Orgasm headaches cause sudden pain at the moment of climax — here's how to treat one and when to see a doctor

Madeline Kennedy

Nov 7, 2020, 03:22 IST

Orgasm headaches cause sudden pain at the moment of climax — here's how to treat one and when to see a doctor

Orgasm headaches are painful, but usually not a cause for concern.AndreyPopov/Getty Images

An orgasm headache is a sudden, intense head pain that comes on at the moment of orgasm.
This type of headache may be caused by the blood vessels in your head dilating at the peak of orgasm, but experts aren't totally sure why it occurs for some people.
An orgasm headache is usually not something to be worried about, but if you are having repeated headaches then you can use prescription beta-blockers, anti-migraine drugs, or painkillers like Aleve.
This article was medically reviewed by Jason R. McKnight, MD, MS, a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine.

Orgasms are always an intense experience, but for people with orgasm headaches, they may be painful, too. Orgasm headaches come on suddenly and may last only a few minutes, but are painful enough to make some people avoid sex. Experts don't know exactly why these headaches happen, but there are several treatments that can help ease the pain.

Here's what you need to know about orgasm headaches, how to treat them, and when to see a doctor.

What is an orgasm headache?

An orgasm headache comes on just before or at the moment you orgasm and feels like a sudden, intense pain, sometimes referred to as a "thunderclap."

"Patients feel as if someone has hit them with a cricket or baseball bat on the back of their head," says Fayyaz Ahmed, MD, a neurologist and honorary professor at Hull York Medical School. Some people say the headaches feel as if they have ruptured a blood vessel, Ahmed says, though orgasm headaches don't actually cause any damage to your brain.

Orgasm headaches tend to feel worse at the start and ease over time. The most severe pain may last as little as one minute, but in some cases, it can stretch as long as 24 hours. You may also be sensitive to light and sounds or feel worse when you move your body, Ahmed says.

Orgasm headaches aren't the only type of sex headache – a pre-orgasmic headache begins when you start to feel aroused and may build up as you become more sexually excited. These headaches tend to cause a constant, dull pain rather than a sudden strike.

Both orgasmic and pre-orgasmic headaches are considered benign headaches, meaning that they are not caused by any underlying medical problem. Anyone can have orgasm headaches, but you are more likely to get them if you are male or if you have a family history of migraines.

Migraine sufferers are more likely to have repeated orgasm headaches over many weeks or months. People without migraines often only have one orgasm headache or just get them for a short period of time.

What causes an orgasm headache?

"The exact cause of orgasmic headache remains unknown," Ahmed says, but it may be related to changes in your blood pressure.

As you become sexually aroused and get closer to orgasm, your blood pressure increases. But at the moment of orgasm, your heart rate increases and blood pressure drops, causing the blood vessels in your head to dilate, Ahmed says.

For most people, this dilation shouldn't cause any pain, but when blood vessels grow too large, it can stimulate the pain receptors contained in your blood vessels and cause a severe headache.

How to treat an orgasm headache

Orgasm headaches often resolve on their own. "A lot of patients spontaneously improve," Ahmed says. But if you're having repeated orgasm headaches, there are treatments you can use to prevent them, including:

Beta-blockers. A daily dose of a prescription beta-blocker like Propranolol may help. "Beta-blockers reduce the blood pressure during sexual intercourse by preventing the release of stress hormones like adrenaline," Ahmed says. This means you are less likely to have big spikes or drops in blood pressure that can trigger a headache.
Anti-migraine drugs. Prescription medications that treat migraines like Sumatriptan may help prevent orgasm headaches if you take them an hour before having sex.
Painkillers. Your doctor may also recommend a painkiller like Aleve to take a half-hour before sex, Ahmed says.

But if it's your first time experiencing a severe, "thunderclap" headache and you are unsure if it is related to orgasm, then you should go to the hospital to make sure that it is not a brain hemorrhage, Ahmed says.

The bottom line

Orgasm headaches can be a painful and frightening experience, but there are treatments that can help ease your symptoms. In most cases, there is nothing serious to worry about, but if a headache comes with symptoms like vomiting, passing out, or stiff neck, or lasts longer than 24 hours, get medical attention as soon as possible as these may be a sign of a more serious condition.