This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Headaches after sex are more common than you think, with around one percent of people experiencing them.
According to Dr. Margaret Redelman, a sex researcher and member of the Australian Society for Sexologists, sex headaches can be 'traumatic' and 'frightening' for lovers.
There are two types of sex headaches: pre-orgasmic headaches, which occur due to a build-up of pressure, and orgasmic headaches, which have an 'explosive, throbbing quality' and appear just before or at the moment of orgasm.
Dr. Redelman explained these types of headaches in the British Journal of Medical Practitioners (2019-07-30).
Scientists are unsure of the root cause of sex headaches, but theories suggest it occurs because sex is similar to exercise, causing blood vessels to dilate and potentially leading to pain-producing hormones reaching the brain.
Men are around four times more likely to suffer from sex headaches, with those in their early 20s and adults in their 40s being at most risk.
Being overweight and having high blood pressure are thought to increase the risk of sex headaches, which can last for between five minutes and two hours and may drag on for the following two days.
Interestingly, a German study in 2003 found that having sex is more effective than medicine for headaches, with over half of migraine sufferers experiencing an improvement in symptoms after sex.
