The effect of migraine and tension-type headaches on female sexual functions: A prospective, cross-sectional, controlled study

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effects of migraine and tension-type headaches (TTH) on female sexual function. Material and methods: In this prospective study, sexually active females; 45 who were suffering from migraines, 47 who were TTH patients as diagnosed by a neurology clinic, and 50 who were healthy women that served as the control group were included. Sexual functions of the cases were evaluated through the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) with Turkish validation and the results were compared among the groups. Results: There was no significant difference between the ages and body mass index (BMI) of the migraine, TTH, and control groups. Although there was no significant difference between the FSFI scores of women with migraines and TTH, the FSFI scores of these two groups were found to be statistically significantly lower than that of the control group (16.77 +/- 4.27, 17.56 +/- 3.47, 26.81 +/- 3.19) (p<0.001). When all subgroup scales of FSFI scores were examined, both migraine and TTH groups were found to be significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study shows that migraines and TTH disrupt the quality of life for patients and cause female sexual dysfunction. Therefore, it is important that patients with neurologic disorders are also evaluated for sexual dysfunction.