Headache after sex

A headache after having sex is called dyspareunia, which has many causes. Generally speaking, the patient may have a history of neurovascular headaches, because the blood circulation in the body is faster during sexual intercourse, which can easily induce headaches. This situation is generally more common in men than in women. In addition to this reason, it may also be due to tension headaches, or intracranial low pressure headaches, etc.

Why do I get a headache after having sex?

According to the clinical manifestations of sexual intercourse headache, it can be generally divided into the following three types:

1. Vascular headache:

This type is the most common, accounting for about 70%. It occurs before sexual intercourse or at the peak of sexual desire, with rapid speed and intensity, and is confined to the forehead or back of the head. It is explosive or pulsating, lasting from a few minutes to a few hours; later it turns into mild dull pain, which can last for about 48 hours. About 1/4 of patients have a family history of migraine. Sometimes it may be accompanied by palpitations, but vomiting rarely occurs and mental confusion is occasionally seen. If the head and neck are kept in a low position during sexual intercourse, the attack may be avoided.

2. Tension headache:

This type of headache accounts for about 25% of sexual intercourse headaches. It occurs in the early stages of sexual intercourse and is most severe during orgasm. It manifests as dull pain or tightness in the entire head or occipital area, lasting from a few hours to a few days.

3. Low intracranial pressure headache:

This type is rare, accounting for about 5%. The patient suddenly develops a headache, which lasts for 2 to 3 weeks and then spontaneously improves, but may relapse after sexual intercourse again. The headache is mostly located under the occipital bone and has a clear relationship with the body position. The headache worsens when standing upright and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

The occurrence of sexual headache is related to sexual psychology, sexual physiology, sexual knowledge, sexual habits, etc. During sexual activity, due to sexual excitement, the muscles of the head and neck spasm, blood circulation accelerates, blood pressure rises, and blood vessels spasm, causing pain. If there is vascular stenosis (including congenital and acquired causes), the blood circulation in the brain will be poor, and the blood will be concentrated in the reproductive system during sexual excitement, which can cause brain ischemia and cause pain. In addition, some lifestyle factors can also cause headaches during sexual intercourse, such as frequent and prolonged sexual intercourse, excessive physical fatigue, poor sexual environment, poor air flow, and noisy sounds that make people upset, which can also cause headaches. Other factors such as bad mood and sudden changes in body position during sexual intercourse can also cause headaches.