Medically reviewed by: Dr. Megan Donnelly. The truth about sex and migraine? Sex can provide headache relief for some, but not for others. We will cover information on all aspects of sex and migraine including headaches during sex, sexual dysfunction from migraine medications, as well as tips for improving sexual activity while living with migraine. The experts distributed a survey to one thousand patients diagnosed with either migraine or cluster headache. Here are some of the conclusions the surveys yielded:.
Unfortunately, about one-third of people with migraine who answered the survey found their headaches worsened with sexual activity. Whether you have migraine or not, some people experience a rare headache disorder called Sex Headache. The formal name of this condition is Headache Associated with Sexual activity. In two-thirds of people who experience sex headache the pain occurs on both sides of the head rather than one side of the head.
According to a paper published in , Sex Headache occurs four times more often in men, and they are usually in their 40s when it first happens. This is the more concerning form of orgasm headache.
While usually harmless, it can be a sign of something more ominous, such as a problem with the blood vessels in the brain. It can be a sign of aneurysm out-pouching of an artery , dissection tear , or spasm of an artery a condition called Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome or RCVS for short. Luckily, there are some good treatment options for it, such as pre-treating 30 minutes before sex with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The other good news is that orgasm headache is usually limited: Half of patients with sex headache will have it for about 6 months after which it resolves and never returns.
Some people only have one attack in their life. Of note, physical activity, especially intense workouts, as well as coughing or Valsalva bearing down , can also cause intense headaches that are very similar to orgasm headaches. So why do orgasm, exertion, and even coughing sometimes cause intense headaches? The current thought is that all three types of headache syndromes are related. Scientists are not entirely sure, but it is thought to be related to blood vessel changes, even when the ominous conditions have been ruled out.
