Headache during sex
Description
Headache during sex is caused by the very actions you and your partner perform during sex. You may feel a dull ache in the head or neck that gets worse as sexual arousal increases. Or, more often, you may experience a sudden, severe headache just before or during orgasm.
In most cases, the condition is not a concern. But sometimes it can be a sign of a serious health problem, such as problems with the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.
What are the symptoms?
This type of headache comes in 2 types and is most often described as:
• Occurs without any prior symptoms a few seconds before orgasm.
• Pain is often described as throbbing or stabbing.
Other more atypical cases:
• Starts as a dull ache on both sides of the head;
• May cause neck and jaw muscles to cramp;
• Pain gradually increases several minutes before orgasm;
• The pain intensifies when sexual arousal increases;
In most cases, this type of headache lasts at least a few minutes. But in some people it may last for several hours. Many people who suffer from this type of headache go through periods of attacks, usually for several months, and then for about a year or more feel no pain in the head during intercourse.
When should medical help be sought?
This type of headache should not worry you. But you should consult your doctor immediately if you feel a sudden pain in the head during intercourse that you have never felt before.
What are the causes?
Any type of stimulation of the genitals that results in an organism, such as masturbation, oral sex, anal sex, and intercourse can cause headaches.
Sudden pain in the head or gradually increasing pain in the head may be primary and not related or associated with any other disease.
But it is more likely that a sudden sex headache is related to:
• An enlargement or bubble in the wall of an artery in the head /intracranial aneurysm/.
• An abnormal connection of arteries and veins in the brain /arteriovenous malformations/ that cause bleeding in the space where the cerebrospinal fluid is located.
• Bleeding from the wall of the artery that reaches the brain.
• Stroke;
• Ischemic heart disease;
• Use of certain medications such as contraceptives;
• Inflammation caused by certain infections.
A similar type of headache that causes loss of consciousness, vomiting, neck stiffness and other neurological symptoms and continues to be very severe for a period of more than 24 hours is most likely due to a serious illness.
Treatment of headaches during sex
In most cases, this type of headache is the first and only. And sometimes the pain subsides so quickly that it is not necessary to administer any pain-relieving medicine. If you experienced a headache when you had sex and it lasted for a long time, it is best to refrain from any sexual stimulation until it passes.
Medications that can be used preventively
If you have a history of this type of headache and no specific cause has been found for this condition, your doctor may recommend you to take regular preventive medicine such as:
• Beta blockers, such as propanol, which are used to treat high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and migraines – can be taken daily to prevent sexual arousal headaches.
• Indomethacin – an anti-inflammatory and a triptan drug used against migraines, can be taken 1 hour before sex to prevent headaches.
