Sexual headaches: headaches during sex

A relatively unknown form of headache can make sexuality entirely unacceptable.

This headache usually occurs for men aged about 25 to 50 years old. Fortunately there is no dangerous disease behind it and it often disappears after a few months.

This problem occurs about 3 to 4 times more often for men than for women. Important for diagnosis of this headache, is the time and also where in the head it occurs:

Typical for this form of headache is that it occurs during sex and that it is usually located in the back of the head (occipital). It is similar to tension headache from the neck and occurs most often during sexual arousal. It is often described as rather dull.

Frequently and unfortunately it occurs at sexual climax (orgasm), and is felt as the onset of a "lightning" or sting or throbbing headache. Neurologists and physicians refer to it as "sexual orgasm headache".

One should note, of course, also that some drugs have side effects as headache. Especially medicines such as Viagra or other tablets taken for the treatment of erectile dysfunction can have this side effect!

What to do against headaches during sex

Many couples who have these headaches will avoid sex contact, in order to avoid this headache. It may then destroy any sexual relationship. Some therapists recommend instead to take a particular headache medication (indometacin) about 1 hour before sexual contact. However, Indomathacin also can cause side effects, which can be serious. It sometimes will help, but it is not always possible to predict one hour in advance when sexual orgasm is going to occur.

Therefore, an alternative is medicine for migraine prevention, beta-blockers such as propranolol.