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What Causes Headache After Coughing Very Hard?
Question: I have bronchitis and I'm asthmatic.
I've been coughing so hard that the other day I "felt" something pop in the right side temple. Severe pain and a headache followed for a bit after. Now its happening at least twice a day.
I've had it happen before when I had pneumonia but no one seemed to think anything of it.
It's it possible to blow a blood vessel in your head and if so is it something that needs to be looked into?
The pain is a sharp staving that dulls to an ache (as long as I don't cough)
I've been coughing so hard that the other day I "felt" something pop in the right side temple. Severe pain and a headache followed for a bit after. Now its happening at least twice a day.
I've had it happen before when I had pneumonia but no one seemed to think anything of it.
It's it possible to blow a blood vessel in your head and if so is it something that needs to be looked into?
The pain is a sharp staving that dulls to an ache (as long as I don't cough)
Brief Answer:
most probably a primary cough headache
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I have read your history carefully.
The headache which you have described is called a COUGH HEADACHE.
It is divided into primary and secondary cough headaches. Primary cough headaches are associated with the cough and in secondary headaches , an underlying cause is already present which is aggravated by the cough.
Primary cough headaches have the following criteria for diagnosis
sudden onset
lasts from a few second to up to 30 minutes
occurs only in association with cough , strain , sneezing
you inquired about a possible injury a vessel in your head, the cause for primary headaches has been linked to an increased intra cranial pressure.
The International Headache Society recommends that structure brain lesions and aneurysms should be ruled out via an MRI brain before diagnosing Primary cough Headache.
Secondary headaches are longer lasting and are associated with dizziness and syncope though in my opinion your headache is most likely a primary cough headache.
I would advise indomethacin for your headache for the time being. I would also like you to monitor your blood pressure and consult a neurologist to assess the need for an MRI brain if the headaches persist and last longer or don't improve with indomethacin after a week of treatment
Let me know if you have any query,
if not please close the discussion and rate the answer
thanks.
most probably a primary cough headache
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I have read your history carefully.
The headache which you have described is called a COUGH HEADACHE.
It is divided into primary and secondary cough headaches. Primary cough headaches are associated with the cough and in secondary headaches , an underlying cause is already present which is aggravated by the cough.
Primary cough headaches have the following criteria for diagnosis
sudden onset
lasts from a few second to up to 30 minutes
occurs only in association with cough , strain , sneezing
you inquired about a possible injury a vessel in your head, the cause for primary headaches has been linked to an increased intra cranial pressure.
The International Headache Society recommends that structure brain lesions and aneurysms should be ruled out via an MRI brain before diagnosing Primary cough Headache.
Secondary headaches are longer lasting and are associated with dizziness and syncope though in my opinion your headache is most likely a primary cough headache.
I would advise indomethacin for your headache for the time being. I would also like you to monitor your blood pressure and consult a neurologist to assess the need for an MRI brain if the headaches persist and last longer or don't improve with indomethacin after a week of treatment
Let me know if you have any query,
if not please close the discussion and rate the answer
thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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