Migraine and Sex: Erectile Dysfunction?
A new study suggests that migraine and erectile dysfunction may be connected. And the problem involved a surprising group of men.
We’ve talked about migraine and sexuality before. We know there are some important migraine issues related to female sexuality. And of course, these impact men of course!
But this spring a study was released about male migraineurs and erectile dysfunction. By the way, here’s the Mayo Clinic summary of this condition:
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) occurs when a man can no longer get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. Having erection trouble from time to time isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. But if erectile dysfunction is an ongoing problem, it may cause stress, cause relationship problems or affect your self-confidence. [Read more]
Now we already know that erectile dysfunction (ED) can be a problem for patients with heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other conditions. Certain medications can also be a problem, including drugs for high blood pressure, antidepressants, anti-convulsants, NSAIDs, and antihistamines.
The study from the College of Medicine, at the National Taiwan University, took 5763 patients with ED and another 17,289 controls. They then adjusted for some of the most common causes of ED. Then they checked to see who had been diagnosed with migraine.
In the end, they discovered that men who had been diagnosed with migraine were far more likely to have ED.
But here’s the surprise – one group in particular was very likely to have migraine and ED. This group was almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with migraine compared to the control group. That was men ages 30-39.
Once again, it’s important to talk to a doctor who knows your medical history. As you can see, ED can be caused by certain medications that are common to migraine patients.
Also, in the case of at least one herbal supplement for migraine, the treatment may be helpful for both migraine and ED. Pycnogenol has been studied as a migraine and ED treatment.
If you’re dealing with these two issues, you’re certainly not alone. Talk to your doctor and develop a strategy that works.
Study abstract: Migraine and erectile dysfunction: evidence from a population-based case-control study.
via: Is There an Association Between Migraines and Erectile Dysfunction?
6 November 2012 @ 3:03 am
lowered sexual desire (low libido) also occurs in men with ED. Many men affected by ED also have poor general health or emotional problems, which aggravate the ED condition.
25 March 2018 @ 10:15 am
Migraine can cause symptoms like a stroke, including numbness and loss of feeling/sensation, for example in hands and face. Could it be that it also can sometimes reduce sexual feelings?
MIgraine can even make normally pleasant enjoyable things feel the opposite. Like the foods you usually like suddenly taste awful.
So there could be both physical and psychological (induced by the migraine, though) reasons for ED problems caused or made worse by migraine.
Just thinking out loud. Curious to hear more and hope there will be more research.
26 March 2018 @ 6:18 pm
Hi Ray,
Yes, migraine can cause a whole host of complex symptoms. Interestingly enough, many migraine preventative medications can also cause sexual dysfunction in both men and women.