Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> The Lightning Bolt
        
(Message started by: Fig on Mar 16^th, 2005, 10:14pm)

Title: The Lightning Bolt
Post by Fig on Mar 16^th, 2005, 10:14pm

Every now and then I have a very painful "thing". I used to call it a "brain pain" when I was a kid. It's a sudden fierce stab through my head (brain), like a blazing hot sword or bolt of lightning--always on the left side. It just about knocks me over! As suddenly as it comes, it leaves, but my head will throb for a while. Weird. I always wondered about this, but never gave it much more than a passing thought until wandering onto this site. What do you think? Marion

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by E-Double on Mar 16^th, 2005, 10:21pm

Hiya Fig.......

Lightning bolt eh?????? Hear ya.....but.......

How long does it last?
How often does it occur?

I guess no diagnosis.........
Take the "cluster quiz" to the left......

If it appears that you do have......we'll try to guide you...
if not......we'll try to guide you.

Good luck and hang in there!

E.

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by BobG on Mar 16^th, 2005, 11:08pm

Hey Marion, Google ice pick headaches

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by jokrs2 on Mar 17^th, 2005, 1:36am

Hi Marion.
I'm with Bob ....Ice Pick perhaps. No diagnosis from me.
You're in the right place to get lots of support. Do you have time to visit all the tabs on the left? Wish you the best of luck in your quest for the reason.
Regards, Joe

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by pubgirl on Mar 18^th, 2005, 5:26am

Marion

Good idea to go to the OUCH Library, link to the left and have a good read up about the several shorter lived headache types:

PH/CPH
Idiopathic stabbing headache or "Ice Pick"
SUNCT syndrome
Hemicrania Continua
Trigeminal neuralgia

All bar SUNCT are treated very effectively with the same drug. SUNCT is a bit more of a wiley fish but if you don't have eye watering problems with the pain, it isn't SUNCT anyway so that may save you some time!

Hope that helps

Wendy

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by tom222 on Mar 18^th, 2005, 12:23pm

I don't believe I have ever had the so called lightning bolt....I just always thought of it as the lightning rod getting jammed through my head

Title: Re: The Lightning Bolt
Post by eyes_afire on Mar 20^th, 2005, 11:27pm

Fig,
It does sound like it could be Idiopathic Stabbing Headache or one of the others Wendy mentioned.
Here's my generic List Of Links, maybe it will help?:

Here are my favorite links describing some of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs):

cluster headache:

http://www.hospital-doctor.co.uk/hd_news/hd_news_article.asp?ID=2498&Section=Feature

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/clusterheadache.html

http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic229.htm

chronic paroxysmal hemicrania:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/paroxysmal_hemicrania/paroxysmal_hemicrania.htm

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/paroxysmal.html

http://www.emedicine.com/NEURO/topic67.htm

hemicrania continua:

http://www.achenet.org/articles/6.php

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hemicrania_continua/hemicrania_continua.htm

SUNCT syndrome:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sunct/sunct.htm

http://www.imigraine.net/other/sunct.html

idiopathic stabbing headache:

http://www.imigraine.net/other/stab.html

http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/ice-pick-headache.html

The following links are of headaches that are not TACs but are often confused with TACs:

trigeminal neuralgia:

http://www.achenet.org/articles/18.php

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/trigeminal_neuralgia/trigeminal_neuralgia.htm

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/trigeminalneuralgia.html

migraine:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/migraine.html

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/migraine/migraine.htm

basilar migraine:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/basilarmigrane.html

http://www.achenet.org/articlessave/askdoc498.htm

hemiplegic migraine:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/hemiplegic.html

http://www.achenet.org/kids/hemi.php

cyclic migraine syndrome:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/cyclicmigrane.html

ocular migraine:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/ocularmigraine.html

sexual benign headache:

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/sexual.html

http://www.imigraine.net/other/coital.html

thunderclap headache:

http://www.imigraine.net/other/thunder.html

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/thunderclap.html

cough headache:

http://www.imigraine.net/other/cough.html

hypnic headache:

http://www.mhni.com/faqs_unique.htm#hypnic

http://www.mhni.com/faqs_other_headaches.html#hypnic

DISCLAIMER: This is no substitute for a diagnosis. See the neurologist for a diagnosis.

--- Steve