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IHSDiagnosisICD-10
4.4.2Orgasmic headache G44.805  
Coded elsewhere Postural headache resembling that of low CSF pressure has been reported to develop after coitus. Such headache should be coded as 7.2.3 Headache attributed to spontaneous (or idiopathic) low CSF pressure because it is due to CSF leakage.

Diagnostic criteria:

  1. Sudden severe ("explosive") headache meeting criterion B
  2. Occurs at orgasm
  3. Not attributed to another disorder1

Note:

  1. On first onset of orgasmic headache it is mandatory to exclude conditions such as subarachnoid haemorrhage and arterial dissection.

Comment:

An association between 4.4 Primary headache associated with sexual activity, 4.3 Primary exertional headache and migraine is reported in approximately 50% of cases.

Two subtypes (dull type and explosive type headache) were included in the first edition of The International Classification of Headache Disorders. No specific investigation has been undertaken since then to clarify whether they are separate entities. In most published reports of headache with sexual activity, only explosive ("vascular type") headache has been reported. The dull type may be a subtype of tension-type headache, but no evidence supports this hypothesis.

No firm data are available on the duration of primary headache associated with sexual activity, but it is usually considered to last from 1 minute to 3 hours.

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