Sex Cures

by Tara Block 0

It's no surprise that there are benefits to sex, but now a new study has come out saying that sex can do something else: cure migraines. Published in Cephalalgia, the journal of the International Headache Society, the study found that more than half of migraine-suffering participants who had sex experienced an improvement in symptoms, and 20 percent were completely cured of their headache. According to the researchers, it's all about the endorphins released during sex:

"Our results show that sexual activity during a migraine attack might relieve or even stop an attack in some cases, and that sexual activity in the presence of headache is not an unusual behavior. Sex can abort migraine and cluster headache attacks, and sexual activity is used by some patients as acute headache treatment."

But headaches aren't the only thing sex cures; here are six more:

• Cramps: Having sex can help with period pain. Orgasms cause the uterine muscles to contract and release brain chemicals that act as a natural pain reliever, immediately relieving menstrual cramps.
• Colds: Regular sex has also been shown to have immune-boosting effects that can cure the common cold. Intercourse raises immunoglobulin A, an antibody that fights the cold virus.
• Morning sickness: Oral sex can cure morning sickness? Yes, according to Gordon Gallup, a psychologist at SUNY-Albany. He says that the best way to cure morning sickness during pregnancy is with semen from the person who got you pregnant. Gallup believes that a woman's body rejects the father's semen, causing sickness, so if you build up a tolerance by ingesting it, you can prevent the stomach problems.
• Insomnia: After sex, your body releases the hormone oxytocin, aka the "cuddle hormone," which makes you sleepy. And women produce more oxytocin than men.
• Hiccups: Dr. Francis M. Fesmire came up with two cures for hiccups, "digital rectal massage" and orgasms. He said, "An orgasm results in incredible stimulation of the vagus nerve. From now on, I will be recommending sex — culminating with orgasm — as the cure-all for intractable hiccups."
• Depression: Sex has been proven to help mental health thanks to numerous studies. James Coan, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, says, "When you have sex, you release feel-good hormones, including oxytocin and endorphins." And a recent study found that oral sex can help, too, since semen contains chemicals that elevate mood, increase affection, and contain antidepressants.