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Many people report that sex relieve their migraine and tension-type headaches. We also know that sexual activity can trigger severe headaches. A group of German researchers conducted an observational study among patients of a headache clinic. They sent out a questionnaire to 800 unselected migraine patients and 200 unselected cluster headache patients. They asked about their experience with sexual activity during a headache attack and its impact on headache intensity. 38% of the migraine patients and 48% of the patients with cluster headaches responded. In migraine, 34% of the patients had experience with sexual activity during an attack; out of these patients, 60% reported an improvement of their migraine attack (70% of them reported moderate to complete relief) and 33% reported worsening. In those with cluster headaches, 31% of the patients had experience with sexual activity during an attack; out of these patients, 37% reported an improvement of their cluster headache attack (91% of them reported moderate to complete relief) and 50% reported worsening. Some patients, in particular male migraine patients, even used sexual activity to treat their headaches.
Obviously, the majority of patients with migraine or cluster headache do not have sexual activity during headache attacks. However, the doctors concluded that sexual activity can lead to partial or complete relief of headache in some migraine and a few cluster headache patients. Some of my patients report that masturbation is as good as having sex in relieving their migraine attacks.
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