All about sexual headaches and their causes

Sexual headache

A headache that affects people during sex or after orgasm Sexual headache is named. This disorder is more common in men and usually subsides after 15 minutes.

What is a sexual headache?

Sexual headache is a very rare occurrence that affects 1-6% of the general population. Sexual headache is a type of primary headache that affects people during or after sexual activity. A primary headache is a disease in itself that is considered a symptom of a health problem.

In this disease, people get headache exactly during sex, before or after. In some cases, people may suffer from this headache during masturbation. Orgasm headache is one of the two types of primary headache that may occur before orgasm.

People may experience sexual headaches right before sex. Pain may be felt in the following ways:

– Severe and strong pain

– In the form of explosion of explosives

– Or like a lightning strike to a person

Most sexual headache pain is felt behind the eyes, around the eyeball. About 75% of people who experience this headache report pain on both sides of their head that worsens when they move their head around.

One of the most common characteristics of sexual headaches is severe pain that lasts for about 5 to 15 minutes and then gradually decreases.

Sexual headache occurs suddenly and after it subsides, people feel the pain in a throbbing manner and sometimes it continues after several hours or days.

About the occurrence of sexual headache

Types of sexual headache:

Sexual headaches are divided into different types based on the factors that cause them. The primary types are intercourse headache and orgasm headache, and secondary headaches will be caused by reasons other than marital relations.

Headache at the onset of sexual intercourse:

This type of headache occurs mildly and slowly with the start of sexual intercourse. The reason for these types of headaches is due to increased muscle tension. They often happen in relationships where there is stress or a feeling of boredom, which ultimately causes pain in the neck. These headaches are relieved by over-the-counter medications and do not require medical treatment.

Orgasmic headache:

This headache occurs suddenly and intensely when people reach orgasm, the increase in sexual excitement and physical activity of a person can lead to a vascular headache, so that with the increase in heart rate, the vessels around the scrotum are dilated, on the other hand, with The increase in adrenaline during sex increases the pressure on the brain, all of these things lead to neck muscle cramps and finally headaches after sex. Orgasmic headache causes severe pain behind the eye or around the eye.

Secondary headache:

This type of headache occurs after the start of sexual intercourse, which is not due to increased blood flow to the brain or excitement, but other diseases that cause this type of headache. People who are involved in this type of headache during sex may experience symptoms such as vomiting, loss of consciousness, neck stiffness, severe pain, this type of pain can last 24 hours or even more.

This type of headache is caused by a disease or complication that will not go away with rest, which is why they are known as secondary headaches. Factors such as the following can lead to this disorder:

– People who have brain hemorrhage or brain tumor.

– Those who have had a stroke.

– Due to bleeding in the spinal fluid or infection

– Aneurysm

– One of the side effects of using birth control pills

– Vascular abnormalities are also the cause of secondary headaches.

Types of sexual headaches

Signs and symptoms of sexual headache:

The spectrum of pain experienced by different people ranges from mild to severe. The location of this headache will not be in one specific area and may be on one side of the head like a migraine, or it may affect the back of the head and an area of ​​vision or the whole head. People who experience this headache consider the pain to be like a knife. Sexual headaches are accompanied by the following symptoms:

– The duration of these sexual headaches is equal to 5 to 15 minutes and they will disappear by themselves.

– After the headache is gone, the person may feel weak in the head, which lasts for several hours or days.

– The frequency of this disorder is not known and it may occur several times in a month.

– The pain starts vaguely.

– Pain can be accompanied by stiffness or cramping of the neck and jaw muscles.

– Headache starts slowly and is usually before the peak of sexual pleasure.

– When a person's sexual excitement increases, the pain becomes more intense.

Causes of sexual headaches:

Primary sexual headache:

Primary sexual headaches are among those that do not have a specific cause. Some researchers believe that early sexual headaches are caused by excessive contractions of the neck and jaw muscles during sex. Others believe that early sexual headaches may be caused by changes in blood flow to the brain during sex.

Bleeding in the brain:

In some cases, sexual headaches are a sign of a serious issue. For example, bleeding in the brain, this happens when the bulge in the blood vessel of the brain breaks during sexual intercourse, as a result, a person faces a severe and sudden headache, of course, there are other symptoms that are not seen in primary sexual headaches.

Narrowing of blood vessels in the brain:

A group of conditions can cause sexual headaches, for example, frequent and irreversible narrowing of the blood vessels of the penis can cause sudden and frequent headaches during sex.

Signs and symptoms of sexual headache

A blood clot in a blood vessel in the brain:

Some sexual headaches are caused by blood clots in the cerebral vessels. This can lead to a headache that usually starts gradually and worsens with exertion, so it may appear during sex.

Clogging or rupture of one of the blood vessels in the brain can be the cause of your headache during or after sex.

