Some drugs can be helpful, such as propranolol or endomethicin. But Diamond says anyone who has a recurring sexual headache should see a doctor to rule out more dangerous problems, such as aneurysms or tumors. But Haas, the New York professor, says the number could be higher than generally is thought. They don't have sex for a week or two, and it goes away, so they don't tell their doctor. So it may be more common than we know.
Doctors say a brief, isolated incident is probably no cause for alarm.
But if the headache lasts for more than an hour or two at high intensity, you should have it checked out. Everything happens in this closed box, the skull, with 20 to 40 billion neurons. What To Do To learn more about sex-related headaches and treatments, visit the State University of New York Upstate Medical University . Or check out a forum maintained by the neurology department of Massachussetts General Hospital . Or, you may want to read previous HealthScout articles on headaches .