Sex's Impact on Migraine Occurrence: Alleviation or Aggravation?
Migraines, a neurological condition characterised by severe headaches and other symptoms like sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and vomiting, can be influenced by various factors, including sexual activity.
While some people find relief from migraines during sexual activity, the effect varies significantly among individuals and types of headaches. Around 60% of migraine sufferers report that sex improves or resolves their headaches, while approximately 33% say sex makes their headaches worse[1].
The relief from migraine headaches is strongly associated with sexual arousal or orgasm, with around 43% experiencing relief immediately after orgasm or peak arousal[1]. However, cluster headaches show a different pattern, with fewer people finding relief (37%) and half experiencing worsening symptoms after sex[1].
The type of headache plays a significant role in determining whether sex will alleviate or trigger migraines. Migraines are more likely to be relieved by sex compared to cluster headaches, which often worsen with sexual activity[1]. Individual variation also plays a crucial role, as responses to sexual activity in relation to headache symptoms vary from person to person.
Hormonal influences, particularly those involving estrogen, can trigger migraines, especially in women during puberty, menstruation, menopause, or health conditions like endometriosis[4][5]. These hormonal factors could indirectly affect how migraines respond to sexual activity.
Sexual arousal and orgasm seem to play a critical role in headache relief for many migraine sufferers. The potential benefit of sexual activity for migraine relief may relate to the release of endorphins from orgasm, which can help block pain perception in the body[2]. This means that masturbation or other forms of sexual activity may also help block the perception of pain from a migraine episode.
However, it's important to note that while sex may relieve migraine symptoms in some people, it can also trigger migraine episodes in others. A person may find it useful to take a less active role during sexual activity if it is a potential migraine trigger.
In addition to understanding the impact of sexual activity on migraines, there are several other strategies for managing migraines. Identifying and avoiding triggers, such as stress, anxiety, hormonal changes, certain foods, and loud noises, can help prevent migraine episodes. Managing stress and anxiety through relaxation techniques like yoga, exercise, stress management strategies, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also provide migraine relief.
For migraine prevention, a doctor may prescribe indomethacin, propranolol, or topiramate. Ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) tablets and lasmiditan (Reyvow) are FDA-approved medications to help prevent migraine episodes. The drug erenumab (Aimovig) is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the activity of certain proteins in the body, specifically calcitonin gene-related peptide, which plays a role in migraine.
If migraines are interfering with a person's life, they should contact a doctor. It's essential to consult a healthcare provider to understand individual responses to sexual activity and to exclude other potentially life-threatening conditions. A person should seek medical attention if they have a sudden onset of migraine symptoms, severe migraine symptoms, or a sudden headache associated with sex for the first time.
During an acute migraine episode, medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, sumatriptan, ergotamine drugs, and drugs like metoclopramide (Reglan) may help decrease nausea and vomiting. Keeping a journal or log of potential personal triggers can help avoid them in the future and identify a migraine episode more quickly.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5846859/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7183201/ [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523150/ [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991146/ [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2707885/
- Migraines, a neurological condition, can be influenced by various factors, including sexual activity, and personal responses to such activities vary significantly among individuals.
- For some migraine sufferers, sexual activity can improve or resolve headaches, while for approximately one-third, it may worsen symptoms.
- The relief from migraine headaches is associated with sexual arousal or orgasm, with around 43% experiencing immediate relief after orgasm or peak arousal.
- Hormonal influences, particularly those involving estrogen, can trigger migraines in women during puberty, menstruation, menopause, or certain health conditions like endometriosis.
- Sexual arousal and orgasm seem to play a critical role in headache relief for many migraine sufferers, possibly due to the release of endorphins, which can help block pain perception in the body.
- While sex may relieve migraine symptoms for some individuals, it can also trigger migraines for others and should be approached with caution to avoid exacerbating symptoms or triggering a migraine episode.
