Orgasm Headaches After Sex (Male And Female)

What Are Orgasm Headaches?

Orgasm headaches are headaches that happen during or before orgasm. While females may experience orgasm headaches, men are actually more susceptible to experiencing sex headaches.

Orgasm headaches are also known as Headaches Associated with Sexual Activity, or sex headaches, in short. Sex headaches can happen before or during sexual activity or arousal, which explains the name. In fact, any sexual arousal, including masturbation, can cause an orgasm headache, which is characterized by pain on both sides of the head.

It is important to distinguish orgasm headaches from other headache types, such as cluster headaches, tension headaches etc. Sex headaches are known as primary headaches, meaning there usually isnt an underlying condition.

What Is An Orgasm

According to the experts from Cleveland Clinic, an orgasm is “is the height or peak of sexual arousal when the body releases sexual tension and pressure.” You can achieve an orgasm through masturbation or sexual activities with your partner. By sexually stimulating your genitals, such as your penis, vagina or clitoris, you can achieve an orgasm.

What Happens During An Orgasm

During an orgasm, various physiological processes occur in your body. Sexual tension that has accumulated during the earlier stages of the sexual response cycle is suddenly released. Heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate increase, while hormones are released into the bloodstream. The muscles in the genital and anal areas contract rhythmically, occurring approximately once per second for several seconds.

Does Orgasm Help With Headaches?

The good news is that orgasm can help with headaches! Statistics have shown that 60% of people who suffer from headaches experience after sex. So how does orgasm help with headaches?

Orgasm stimulates the production of comfort-associated hormones called endorphins. This explains why sex may provide you with relief from a migraine attack. Other neurotransmitters released during sex include serotonin and dopamine. This explains why sex helps with headaches.

Interestingly, orgasm and pain influences similar brain areas including the hypothalamus, cortex, hypothalamus etc. During a migraine attack, lower levels of serotonin and dopamine are released.

Enjoying sex for the orgasm is one thing, but for sex to also help with headaches? That’s the best win-win situation! The numbers don’t lie” One-third of men, and approximately 16% of women use sexual activities as a form of therapeutic tool.

Getting Headaches After Sex?

Unfortunately, not everyone experiences the benefits of an orgasm this way. 30% of people who suffer from migraine report having a worse headache after sex.

Sex headaches are also known as Headaches Associated With Sexual Activity. Even though sex headaches are relatively rare, sex headaches are 4 times more common in men than women. Also, sex headaches often strikes people in their early 40’s for the first time.

Sex headaches often feel like a pain at both sides of the head, at the back of the head. A typical sex headache may lack the usual migraine-associated symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, migraine aura etc.

Just to clarify: migraine is NOT just a headache! However, people who suffer from migraine may find that sex or orgasm may aggravate these attacks.

Sex headaches can start as a dull ache that increases with sexual excitement, or it can suddenly become severe, particularly around the time of climax or orgasm, which is the more worrisome form of orgasm headache.

How Long Do Sex Headaches Last?

Sex headaches can last from one minute to 24 hours if it’s a severe pain. If the pain is moderate or mild, sex headaches can last up to 72 hours.

Are Sex Headaches Dangerous?

Although typically benign, sex headache may be indicative of a more serious underlying condition, such as a problem with the blood vessels in the brain. Therefore, individuals who experience a sudden and severe onset of sex headache should seek emergency medical attention, particularly if it is their first time experiencing it or if it is the most severe headache they have ever had. Sex headache can be a symptom of aneurysm, dissection, or spasm of an artery, which is also known as Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS).

If imaging confirms that the blood vessels are normal, the sex headache is considered benign or non-harmful. Fortunately, there are effective treatment options available, such as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 30 minutes before engaging in sexual activity.

Additionally, sex headache typically resolves on its own within six months for half of the individuals who experience it. Some people may only have one episode in their lifetime.

How To Stop Sex Headaches?

Here are some of the sex headache treatments your doctor may prescribe:

• Daily medications. Beta blockers, such as propranolol (Inderal, Innopran XL) or metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL). This is used to treat high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and migraine. However, you should only use this to treat sex headaches if you have frequent or prolonged attacks. Calcium channel blockers, such as verapamil hydrochloride (Calan SR) — which is also used to treat high blood pressure — may be an option.
• Other medications. Indomethacin, an anti-inflammatory, or one of the triptans, a class of anti-migraine medications, can be taken an hour before sex to prevent headaches.
• Avoid other potential “triggers”: You might want to make sure you avoid certain migraine trigger foods, such as caffeine etc.