Definition:
Cough headaches are an unusual type of headache caused by coughing and other types of straining — such as sneezing, blowing the nose, laughing, crying, singing or bending over, and straining when having a bowel movement.
Diagnosis:
The doctor may recommend an MRI of the brain to determine if there are any structural problems that may be causing the cough headaches.
Treatment:
Preventive medications may include: Indomethacin, an anti-inflammatory drug; acetazolamide, a diuretic that reduces the production of spinal fluid; and topiramate, an anti-seizure drug.
Symptoms and Signs:
Cough headaches: strike suddenly with and just after coughing or other types of straining; usually last a few seconds to a few minutes — some can last up to 30 minutes; cause sharp, stabbing or splitting pain; usually affect both sides of the head and the back of the skull; and can be followed by a dull, aching pain for several hours.
Causes:
What causes primary cough headaches isn't known, though some researchers suspect that increased pressure in the head (intracranial pressure) during coughing or other types of straining may play a role.
Secondary cough headaches can almost always be tracked to problems at the base of the skull, where the brain and spinal cord connect. Defects in the shape of the skull or the configuration of the cerebellum can lead to a portion of the brain being forced through an opening at the base of the skull (foramen magnum), where only the spinal cord should go.
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