Millions of Americans suffer from debilitating migraine headaches, which result in pain, nausea and considerable downtime. In search of relief, many people rely on powerful medications which often provide only slight improvement. Now, a new study suggests that migraine sufferers may be able to find relief from their ailments by seeking help from their romantic partners.
Bedroom Therapy
A study out of the University of Munster in Germany suggests that sexual activity may have the power to eliminate or minimize migraine pain. Appearing in the journal Cephalalgia the research determined that having an orgasm appeared to stop an impending migraine from occurring and/or lesson the severity of an existing one. To reach their findings, the researchers questioned 200 migraine sufferers about their sexual habits during migraine attacks. In response, several subjects reported that they used sex to treat their migraines, with 60 percent saying that orgasms lessened or eliminated their migraine pain.
Could It Work for TMJ Headaches?
Although it originates in the jaw, temporomandibular joint disorders are characterized by numerous vague symptoms that can impact several parts of the body. This includes several types of headaches, including tension-type headaches (TTH) and migraines. Recent studies tend to link TMJ more with migraines than with TTH. In fact, TMJ and migraines are considered part of the complex of chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPC), which also includes fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome/disorder (IBS/IBD), and several others.
That said, there is probably little harm in trying this headache solution if you have a ready and willing partner. In fact, you probably don’t even need a partner, since researchers in the study believe that masturbatory orgasms could work just as well as orgasmic sex with a partner.
Sex Could Also Cause Headaches
Not to put too much of a damper on the excitement in the room at this news, but sex isn’t always a headache cure. In fact, it can cause headaches for many people. This is unfortunately common for many home remedies for migraines (such as caffeine). Sex headaches can be either slow-to-build throbbing headaches that affect the head and neck (possibly TTH) or sudden-onset headaches that occur just before or just after orgasm. Both can be primary headaches. However, they might be linked to other serious health conditions, including:
- Aneurysm
- Irregular connection between arteries and veins
- Bleeding into the wall of an artery
- Stroke
- Coronary artery disease
- Infection
- Certain medications
Sudden-onset headaches are more likely to be linked to these health conditions. If you start to experience sex headaches, contact a doctor. It’s likely there’s no cause for alarm, but it’s better to be safe.
A Targeted Treatment
If your severe headaches are accompanied by jaw pain, jaw clicking, chewing difficulties, neck soreness and/or facial tenderness; you could have temporomandibular joint disorder. Fortunately, by assessing your individual symptoms, Dr. Adam Hahn can determine the exact cause of each. If he determines that you do suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder, the office can also provide an effective treatment that will stop TMD symptoms, whether it’s headaches, clicking in the jaw or something else. To learn more, contact Smile Columbia today or call (803) 781-9090.
