If you’ve ever had a headache after sex, you might question (reluctantly) whether the orgasm is to blame.For some people, there actually is a link. Headaches — sometimes severe migraines — can happen during sex, at orgasm or right after sex. The headaches can range from mild and temporary to explosively painful and long-lasting.
What is Orgasm Headache
An orgasm headache is a sudden, intense headache before or during an orgasm. An orgasm headache is a primary headache. A primary headache is a condition itself, not a symptom of another health issue.
A person may experience an orgasm headache just before or during sexual climax. These headaches can happen during masturbation or partnered sex.
Orgasm headaches are one of two types of primary sex headaches. The other type is a sexual benign headache, which doctors also call a pre-orgasm headache.
If a person regularly experiences headaches during sex. It is best to contact a doctor for advice. Headaches can sometimes signal an underlying condition.
Why sex headaches happen
Sex-induced headaches are medically known as “headaches associated with sexual activity (HAS).” They’re a type of exertion headache, which can happen with sudden or intense physical activity (think running, lifting weights or even sneezing). They can happen to anyone, though they appear to be more common in men . A sex headache may be a one-time thing or happen repeatedly.
“We don’t have many statistics about how widespread sexual headaches are,” says Dr. Galvez-Jimenez. “People are often embarrassed to say their headache is associated with sex. But we see these more often than you might think, both in our practice and in the emergency room.”
Headaches related to sexual activity can happen during sex with a partner or during masturbation. Sex headaches can be:
- Mild or very severe.
- On the top of your head, one side of your head, behind your eyes or through your whole head.
- Sharp, throbbing or dull.
- Similar to migraine headaches.
- Thunderclap headaches (very sudden and extremely painful).
Whether your headache is mild or painful, it can last anywhere from minutes to hours.
Neurologists know that many people get headaches during sex, but they don’t have much info on the exact physiological cause.
“Here’s what we think happens: During sex, your heart rate and blood pressure can increase quite a lot,” explains Dr. Galvez-Jimenez. “Blood vessels in your brain dilate or open up. The muscles in your head, neck and shoulders tighten.”This surge in pressure causes blood vessels in the head to dilate quickly, which can trigger sudden, intense headaches in some people.
All of these reactions can add up to headaches that, for some people, are very sudden and severe.
Dr. Galvez-Jimenez adds that the most severe sex headaches seem to happen in people with chronic migraines or a history of migraines. People with migraines also seem to get more sex headaches than people who don’t get migraines.
What do orgasm headaches feel like?
People typically experience orgasm headaches just before or during an orgasm.
The pain may feel:
- intense
- explosive
- throbbing
An orgasm headache may painful behind or around the eye area.
The condition can often cause pain on both sides of the head. Moving around may make the pain worse.
The pain can occur abruptly, and after it diminishes a person may feel a throbbing in their head, which can sometimes last for several hours or even days.
Unlike migraine headaches, orgasm headaches do not usually occur with nausea or sensitivity to light or sound.
Are Orgasm headaches dangerous?
The headache itself usually isn’t dangerous, though the pain can be extreme.
Anyone can experience orgasm headaches. However, males are up to four times more likely to experience primary headaches associated with sexual activity than females.The mean age of onset is 39.2 years, though they can begin earlier or later.
People with a history of migraine headaches, exertional headaches, or cough headaches may be more likely to get orgasm headaches.
But if you have a severe sex headache, get checked out immediately, he advises. In rare cases, the headache may be due to a brain aneurysm that has ruptured or broken open. An aneurysm forms when a weakness in your blood vessel causes a bulge. When blood pressure increases during sex, the force can be enough to make the bulge rupture. Stroke is another rare but very serious cause of sex headache pain.
“Especially the first time you get a severe sexual headache, you need to see your provider right away or go to the emergency room to rule out serious causes,” he states.
How to stop sex headaches
Researchers haven’t fully studied the treatments for sex headaches. If your doctor confirms there’s no serious cause of your sex headache, such as an aneurysm, you can treat it with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) .
If you have medication for migraines, you can use that, too. Neurologists advises taking headache medicine as soon as possible after the headache starts. The longer you wait, the less the meds may help.
If the headache is bad and doesn’t go away, or it gets worse, it’s time for a trip to the ER or a doctor.
Doctor’s treatment options for orgasm headaches can include prescription medications such as triptans. Taking triptans before sexual intercourse may prevent orgasm headaches in up to 50%Trusted Source of cases.
A doctor may also recommend topiramate and beta-blockers such as propranolol.
If a person does not respond well to beta-blockers, a doctor may recommend indomethacin, which is a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Some calcium channel blockers may also be beneficial. These include:
- verapamil
- flunarizine
- nimodipine
Headaches during sex can sometimes result from another condition. In this case, they are secondary headaches. Treating the underlying issue can help reduce or prevent these headaches.
How to prevent sex headaches
If possible, it’s better to prevent sex headaches than treat them once they’ve already started, Dr. Galvez-Jimenez advises.
Of course, it’s not always realistic to plan for sex. And scheduling sex can take some of the fun out of it. But if you know you get sex headaches, try to prevent them by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever (or migraine medication, if you have it) about 30 minutes before sexual activity.
People who regularly experience headaches during sex should contact a doctor. The doctor can help determine if they are primary or secondary headaches.
Orgasm headaches are primary headaches. A secondary headache occurs as a result of an underlying condition. Some serious conditions that can cause secondary headaches during sex include:
- infections
- coronary artery disease
- brain aneurysm
- brain hemorrhage
- stroke
- arteriovenous malformation
Secondary sex headaches with a serious cause are likely to occur alongside other symptoms, such as:
- nausea
- vomiting
- a stiff neck
- loss of consciousness
People who experience these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.
Do orgasms help headaches?
You know that sex can cause headaches. But can sex also be the cure for a throbbing noggin?
“It usually won’t help with migraines. But an orgasm can sometimes help with stress or tension headaches,” notes Dr. Galvez-Jimenez.
The release can relieve stress and muscle tension enough to make the headache go away.
“But sex is not something we would suggest as a headache treatment,” Neurologist says.
Summary
An orgasm headache is a type of primary headache that occurs during sexual activity.
Orgasm headaches may result from a rapid expansion of blood vessels in the brain. This occurs when a person’s blood pressure rises before and during orgasms.
It is best for anybody who experiences orgasm headaches to contact their doctor for an evaluation. The doctor can recommend medications to help treat or prevent headaches.