Some people get headaches from sex, while the reverse is true for others: Sex can be an effective therapy for migraines and cluster headaches, researchers from the University of Münster report. At least in some patients, the pain in the head subsides, especially in men.

Sex therapy works

The neurologists sent a questionnaire to 800 migraine and 200 cluster headache patients. They should share their experiences with sex during a headache attack and how it affects headache intensity. The questions were answered completely anonymously. 38 percent of migraine and 48 percent of cluster headache patients responded.

34 percent of migraine sufferers had experience of sex during a seizure – around 60 percent of them reported an improvement in the migraine attack. Almost two thirds experienced moderate to complete pain relief, one third had an even more severe headache than before.

Of the cluster headache patients, 31 percent had experience of sexual activity during an attack. 37 percent reported an improvement in the severe headache. Most classified the pain relief as moderate to complete, but 50 percent said the pain had worsened.

Men benefit the most

Especially men with migraines seemed to benefit from sex. They even use sex as a therapeutic agent, according to the researchers. “The majority of migraine and cluster headache patients do not have sex during the attack.” However, the results indicated that sex might be an effective remedy for the pain for some.

Migraine is one of the most common forms of headache. Around ten million people are affected in Germany alone. Migraine attacks occur most frequently between the ages of 35 and 45 – and here women suffer three times more often than men. Cluster headaches are rare, affecting less than one percent of the population. It mainly affects young men between the ages of 20 and 40. Overall, men are affected five times more often than women. (in the)

Source: Hambach, Anke et. al: “The impact of sexual activity on idiopathic headaches: An observational study”, Cephalalgia, 2/2013, doi: 10.1177 / 0333102413476374

translated into Russian by Evgeny Sheronov

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