💩 October 10, 2023: Everyday Health > Exertional Headaches and Orgasmic Headaches. - #Healthwire

Medically Reviewed byJustin Laube, MD on 

October 10, 2023

www.everydayhealth.com

It’s a clichéd excuse when you want to avoid intercourse (“not tonight, dear — I’ve got a headache”), but for some people, sex actually triggers head pain. According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), two types of headaches are associated with sexual activity, especially with orgasm.

In the first type, sexual excitement causes muscle contraction in the head and neck, leading to head pain. Headaches associated with strenuous physical activity, like weight lifting or sexual intercourse, are also known as exertional headaches, according to the NHF. Most exertional headaches are benign, and they are most commonly associated with patients who are prone to migraines, but in some cases they can be a sign of abnormalities in the brain or other diseases. If you think you’ve experienced an exertional headache, see your doctor.

The second type of sex-induced headache has been dubbed an “orgasmic headache.” An orgasmic headache is a very intense, severe vascular headache usually occurring just before orgasm, according to the NHF. The headache can be a response to an increase in blood pressure, and it usually lasts a few minutes (but can last for hours). It occurs more frequently in men than in women and usually strikes those prone to migraines.

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