Does an Orgasm Really Help With Headaches?

How sexual climax can either ease or cause headaches or migraine

Although having an orgasm may help with headaches for some people, it isn't a cure-all and for others, orgasm may make headaches worse.

A 2013 study concluded that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headaches in some people with migraine headaches and a few people with cluster headaches. Though the cause of this phenomenon is unclear, some researchers suggest that the rush of endorphins and other hormones after an orgasm may spontaneously ease headaches.

A more recent literature review suggested that for some people having an orgasm could trigger a migraine or cluster headache, a condition commonly referred to as a "coital headache" or "orgasmic headache."

This article explores how sex and headaches are linked and whether an orgasm might be the cause or cure of headache pain.

A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology

Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.

  • Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.
  • Gender describes a person's internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.

Research studies sometimes don't use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate. 

To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like "female," "male," "woman," and "man" as the sources use them.

What Research Says About Orgasms and Headaches

For some people, orgasms can either cause or relieve headaches, and scientists are not exactly sure why. They think it might have something to do with endorphins—the neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers in the brain, that help relieve pain and increase feelings of pleasure.

According to the 2013 study published in Cephalalgia, the incidence of symptoms or symptom clearance varied by the headache type:

  • Migraine: Among the 380 people with migraine, 33% experienced a worsening of symptoms and 60% reported an improvement in symptoms during sex. Of those who experienced an improvement, 70% reported complete relief.
  • Cluster headaches: Among 480 people with clustered headaches, 50% experienced the worsening of symptoms and 37% reported an improvement in symptoms during sex.

Males were more likely than females to experience headache relief with sex, and many regarded sex and orgasm as a "therapeutic tool."

How Orgasms Might Help

The science behind orgasms is complex, and their impact on headache relief is unclear. Even so, scientists believe that it involves a complex interplay of hormones and spinal nerves.

Also known as a climax, an orgasm is the sudden discharge of sexual excitement, resulting in involuntary, rhythmic contractions in the pelvic area.

Physiologically, orgasms start with the activation of nerves around the lumbar and sacral spinal cord located at the lower back and tailbone. They end with the spontaneous release of hormones called oxytocin and endorphins that help calm and relax you as you recover from a climax.

Both oxytocin and endorphins are produced by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus of the brain and both are involved in nociception (in which impulses from stimulated nerves are translated into physical sensations).

On their own and together, oxytocin and endorphins decrease pain sensitivity at times of stress. This is especially true with endorphins, which studies have shown are lacking in migraine sufferers.

This may explain why some headaches will spontaneously lift during an orgasm.

Keep in mind that orgasms during masturbation may have the same headache-relief effects as orgasms during sex.



How Orgasms Might Hurt

For some people, sexual activity can cause headaches. Some may be classified as a benign exertional headache, a common type of headache brought on by vigorous activity, including sex. These tend to be mild and short-lasting, triggered by the sudden dilation (widening) of blood vessels in the head.

Other sexually-induced headaches may not be as mild or short-lasting. These include coital headaches, a rare type of headache characterized by sudden and increasing pain in the skull and neck during sexual activity.

A coital headache is characterized by the following features and characteristics:

  • The headache is either brought on by sex or only occurs during sex.
  • The headache pain either increases with sexual excitement, occurs at the time of orgasm, or both.
  • Severe episodes can last up to 24 hours, while milder episodes can last for up to 72 hours.

To make a definitive diagnosis, all other causes of headaches must be explored and excluded. Diagnosis may involve imaging tests such as computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).

Coital headaches are more common in males than females.

What a Coital Headache Feels Like

A coital headache can vary in how it feels, where it occurs, and how long it lasts.

In most cases, the headache will develop suddenly at the time of orgasm and be severe and throbbing. Usually, one side of the head is affected as well as the neck. This is referred to as a sudden-onset type headache.

In other cases, the pain will be felt on the back and both sides of the head and gradually increase with sexual arousal. The pain may be milder but occur in frequent, irregular bursts. This is known as a subacute crescendo headache.

On rare occasions, a headache can occur after sex due to minor injury of the dura mater (the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord). This can cause a pooling of cerebrospinal fluid, leading to headache pain and nausea whenever you stand up. This is better known as a postural headache.

All of these headaches can be aggravating but none are particularly serious. Some people may have only one episode, while others have recurrent headaches with orgasms. People with chronic migraines are more likely to have recurrent episodes.

How to Treat Headaches

As mentioned, orgasm is not a cure-all for headaches. There are many types of headaches and treatments will vary depending on the type of headache. These treatment options are for migraine, cluster, and coital headaches.

Migraine Headaches

Treatment for migraine headaches focuses on medications and lifestyle habits to relieve symptoms and prevent future headaches, such as:

  • Identifying and avoiding triggers, such as certain foods, stress, bright lights, alcohol, and caffeine
  • Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers
  • Prescription medications, including  triptan drugs, ergotamine drugs, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies
  • Exercise
  • Acupuncture
  • Massage
  • Yoga and meditation
  • Biofeedback therapy
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cluster Headaches

Like migraine headaches, the treatment approach is to relieve symptoms and prevent future headaches.

To relieve symptoms of a headache in progress, you may be given high-dose oxygen therapy through a face mask for 15 to 20 minutes. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe a nasal spray called sumatriptan to relieve severe pain. Sumatriptan causes blood vessels in the brain to constrict (narrow), which can help relieve pain.

The treatment to prevent recurrent cluster headaches involves taking medication daily. Several medicines used to prevent cluster headaches include:

  • Verapamil: A medicine that relaxes blood vessels
  • Prednisone: A steroid that reduces inflammation and swelling
  • Lithium carbonate: A medicine that restores the balance of certain brain chemicals

Coital Headaches

While there are no established guidelines for the treatment of coital headaches, your healthcare provider may prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) called indomethacin if you have recurrent episodes. Indomethacin is commonly used to treat arthritis and may help prevent headache pain if taken one to two hours before sex.

If the problem persists, daily preventive drugs such as Topamax (topiramate)—commonly used to treat migraines and epilepsy—may be taken.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

You should see a healthcare provider if you experience headaches that:

  • Occur more often or are more severe than usual
  • Worsen or don't improve when taking OTC pain relievers
  • Affect your work, sleep, or normal daily activities
  • Cause you distress and you need help managing them

You should seek immediate care if you or someone you're with experience any of these symptoms:

  • Sudden, severe headache that may be accompanied by a stiff neck
  • Severe headache with fever, nausea, or vomiting that is not related to another illness
  • "First" or "worst" headache, often accompanied by confusion, weakness, double vision, or loss of consciousness
  • Headache that worsens over days or weeks or has changed in pattern or behavior
  • Headache and a loss of sensation or weakness in any part of the body
  • Persistent headache in someone who has been previously headache-free
  • Headache associated with convulsions and/or shortness of breath

Summary

Having an orgasm may help with migraine and cluster headaches for some people, but for others, orgasms may make headaches worse. It isn't known exactly why orgasms may help headaches, but scientists think it might have something to do with endorphins, which help relieve pain. Orgasms are not a cure-all, so talk with your healthcare provider to find treatments that can relieve your symptoms and prevent future headaches.

13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Colleen Doherty, MD
 Colleen Doherty, MD, is a board-certified internist living with multiple sclerosis.