Are Ice-pick Headache Common?
I think that many people get ice-pick headache from time to time, but they are so short lived and there is no after effect that they conclude, correctly, that there is not anything serious going on. Because of under-reporting to medical practitioners, it is difficult to know exactly how common these headaches are. Some estimate a low prevalance of about 1% of the population. A Norwegian survey (the famous Vaga Headache survey) specifically looked for ice pick symptoms. They reported that 35% of people may report “jabs” and “jolts” in the head from time to time – a more accurate reflection of reality, I think. They can occur at any age, and I know that teenagers and retired persons can all report this symptom.
