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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Recurring Stabbing Pain In Neck Behind The Ear?

What would cause stabbing/electrical type moderate, reoccurring pain in the neck region behind the ear? The shooting pain lasts 15-30 seconds and then reappears 3 times or so. I thought it might be cluster headaches, but is not behind the eye, but is always on my right side. The stabbing may move from behind my ear to the back of the neck. This has happened off and on for 3 months now. It is not every day, or even every week, but is unpredictable and painful.
Thu, 13 Aug 2020
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General Surgeon,  's  Response
Hi,

Noted your history of recurring short lasting electric or stabbing like pain behind right ear going to back of neck, unpredictable as to when it would come.
Your history is electric shock like pain itself is self explanatory as this indicate the origin of pain and it is related to the nerve compression usually.
Since the pain is behind the ear the nerve compressed is greater auricular nerve.The commonest cause is muscular contraction, scarring on the way, on involvement in a mass.
Hence it is very important to find the cause whether benign or related to malignancy.
I would advise you the ffollowing in such a situation:
Consult an ENT Surgeon for ENT examination, neck palpation for any mass and if present then to have Ultrasound or CT scan and FNAC or biopsy of the nodes.
If this is normal then muscles spasm and related causes should be searched for.
The treatment will obviously be as per the findings.
Avoid stress and anxiety as these increase muscle spasms.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. T. Chandrakant, ENT & General Surgeon
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What Causes Recurring Stabbing Pain In Neck Behind The Ear?

Hi, Noted your history of recurring short lasting electric or stabbing like pain behind right ear going to back of neck, unpredictable as to when it would come. Your history is electric shock like pain itself is self explanatory as this indicate the origin of pain and it is related to the nerve compression usually. Since the pain is behind the ear the nerve compressed is greater auricular nerve.The commonest cause is muscular contraction, scarring on the way, on involvement in a mass. Hence it is very important to find the cause whether benign or related to malignancy. I would advise you the ffollowing in such a situation: Consult an ENT Surgeon for ENT examination, neck palpation for any mass and if present then to have Ultrasound or CT scan and FNAC or biopsy of the nodes. If this is normal then muscles spasm and related causes should be searched for. The treatment will obviously be as per the findings. Avoid stress and anxiety as these increase muscle spasms. Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. T. Chandrakant, ENT & General Surgeon