Table 3.
Primary and secondary headache disorders provoked or aggravated by coughing
| Disorder | Headache quality | Cough as trigger | (Other) triggers | Cough as aggravator | (Other) aggravators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Primary cough headache |
sharp/stabbing |
++ |
Valsalva |
NA |
NA |
|
Symptomatic cough headache |
mixed nature |
++ |
Valsalva |
NA |
NA |
|
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension |
non-pulsating |
+ |
Valsalva |
+ |
Valsalva and postural changes |
|
Headache attributed to intracranial hypertension |
non-pulsating |
+ |
Valsalva |
+ |
Valsalva |
|
Postictal headache |
pressing/pulsating |
- |
seizure |
+ |
bending and sudden head movements |
|
Headache attributed to Chiari malformation |
mixed nature |
+ |
Valsalva |
+ |
NA |
|
High altitude headache |
dull/pressing |
- |
> 2500 m |
+ |
exertion, movement, straining and bending |
|
Migraine |
pulsating |
- |
see text |
+ |
bending forward, exercise, … |
|
Tension type headache |
pressing |
- |
see text |
+ |
fatigue, stress, … |
| Cluster headache | piercing | + | alcohol | NA | NA |
NA: not applicable.