Forget lovesickness — for some people, hot-and-steamy romps in the sack leave them feeling, well, not so hot.
Not in the mood tonight? You probably have a number of clever cop-outs up your sleeve — your head is killing you, you’ve been so tired lately, or you’d just hate
But can you imagine having to turn down your partner’s advances because having sex would actually make you sick — trigger a piercing headache, flu-like symptoms, or even amnesia? From postcoital depression to postorgasmic illness syndrome, here’s a look at some common (and some unusual) sexual sicknesses.
TGA: Sex That Actually Blows Your Mind
Have you ever had sex that's so toe-curlingly fabulous, you can't think straight? For one woman in Washington, DC, a roll in the hay with her husband zapped her memory . literally.
Her memories began to disappear about an hour after intercourse, and doctors diagnosed her with transient global amnesia (TGA) — a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that affects between 23 and 32 people out of 100,000 each year in the United States.
The incident was reported in the Journal of Emergency MedicineStroke
Sex isn't the only trigger — transient global amnesia may also be caused by other physically strenuous activities. Fortunately, people who experience this curious condition usually get their memory back within a few hours, and it's unlikely to happen again.
Exertional Headaches and Orgasmic Headaches
It’s a clichéd excuse when you want to avoid intercourse (“not tonight, dear — I’ve got a headache”), but for some people, sex actually triggers
The second type of sex-induced headache has been dubbed an “orgasmic headache.” An orgasmic headache is a very intense, severe vascular headache usually occurring just before orgasm, according to the NHF. The headache can be a response to an increase in blood pressure, and it usually lasts a few minutes (but can last for hours). It occurs more frequently in men than in women and usually strikes those prone to migraines.
Postcoital Dysphoria: When Sex Makes You Feel Sad
Feeling glum about a not-so-great sexual encounter is one thing — but in a small study published in the International Journal of Sexual Health
Postsex depression is marked by feelings of sadness, anxiety, irritability, or agitation. If you’re regularly sad in the sack, you might want to explore the reasons for your feelings with a therapist, says the obstetrician-gynecologist Paula Bednarek, MD, MPH, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. These emotions could also be related to feeling unequal in your partnership or other relationship issues.
Semen Allergies: When You’re Allergic to Sex
Can you be physically allergic to sex? Up to 40,000 women in the United States are believed to have a semen allergy. Although this sexual sensitivity is rare, Dr. Bednarek says that semen changes the pH balance in the vagina for some women, resulting in irritation, cervical mucus, hives, and swelling. Your best bet for reducing the symptoms of semen allergy is to use a condom, says Bednarek.