Sex may prove to be a more effective treatment for migraines than any medication currently on the market, a new study suggests. Over half of migraine sufferers report that if they have sex during an attack, the pain is significantly reduced. Moreover, in almost 20% of those who practice sex during a migraine attack, the pain disappears completely. In a study conducted by the University of Münster, Germany, neurologists studied the data of 400 patients with migraine and cluster (one-sided) headache, treated with medication for two years. 33% of patients reported having sex during an attack. 60% of migraine sufferers reported symptom relief after sex, as did 36% of cluster headache sufferers. Interestingly, for men, the benefits of sex are greater than for women, at least for headaches – 36% of men routinely use sex as a therapeutic tool, compared to just 13% of women. Of the patients who found sex effective, 19% reported complete resolution of symptoms, 51% moderate pain relief, and 29% mild pain relief. NEWS_MORE_BOX This may be due to the release of pain-relieving endorphins during sex. Brain imaging studies have shown that the hypothalamus is highly active during cluster headaches, as well as during orgasm. Another plausible explanation is the change in blood pressure that occurs during sex. According to Dr Nick Silver, a neuroscientist at the NHS Walton Center for Neuroscience and Neurosurgery in Liverpool, the study is interesting but underpowered. This is a reason for caution when drawing general conclusions. The study was published in the scientific journal Cephalgia, a publication of the International Headache Society.