Sex headaches

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Definition Symptoms Causes Risk factors

When to seek medical advice Tests and diagnosis Treatments and drugs Prevention

Definition

Jokes about sex and headaches abound. But if you get a piercing headache during orgasm, it's no laughing matter.

Sexual activity — especially an orgasm — can trigger a headache. You may notice a dull ache in your head and neck that builds up as sexual excitement increases. Or, more commonly, you may experience a sudden, severe headache just before or during orgasm.

About one in 100 people will experience a sex headache at some point during his or her lifetime. Men are at least three times more likely than women to have sex headaches.

Most sex headaches are nothing to worry about. But some can be a sign of something serious, such as problems with the blood vessels that feed your brain.

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Symptoms