Q: Good evening, Doctor… Please what is the cause of headache in the middle of the night especially after sexual intercourse?

A: This sounds like a condition known as sexual headache. It’s also known as sex headache, post-coital headache, orgasmic headache etc. It could occur during sexual intercourse, during orgasm or after sexual intercourse. And it can also occur at any time of the day and during any type of sexual activity.

It is felt at the back of the skull just above the neck and is usually described as throbbing. Or it could build up gradually during sexual intercourse and intensifies as the sexual excitement before an orgasm increases. They can last anything from a few minutes to a few hours; may never recur or may happen a couple more times before gradually fading away.

It is thought to be due to the release of adrenaline and rapid rise…