An exertional headache associated with sexual arousal or orgasm.

These headaches may be classified as one of three types, depending on onset:

  • Early coital cephalgia, a moderate headache of short duration
  • Orgasmic coital cephalgia, an abrupt, severe headache lasting 15 to 20 minutes
  • Late coital cephalgia, which is of long duration (hours to days) and which occurs after orgasmic coital cephalgia
Coital cephalgia is caused by the deficiency of the nervous transmitters acetylcholine and serotonin and the hormone DHEA and testosterone/estrogen in the brain. It affects the rear brain and the Cranial (parasympathetic) Outflow Nerves.

These headaches are benign in nature and are rarely associated with any significant health problem. Most sufferers report that symptoms disappear within a month of onset.