Sexual headache

Sexual headache
IHS / ICHD-II code	4.4

Sexual headache is pain that occurs during or just before orgasm . The pain usually begins in the neck, shoots to the forehead and then subsides. The cause has not yet been clarified. Migraine patients are particularly often affected. The majority of men suffer from this condition.

In some cases, the attacks occur episodically and usually pass by themselves. During active phases, the sexual act does not have to be dispensed with, headache specialist Dr. Vincent Martin even thinks that the orgasm and the associated serotonin emissions the headaches alleviate. In general, the recommendations apply when lying down rather than standing and proceed gently instead of stormy. Blockages or tension in the back area can intensify the effect.

Very rarely, a cerebral haemorrhage or a stroke can cause the pain.

therapy

Stopping sexual activity when the first symptoms appear can prevent a further increase in headaches in around 40% of cases and is particularly recommended as a successful preventive measure for pre-orgasm headache. As long as there is lighter after-pain, the risk of a new headache attack appears to be particularly high if there is renewed sexual activity, so sexual inactivity is recommended for this period. For patients with prolonged headache phases with repeated attacks, there is an indication for drug therapy.

See also

• Dyspareunia
• Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome
• Post-coital fatigue

literature

• A. Frese, A. Eikermann, K. Frese, S. Schwaag, IW Husstedt, S. Evers: Headache associated with sexual activity, demography, clinical features and comorbidity. In: Neurology. 2003; 61, pp. 796-800, abstract ; doi : 10.1111 / j.1526-4610.2004.04102_5.x .
• Achim Frese, Stefan Evers: Primary headache syndromes associated with sexual activity (PDF; 73 kB), In: Practical Neurology. 2005; 5, pp. 350-355; doi: 10.1111 / j.1474-7766.2005.00346.x .
• Headache associated with sexual activity; HSA.  In: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man . (English).

Web links

• Primary headache during sexual activity ( Memento from March 29, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 72 kB)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ German Migraine and Headache Society: Therapy for primary headache during sexual activity ( Memento from March 29, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 72 kB)

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !