For some people, sexual activity can bring on a headache. A group of researchers at the University of Munster in Germany set out to see if sexual activity during a migraine or cluster headache might actually alleviate the pain in some people.
A questionnaire was sent to 200 cluster headache patients, and 800 migraine patients. The researchers asked the participants to share their experiences regarding sexual activity during a headache, and it’s impact on the intensity of the headache.
Approximately 48% of the cluster headache patients responded to the questionnaire, and about 38% of the migraine patients did. In cluster headache, 31% of the patients had experience with sexual activity during a headache – of these 37% said they saw improvement (91% of them reported moderate to complete relief.) However, about 50% said the headache pain actually worsened.
About 34% of the migraine patients had experience with sexual activity during a headache, and out of this group, 60% saw an improvement of their migraine attack – 70% of them saying they had moderate to complete relief. Approximately 33% said their headaches intensified with sexual activity. Some patients, mostly male migraine patients said they used sexual activity as a therapeutic tool for their headaches.
The researchers concluded that the majority of the patients studied did not have sexual activity during headaches. Yet, for those who did, it led to partial or complete relief of pain in a few cluster headache patients, and some migraine patients…….Cephalagia 2/19/13