• Migraine Triggers
• Menstrual Migraine
• Lifestyle Accommodations
• Migraine Mystery
• Caffeine And Migraine
• Sports Migraine
• Sex And Migraine
• Pregnancy Migraines
• Migraine Foods
• Allergic Triggers
• Epidural Migraines
• Photophobia
• Lifestyle Migraines
• Magnesium Deficiency
• Tyramine in Food
• Serotonin or 5-HTP

Sex And Migraine

If you are one of those migraine sufferers who finds that sex sparks not only your passions but also a migraine attack, you should know that you are not alone. Although many migraine patients may be too embarrassed to discuss this particular migraine trigger with their doctors, there is reason to believe that a significant number of people (even people who do not suffer from migraines) experience headaches during or after sexual activity.

Who Is Affected?

Sex headaches affect both men and women but are more commonly found in men. More men than women experience such headaches at the point of orgasm. People who already suffer from migraines are more likely than people with no history of migraines to experience sex headaches. Migraine occurs after sex, not during. The attack will usually feel like the normal migraine, just as it occurs in other situations.

How It Happens

When you orgasm, the small blood vessels in your brain contract, which can cause stabbing, throbbing or dull pain, just like a migraine. The pain may last for a few minutes or a few hours, and you will probably have to treat it just as you would any other migraine attack. Other types of headaches can also occur during sex. These may be caused by the stiffening of the neck muscles as sexual excitement increases. Some medications taken to enhance sexual performance have also been known to trigger headaches and migraines.

Treating The Problem

The best way to handle this problem is to take a deep breath and speak to your migraine specialist about it, even if you find this embarrassing. You may be putting up with this particular trigger even though there are ways of avoiding migraine after sex. There are certain drugs that which can be taken before sexual intercourse to prevent the onset of migraine. Men in particular may find that very strenuous sexual intercourse can trigger a migraine because of the physical exertion it involves. Taking it a bit easier during sex or getting fitter so you can keep up with the pace could be the answer!

Ironically Enough...

You might expect that these migraines would put sufferers off having sex altogether, and indeed, in some case, they do. Nevertheless, medical research has found that migraine sufferers have a higher libido than people who never get migraines. This may be due to a possible link between the brain chemical serotonin, sexual desire and migraine headaches. One study conducted in the United States has found that migraine sufferers tend to have lower levels of serotonin. High levels of serotonin have been found to decrease sexual desire. Therefore migraine sufferers have less serotonin and a higher sex drive. This may seem like a cruel and ironic twist in an already bad situation, but you should take comfort from the fact that the subject is being researched. Some migraine specialists believe that they are really onto something with these serotonin-related findings and that they are getting closer and closer to properly understanding, and treating, sex-induced migraine and migraine in general.