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| Sex Makes More Migraine Care Than Aspirin |
A team of neurologists has discovered that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headaches. The study, from the University of Munster in Germany, suggests that instead of using migraine as an excuse not to make love, making love can be more effective than taking analgesics.
Their research, published in the journal Cephalalgia [1], found that more than half of those who suffer from a migraine and who have sex during a migraine episode experience an improvement in symptoms.
One patient in five has no pain at all after, while others, especially men who suffer from a migraine, even use sexual activity as a therapeutic tool. They suggest that sexual intercourse releases endorphins, the natural pain relievers of the body, through the central nervous system which can, in turn, reduce or even eliminate a migraine.
"The majority of patients with migraines or headaches do not have sex during migraine attacks," the study concluded. "Our data, however, suggest that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete headache relief in patients with a migraine, as well as in some patients with vascular algia of the face."
"Our results show that sexual activity during a migraine attack could alleviate or even stop a seizure in some cases, and that sexual activity in the presence of a migraine is not unusual behavior."
They add that "sex can interrupt migraine attacks and vascular algia on the face, and sexual activity is used by some patients as a treatment for an acute migraine." In their research, the team of neurologists examined whether sexual relations could trigger migraines.
They also wanted to establish whether the anecdotal suggestions that this could also alleviate symptoms of a migraine and vascular algia of the face, a painful and disabling migraine that affects half of the head, had a background of truth.
An anonymous questionnaire was sent to 800 patients suffering from randomized migraine, and to 200 victims of vascular algia of the face. They asked about their experiences of sexual activity during a migraine attack, and how it affects the intensity of headaches.
More than one-third of migraine sufferers have had sexual intercourse during a crisis, and among these patients, almost two out of three reported an "improvement in their migraine attack". Almost three in four reported moderate to full relief, and one-third reported that it had worsened.
Among those who suffered from vascular algia of the face, almost a third had had sex during their crisis, with 37% who reported an improvement in their condition. More than 90% reported moderate to full relief, while 50% reported degradation.
The researchers added: "Some patients, especially migraineurs, even use sexual activity as a therapeutic tool"!
References :
[1] The impact of sexual activity on idiopathic headaches: An observational study. Cephalalgia.