Rupture in part of the blood vessel wall in the brain or neck:

Some sexual headaches can be due to the rupture of a part of the blood vessel wall of the brain or neck, this is called dissection, which can collect blood in the blood vessel wall and prevent blood supply to the brain.

This complication can be caused by slight blows to the neck or bending it. This type of sexual headache causes a gradual onset of headache or neck pain on one side as well as other symptoms. If you have any symptoms along with headache after sex, you should see a specialist to avoid the risk of heart attack or similar diseases.

Taking some medications:

Certain medications can cause migraine headaches, some of which include:

– Aspirin

– Sinus relief drugs

– Acetaminophen

– Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

– Sleeping pills

– Codeine

– Opioids

– Sumatriptan

– Zolmitriptan

If you are taking certain medications that may be related to your sexual headache, consult a specialist to clear up any doubts or replace the medication with another type if necessary.

Other causes of sexual headache:

In addition to being a disease, sexual headaches can be a sign of a more serious disease that was mentioned in some cases above. Other items are listed below:

– Coronary Artery Disease

– Tumor

– Intracranial aneurysm

– Using some medicines such as birth control pills

– Inflammation caused by some infections

Diagnosis of sexual headaches:

Sexual headaches can be evaluated by visiting a doctor. The first thing the doctor does is to get a history from the patient to find out the reasons, that's why the following questions will be asked at the beginning:

– When was the first headache after sex?

– How long did the headache last?

– Do you have this headache during all sexual relations?

– Is there a prevalence of headaches, migraines, or sexual headaches in your family?

After completing the physical examination, the doctor will determine whether the cause of your headache is a disease or not, which is why pathology or imaging may be needed. The most commonly requested tests are as follows.

Diagnosing the cause of sexual headaches

Brain resonance imaging:

Radio waves and magnetic fields are used to perform this type of imaging. If there is a serious complication, it will be displayed.

Tomography or CT scan of the brain:

This method is done using X-rays, which can detect the cause of headaches less than 72 hours.

Cerebral angiography:

This test is done to check the arteries of the neck and brain with X-rays.

Spinal cord:

In this procedure, some cerebrospinal and cerebrospinal fluid will be collected and tested for infection and bleeding, especially in cases where there are sudden headaches.

Sexual headache treatment:

Treatment of sexual headache with traditional medicine:

In traditional medicine, the cause of sexual headaches is attributed to low blood sugar, so they recommend consuming carbohydrates after being satisfied.

Use of honey:

One of the foods recommended for the treatment of sexual headaches is honey, which has antioxidant properties and is rich in minerals and salts. On the other hand, it has the ability to regulate blood sugar, that's why it is recommended to mix honey and water together after this type of headache. If you lie down for a few minutes, the sugar will be adjusted and the headache will go away.

Mint:

Mint contains methane and menthol, therefore it has the ability to relieve headaches, especially for people who have migraine headaches and face this issue during sex, they can use this plant. You can use mint in several ways:

– Mint tea: brew some fresh or dried mint with boiled water that has cooled down a bit and eat it with sweets.

– Mint compress: crush some fresh mint and put it on your forehead, or after crushing the mint, take the juice and put it on the forehead for local absorption.

Cold compress to treat sexual headache:

When you have a headache, the blood vessels have dilated, as a result, using cold compresses can constrict the blood vessels and reduce the pain. The following ways are recommended for this purpose:

– Wash your face with cold water several times after a headache.

– Place an ice pack on your forehead and leave it for 5 minutes.

– You can have frozen vegetables like mint ready to put on your forehead and head when you have pain.

Treatment of sexual headaches with cold compresses

Treatment of sexual headache with medicine:

If sexual headache is not caused by other diseases and is only due to excitement and vasodilation, two types of drugs are used for people, which include pain relievers such as ibuprofen and indomethacin and do not require a prescription.

In relation to headaches that are severe and disrupt a person's life and activity, it is recommended to take beta-blocking drugs or indomethacins, triptans, and beta-blockers before starting sex.

When sexual headaches are accompanied by another disease, the cause should be diagnosed first and then the appropriate strategy should be decided according to it.

Actions when sexual headaches occur:

The first thing you should do after having a sexual headache is to inform your partner. Due to the fact that headache can reduce the quality of the relationship, as a result, the parties will be upset, so it is better to explain the reason for the behavior to your partner in order to get a suitable reaction.

Since most sexual headaches are caused by arousal, it is better to rest and relax after sexual headaches. For severe headaches, use over-the-counter pain relievers.

If the intensity of the headache and the number of times the experience is very high, you should definitely consult a doctor, maybe another disease has caused this headache, so it is better to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

Time to see a doctor:

A headache after sexual intercourse, which seeks to increase blood flow and excitement, will not be alarming and will often be resolved after a few minutes, but if the person does not have the patience to continue, or symptoms such as; Dizziness, neck stiffness, impaired consciousness or even unconsciousness, as well as vomiting, should see a doctor.

compilation: Cover health department