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From post sex headaches to uncontrollable fits of sneezing, some people experience strange things after orgasms. Researchers have revealed the weirdest.

Forget about pleasure, for some people orgasms bring pain. For approximately one in 100 people, sex headaches, also known as orgasmic cephalgia, are very real. And this isn’t the only reason some people avoid sex.

In a recently published paper, “Did you climax or are you just laughing at me,” researchers explored the rare phenomenas that are associated with orgasm. Case studies of peri-orgasmic phenomena were reviewed, including cases describing cataplexy (weakness), crying, dysorgasmia, dysphoria, facial and/or ear pain, foot pain, headache, pruritus, laughter, panic attack, post-orgasm illness syndrome, seizures, and sneezing.

One study referred to a woman who experienced spontaneous orgasmic sensations in her left foot. The researchers hypothesised that this was reflective of damaged nerve fibres in her foot.

In an interview, lead researcher, Dr Simon James, explained, “we believe, and I would say we know in mapping the human brain, whether it’s a male or female, that the genitalia are located very near where the great toe is mapped.” Other research incorporated as part of the paper included reports of uncontrollable fits of orgasmic sneezing, dating back as far as the 1900s, and a woman who expressed concern at her partner’s laughter after orgasm.

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