Sexual headaches , also known as coital cephalalgia , is a type of rare headache that occurs in the skull and neck during sexual activity, including masturbation or orgasm. These headaches are often benign, but should be evaluated by a doctor to exclude intracranial hemorrhage and cerebral infarction, especially if the pain is sudden and severe. They may be caused by general exertion, sexual arousal, or contraction of the neck and facial muscles. Most cases can be successfully treated with drugs.
Video Sexual headache
Presentations
According to the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD), which states this condition is a major headache associated with sexual activity, it usually starts as a rising headache that increases with sexual arousal, and becomes intense during orgasm. For some patients, headaches start suddenly, often during orgasm. In two-thirds of cases, it's bilateral, and unilateral in the rest. The pain lasts from one minute to 24 hours with severe intensity, or for 72 hours with mild intensity. The incident is unpredictable, and may not follow any sexual act.
The previous edition of the ICHD divided the conditions into two subformulir, preorgasmic headache and orgasmic headache . This sub-form is combined into one entity with varying presentations because clinical studies can not tell the difference. Post-orgasmic headaches associated with posture may be better associated with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak. Sudden and severe headaches during sexual activity can also be caused by intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or cerebral infarction, requiring immediate medical attention.
Maps Sexual headache
Cause
For some patients, headaches may be associated with general exertion. About 40% of patients with sexual headaches in one study also experience headaches from non-sexual exertion. A pressure response for exercise has been suggested as a mechanism. For other patients, the pain seems to be specifically activated by sexual arousal and contraction of facial and neck muscles.
Sporadic case studies have linked sexual headaches with the use of certain drugs, including amiodarone, pseudoephedrine, birth control pills, and cannabis. This may be secondary to other conditions, such as reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. It's associated with migraine.
Epidemiology
These headaches are thought to appear about 1% of the population. They can occur with sexual activity at any age. This is more common in men than women, with studies putting a sex ratio between 1.2: 1 and 3: 1.
Treatment
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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