Oil and water. Alcohol and decisions. Science and religion. Salt and wounds. These are things that don't mix well. You can add headache and sex to the list - it's already a well-worn cliché and the source of old jokes and supposed nighttime frustrations. "Not tonight, I have a headache" is a well-known justification for refusing sex.
Research shows that some people with headaches still have sexual desire and si pain is relieved by sexual activity.
A study by Wake Forest University
Researchers at the Department of Anesthesiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine conducted a study on the link between migraine headaches and sexual desire. A migraine is a severe and painful throbbing in the head, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Sixty-eight headache patients participated in the study.
From this modest sample size, the researchers found that not all headache sufferers avoid sex. In fact, migraine sufferers have reported sexual desire for 20 percent higher of those who have suffered from these tension headaches, the most common type of headache, which manifests itself as pain in the head and neck, accompanied by tight muscles in the areas of pain.
Researchers have found that migraine headaches and sex drive are affected by the same chemical – serotonin. Higher serotonin levels in individuals correspond to low sex drive. Low levels of serotonin are present in migraine headaches.
Most migraine sufferers have benefited from sex related headaches. They reported that sexual activity and orgasm relieve or completely eliminate migraine. Migraine relief was reported by 73.3 percent of men and 58 percent of women.
It has been confirmed that migraine sufferers may have a greater need for sex and for pain relief through sexual activity. But the relationship between sex and headaches is solely a matter for the patient. Unfortunately, we are not yet at a time when we will hear: "Let's do it tonight dear, my head hurts."
