Cough Headaches

Headaches triggered by coughing are called cough headaches. These headaches can also be brought on by other activities that strain your body, like sneezing, blowing your nose, laughing, crying, singing, bending over, or having a bowel movement.

Cough headaches aren't very common. There are two main kinds: primary and secondary. Primary cough headaches are usually not serious. They're directly linked to coughing and often go away quickly on their own without any special treatment. A doctor diagnoses a primary cough headache only after checking for other possible causes of the headache besides coughing.

Secondary cough headaches, on the other hand, might be triggered by coughing, but the actual cause is a problem in the brain or the area around the brain and spinal cord. These headaches can be more serious and might need medical attention, including possibly surgery.

If you experience a cough headache for the first time, it's important to see your doctor. They can figure out if the headache is caused by the cough or something else and recommend the best course of action.

Cough headaches are a type of headache that starts suddenly right after you cough or strain yourself in some way. This is different from a headache that you already have and that happens to get worse when you cough.

Here's what a cough headache usually feels like:

• Sudden onset: The pain begins quickly, immediately after coughing or straining.
• Short duration: The pain typically lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes, but occasionally it can last up to two hours.
• Sharp pain: The pain is often described as sharp, stabbing, like a splitting or bursting sensation.
• Bilateral pain: The pain usually affects both sides of your head, and it might be more intense in the back of your head.
• Possible lingering ache: After the initial sharp pain, you might experience a dull, aching pain that lasts for several hours.

Sometimes, cough headaches are the only symptom. Other times, there might be additional symptoms, which could include:

• Longer-lasting headaches: The headache might last longer than the typical cough headache.
• Dizziness: Feeling lightheaded or unsteady.
• Unsteadiness: Feeling off-balance or like you're about to fall.
• Fainting: Brief loss of consciousness.
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears): A ringing or buzzing sound in your ears.
• Hearing loss: Difficulty hearing.
• Vision problems: Blurred vision or seeing double.
• Tremor: Involuntary shaking of a part of your body.

Important Distinction: A cough headache is only a headache that starts immediately after coughing. If you already have a headache, and coughing makes it worse, that's not a cough headache. Similarly, if you have a condition like migraine, and your migraine pain worsens with coughing, that's not a cough headache; it's just a worsening of your existing migraine. It's important to see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis of any headache, especially if it's accompanied by other worrying symptoms.

If you get a sudden headache after coughing, especially if it's a new, frequent, or severe headache, or if you also feel dizzy, have trouble seeing clearly, or notice other problems, see a doctor right away.

Primary cough headaches are a type of headache that happens when you cough. Doctors don't know exactly why this happens. There's no known specific reason or trigger for these headaches.

Cough headaches are linked to a variety of things, depending on what kind of headache it is and what's causing it. Different factors contribute to the risk of getting a cough headache.

To help prevent cough headaches, talk to your doctor first. They can give you personalized advice. Here are some general tips to try:

• Manage underlying conditions: If you have bronchitis, a lung infection, or something else causing a cough, treating that issue directly can help stop the cough headaches.

• Avoid cough-inducing medications: Some medicines cause coughing as a side effect. If you're taking any medications, ask your doctor if they could be contributing to your cough headaches.

• Stay healthy: Getting a flu shot each year can help protect you from illnesses that might lead to coughing or other symptoms that trigger headaches.

• Prevent constipation: Straining during bowel movements can also trigger cough headaches. Using stool softeners can help prevent constipation, reducing the strain.

• Limit strenuous activity: Heavy lifting or prolonged bending can put strain on your body. Try to avoid these activities as much as possible, or use proper lifting techniques.

These tips might help lessen your cough headaches, but it's crucial to see your doctor if you have a headache related to coughing or straining. A doctor can properly diagnose the cause and recommend the best course of action.

Your doctor might suggest imaging tests, like MRIs or CT scans, to figure out if something else is causing your headaches.

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): An MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of your head. These pictures show the different parts of your brain and surrounding structures. Doctors use them to look for any problems that could be linked to your headaches.

• CT (Computerized Tomography) Scan: A CT scan uses X-rays to create cross-sectional images of your brain and head. A rotating X-ray machine takes many pictures from different angles, and a computer combines them to build detailed images. This helps doctors see if there's anything unusual in your brain or skull that might be causing your headaches.

• Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap): In some rare cases, your doctor might suggest a lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap. During this procedure, a small amount of fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord is removed. This fluid is tested for things that could be causing the headache, like infection or bleeding. This test isn't used very often because it's a bit more involved than an MRI or CT scan.

Cough headaches can be treated in different ways, depending on whether they're a primary or secondary problem.

Primary cough headaches: If you frequently get cough headaches, your doctor might suggest taking daily medicine to lessen or stop the pain. These are called preventive medications. Examples include:

• Indomethacin (Indocin): This is an anti-inflammatory medicine.
• Propranolol (Inderal LA): This helps relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
• Acetazolamide: This medicine helps reduce the amount of fluid around your brain, which can ease pressure.

Other medicines sometimes used to help with primary cough headaches include methysergide, naproxen sodium (Aleve), methylergonovine, intravenous dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45), and phenelzine (Nardil).

Secondary cough headaches: If your cough headaches are caused by an underlying health issue, surgery is often needed to fix the problem. Preventive medications usually aren't effective for secondary cough headaches because they address the symptom, not the cause. Just because a medicine works doesn't automatically mean your cough headaches are primary. It's important to find the root cause with your doctor.