British woman, 44, suffers stroke while nearing orgasm when partner was performing oral sex

A woman in London who was receiving oral sex from her partner had to be rushed to the hospital after she suffered a stroke while having an orgasm. According to the Daily Mail, the 44-year-old passed out as she was nearing orgasm. Subsequent scans revealed a blood vessel had burst inside her skull during the act.

After three minutes of unconsciousness, the woman came around and complained of suffering a "moderate" headache. Nonetheless, she was rushed to the ER in an ambulance. According to medics, changes in blood pressure during sex are "well described" as a cause of bursting blood vessels. However, they weren't able to directly explain what caused the stroke.

The woman, who did not wish to be identified, was treated at West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth, Hounslow. Her partner, whose sex is unknown, said they were performing oral sex on her when they noticed "her body was stiff."

Documenting her case in the medical journal BMJ Case Reports, published March 12, doctors wrote: "On closer history taking, the patient reported nearing orgasm while receiving oral sex from her partner before losing consciousness. She had been otherwise well preceding the event."

The woman had normal vital signs and was fully awake and responsive when she arrived in A&E. While she said she felt sick and had a headache in front of her head, she did not vomit. CT scans later revealed there was blood between her skull and her brain, indicating a stroke. Medics had initially thought she suffered a seizure, but later diagnosed a rare type of bleeding in the brain which was relatively "small" in size.

Doctors acknowledged in their report that sexual activity causes an increase in blood pressure and has been "well-described" as a cause of blood vessels bursting in the past. While the past research was conducted only on penetrative sex, authorities suggest oral sex could have similar effects.

"Older studies with [artery] monitoring during coitus demonstrate that during sexual activity blood pressure, as well as heart rate, is very [liable to change], with particular rises during orgasm," they wrote.

In order to treat the hemorrhage, medics conducted a procedure known as endovascular coiling, which attempts to trigger clotting and stop bleeding by injecting metals into the artery. The woman spent two weeks in hospital after the incident, which is believed to have happened sometime in October 2018.

However, she was sent home with no lasting problems. According to the report, the woman had been a regular smoker, occasional drinker, asthmatic and had suffered malaria in her brain in her 20s, but doctors determined these were not directly linked to her stroke.