on only one side of the head and can be severe to mild. Often the pain is throbbing and so intense that the individual is not able to do any daily activities and will just have to go to bed. This sharp pain in the head also can be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to sound or light, or vomiting. A migraine headache is commonly seen more often in women and they may last for a number of hours as well as in extreme cases for days.

Sinusitis/Sinus Infections
The pain in the head that is sharp behind ears or behind eyes can be caused by sinusitis. Amid the varied types of sinusitis, sphenoid sinusitis usually causes pain sharp in the head from behind the eyes while others, such as ethmoid or frontal sinusitis can cause pain behind the eye or ear. Sharp or constant pain in the head when bending down is often seen in those individuals having chronic sinusitis.

Encephalitis
This is an uncommon but lethal disease and is the swelling of the brain caused by a virus. The most commonly recognized symptom is pain that is sharp in the head. Besides the headache, other symptoms or signs are nausea, seizures, convulsions, and vomiting. Encephalitis can result in passing away because of respiratory arrest.
Meningitis
This is caused by meninges – tissues around the brain and the spinal cord – that are inflamed. Meningitis is often fatal and is normally cause by either a viral or bacterial infection. Pain can be sharp in the entire head accompanied by a Stiff Neck and are the most common signs of meningitis. Also, vomiting, nausea, seizures, sensitivity to light, unconsciousness or loss of appetite can also be seen. At times, together with meningitis, other complications like faster heart rate and gangrene have been seen.

You're reading Sharp Pain in Head – Causes and Treatment posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Brain tumor
Symptoms of a brain tumor can be the sudden onset of sharp and severe pain in the head. As the tumors grow this pain increases and eventually becomes unbearable. Sudden headaches that cause sharp pain with no history of headaches can be an indicator of the possibility of a brain tumor. Other symptoms and signs seen are convulsions, seizures, loss of mental alertness as well as confusion. Brain injury that is traumatic due to any reason may also cause pain that is sharp in the head.

Apart from these major headache causes, severe headaches can be caused by withdrawal, hangover, coital cephalalgia, vascular or spinal problems. Headaches caused by hormonal problems due to changes in hormones are usually experienced in one side of the head. Headaches in the back of the head are normally due to mental tension, stress, improper posture, and Depression. It is mostly the kind of pain that is sharp in the head that comes and goes.

Sharp Pain in Head Treatment

An individual needs to find medical attention if the headache is:

• The “worst headache of your life”. This wording is frequently seen in course books as a sign for medical professionals to contemplate making the diagnosis of a “subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured cerebral Aneurysm”. The extent of pain will usually be considered along with how the individual looks as well as other symptoms and signs.


• Unlike any previous headaches.


• Begins abruptly or is intensified by coughing, exertion, sexual activity or bending over.


• Accompanied by nausea and vomiting that is persistent.


• Accompanied by stiff neck or fever.


• Accompanied by seizures.


• Occurs after a fall or new head trauma.


• Accompanied with modifications in behavior, speech or vision.


• Accompanied with variation in sensation or weakness.


• Is not reacting to management techniques and is becoming worse.


• Needs in excess of advised dose for pain of OTC (over the counter) medicines.

It is essential to identify which kind of headache an individual is suffering from so that the treatment given is correct. The common categories of headaches include:

• Tension


• Cluster


• Sinus


• Rebound


• Migraine