What causes sharp shooting pains in your head and is it serious?

Answer 1

Idiopathic stabbing headache was first described in 1964, at which time it was called "ophthalmodynia periodica" (Lansche 1964). Since then, brief, sharp, jabbing pains that occur either as single episodes or in repeated flurries have been designated by various terms including: "icepick-like pains," "sharp short-lived head pains," "needle-in-the-eye syndrome," and "jabs and jolts syndrome"It is characterized by brief, sharp, severe jabbing pains about the head that occur either as single episodes or as brief repeated volleys. The pain resembles a stab from an icepick, nail, or needle and typically lasts from a fraction of a second to 1 to 2 seconds. Idiopathic stabbing headaches may have the shortest duration of all known headaches. The frequency of attacks varies immensely, ranging from 1 attack per year to 50 attacks per day. The pain is characteristically located in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. Icepick-like pains are more common in women and do occur in children.