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An interesting story in the news caught my eye sometime ago. The Oyo State Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, had paraded two suspects who allegedly killed a 42-year old woman. The suspects claimed the victim died of magun, a killer charm.
One of them said she started vomiting after he made love to her, fell down from the chair, somersaulted and died. It was then he decided, in his wisdom, to behead her and cut off her two hands.
Magun is a Yoruba term which literally means “Do not climb” or “Do not touch.” It is an invisible sign that says, “Do not have sexual relations with this person.” Yoruba believe that the man who has sexual intercourse with a woman under the influence of magun could suffer various afflictions ranging from headache, seizures to possibly death.
Also, of course, depending on the interpretation, magun could affect the woman, as in this illustrative case. The assumption being that she is in a relationship already and the partner/family had placed magun on her to deter her from promiscuity.
The story is noteworthy for two reasons: One, there is nothing like magun. Secondly, this level of ignorance and depravity is fostered by the irresponsible Nigerian film industry, Nollywood. I will tell you why.
I had a patient with a similar presentation of stroke a few years ago in Scotland, United Kingdom. A 53-year-old man was transferred to the Accident & Emergency following a distress call. He collapsed following sexual intercourse. He had complained of sudden severe headache and felt sick with nausea and vomiting. Shortly after, he lost consciousness and became unresponsive. His partner quickly phoned the ambulance service and he was taken to hospital. At the hospital, he was completely unresponsive and had to be resuscitated. When he woke up, he had a convulsion and became unconscious again. However, he soon regained his senses and was admitted to hospital.
Investigations revealed that he had suffered a severe stroke. We treated him for the stroke and he was discharged home safely: to resume sexual relations with his partner, without any further problems. He remains alive and well today and still enjoying sex.
Post-coital headaches and stroke
Sexual activity may, on occasion, be complicated by neurologic syndromes of headache, seizures and amnesia. Orgasmic cephalgia (headaches after orgasm) and post-coital headaches (headaches after sex or even after masturbation) have been reported in the literature from different parts of the world. When doctors see a patient with headaches during or after sexual intercourse, we are most concerned. The most important diagnosis is a type of stroke called subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Post-coital headache is a recognised presentation of some patients with this type of stroke, due to weakness of a part of the blood vessels in the brain. The vessels burst open due to the stress of the sexual act, leading to bleeding inside the brain. The bleeding causes acute increased pressure in the head; while convulsion and death can subsequently occur.
Many case reports abound in the English literature of post-coital stroke similar to the one in Scotland described earlier. A case of headache associated with sexual activity in a 40- year-old married Indian man was also recently added to the literature.
Magun is a strong superstition among Yoruba. Confusing the diagnosis of post-coital stroke with this superstition means that patients would be denied the medical management they require. There is such a strong stigma attached to the superstition that patients are often immediately taken to the local witch doctor or the worship centre. Therefore, there is very little in the local literature about this, as many patients do not present to hospital. More importantly, the woman is often subjected to intimidation, abuse and physical assault. The innocent woman was killed as in the index case in Ibadan.
It is imperative that the condition is highlighted in the media and Nigerians reminded about this presentation of stroke. Many people all over the world have suffered from this type of stroke and have been treated adequately. The patients often present with confusion, nausea, vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness and severe headache. Timely resuscitation and management can prevent death from this potentially treatable condition and stroke disease.
