Can coughing lead to a headache and what should I do if it does?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Yes, coughing can cause headaches, particularly when coughs are severe, forceful, or frequent. These are known as cough headaches, and they typically fall into two categories: primary cough headaches, which are harmless and short-lived, and secondary cough headaches, which may signal an underlying condition requiring medical attention. Symptoms often include sharp, stabbing, or splitting pain triggered immediately by coughing, sneezing, laughing, or straining.

If your headaches are persistent, worsening, or paired with other symptoms, it's important not to guess what's going on. Taking a free, instant, online symptom check can help you better understand possible causes, identify red flags, and decide whether you need to see a healthcare provider — saving you time, worry, and unnecessary uncertainty.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

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Explanation

Coughing can indeed lead to headaches, especially if the coughing is severe and/or frequent. Various health conditions can cause coughing, including infections and non-infectious health conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and some diseases that affect your sinuses.

You can start by trying to identify if anything triggers your cough (such as tobacco smoke) and trying to avoid those triggers. Beyond that, the best treatment for your coughing and headache will vary depending on what is causing the coughing. If you experience these symptoms and they are persistent, worsening, bothersome, or accompanied by other symptoms (such as dizziness or vision problems), you can use Ubie's free AI-powered symptom checker to help identify possible causes and determine whether you should consult a healthcare provider for a personalized medical assessment and treatment plan.

(References)

Ferrante T, Latte L, Abrignani G, Russo M, Manzoni GC, & Torelli P. (2012). Cough headache secondary to spontaneous intracranial .... Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 21904865.
Lane JC, & Gulevich S. (2002). Exertional, Cough, and Sexual Headaches. Current treatment options in neurology, 12162926.
Perini F, & Toso V. (1998). Benign cough "cluster" headache. Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache, 9793704.

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