Hello, PEDESTRIAN.TV readers. I’d like to share a story with you. Partly because it’s funny, and partly as a PSA. It turns out you can literally cum so hard you give yourself a migraine-like phenomenon known as an orgasm headache, or thunderclap headache.
Picture it: after years of just using my actual hand (loser), I acquired one of those clit-sucking vibrators. Then, having seen the light, I upped my wank game and got one of those dual-action vibrators that sucks and fucks at the same time. I’m sorry, but get you a man that can do both (you can’t, it’s physically impossible). Technology — we love it!
When I first met my little dual-action friend, I cleared my schedule, threw my trackpants on the floor and got down to business. But I wasn’t fully prepared for what would go down. A clitoral and g-spot orgasm at the same time?! It’s unheard of! And it turned out, my body thought so too.
Even though everything felt extremely good from the waist down, as I reached orgasmic heights I’d never seen or even perceived before, a sudden searing pain hit my temples.
I saw stars, and not in a fun and sexy way. My ears were ringing and my head was absolutely pounding. I’d never had a migraine before, but from what people had told me it felt exactly like that. Or kind of like every headache I’d had in the last five years hitting me at the same time.
The pain was so sudden and so intense that it rudely stole the thunder of my majestic double orgasm, and not only that — it had me terrified that I’d wanked so hard I’d given myself an aneurysm. Was this how it all ended? Would I be found cold, lifeless, spread-eagled in bed with a Womanizer Duo still feebly buzzing in my limp hand?
I lay there, contemplating my life and mortality for a few minutes, and then did what every young person does when they feel deathly unwell: fired up Google to diagnose me. I think I typed in “orgasm headache” and found out that this is a very real thing.
So what is an orgasm headache?
According to Healthline, an orgasm headache characterised as “a sudden, severe, throbbing pain in your head before or during sexual release”. Mine lingered around for a few hours, but definitely dropped in intensity after the first five minutes, which was a relief.
My research told me that orgasm headaches can really vary — some people feel only a dull throbbing while others, like me, have strong, sharp, debilitating pain. Some folks, I learned, get these orgasm headaches every time they have sex, which is a real boner kill.
Why do some people get an orgasm headache?
Neurologist Dr. Nestor Galvez-Jimenez told the Cleveland Clinic that it’s all about that full-body orgasm effect. “During sex, your heart rate and blood pressure can increase quite a lot,” he explained. “Blood vessels in your brain dilate, or open up. The muscles in your head, neck and shoulders tighten.”
All of these symptoms can create a perfect storm that leads to sudden pain presenting in your noggin, effectively killing any vibe you were feeling mere seconds earlier.
Should I be worried about an orgasm headache?
Although it feels scary due to its intensity, according to Dr. Galvez-Jimenez “the headache itself usually isn’t dangerous, though the pain can be extreme.” However, he does recommend that you get yourself checked out if it’s your first time experiencing one, or if your orgasm headache is particularly severe, as it could potentially be the sign of an underlying health issue.
Is an orgasm headache the same as a thunderclap headache?
What originally scared me was that the kind of orgasm headache I got — instant, strong, throbbing, extremely painful — was consistent with a thunderclap headache.
Thunderclap headaches are named as such because they happen fast — like a clap of thunder — and according to the Mayo Clinic, these headaches reach their pain peak within 60 seconds. If only my orgasm was that efficient.
But thunderclap headaches are more serious than an orgasm headache and can be accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting, which I did not have. However, if your post-orgasm headache is concerning you, best to take yourself off to a doctor.
On that note, it’s important to remember that the information in this article is general in nature. Please always consult a GP or other medical practitioner for advice that is specific to your health needs.
As for me, so far I haven’t experienced another orgasm headache. But I’m still wanking a lot — just to be extra sure, you know?
