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By Mayo Clinic staffAny type of sexual activity that leads to orgasm — including masturbation, oral sex and intercourse — can trigger sex headaches.
The types of sex headaches that build up for several minutes before orgasm might be caused by tightening the head and neck muscles during sexual activity. The variety of sex headaches that occur abruptly at orgasm may be a response to increased blood pressure that causes the cerebral blood vessels to dilate.
The abrupt variety of sex headache may also be caused by a stroke or bleeding into or around the brain.
Other factors that have been associated with sexual headaches include:
- Birth control pills
- Smoking marijuana
- Glaucoma
- Anemia
- Sinus infection
- Low blood sugar