Treatment Available for 'Orgasmic Headaches'

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Wed Oct 1, 1:03 PM ET

By Karla Gale

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The severe headaches that occasionally occur during sexual activity, sometimes called "orgasmic headaches," can often be prevented, German physicians report.

These headaches are usually benign, Dr. Achim Frese told Reuters Health, but individuals who experience one for the first time should consult a doctor to make sure it is not related to a brain hemorrhage. Doctors can also prescribe medication that will relieve or even prevent these headaches.

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The headaches typically start when patients are in their 30s, and men are three to four times more likely to have HSA than women. Often, individuals find that the headache will lessen or go away altogether if sexual activity is stopped or if the affected person assumes a more "passive role" during intercourse.

The severe headache can last for up to 12 hours, the doctors report in the journal Neurology, but mild pain may persist for days. Frese advises that sexual activity should not be attempted until pain is entirely gone; otherwise, a new HSA is more likely to occur.


Headaches with sexual activity sometimes respond to indomethacin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used as a pain reliever, Frese pointed out. For individuals who experience repeated HSA, indomethacin taken an hour before sexual activity may prevent them.


Some patients will also benefit from ongoing therapy with beta-blockers, drugs used to treat high blood pressure.

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1. You forgot to mention...

...that those of us with vascular migraine tendencies are more succeptible! Ouch!!