Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with GoogleGet your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
What Causes Severe Headache After Coughing?
For the past several months, I have had a cold on and off every couple weeks. When this cold would show up, I d hack up some yellow/green phlegm, or blow humongous gobs of dark colored mucus from deep in my nose, very thick and rubbery strings, some longer than my middle finger. Nasty stuff! Went to my doctor, she prescribed an antibiotic for two weeks. This seemed to make things better, but it s been a week or two since I stopped taking it (taken for the full two weeks) and the nasty rainbow colored mucus is back. Every morning I need at least 30 extra minutes to get the globs out of my head. It s disturbing and wastes a lot of time... But after this is all over, my mucus is clear and normal for the rest of the day. I really thought the antibiotic would have helped, but if it only fixed things for a week, that means the problem has not been solved. My sinuses are almost constantly blocked, I have been breathing out of one nostril (which side changes) constantly for the past several months. My lungs feel like crap every morning when waking up. I ve also noticed something hard to explain... When I inhale quickly, it feels like my lungs are slightly delayed. I will have finished drawing a breath but my lungs seem to catch up inflating after a second or so. These symptoms become very bad for about a week, then completely disappear for 2-3 weeks. This has been going on for months and it s getting very aggravating. My throat will become irritated, I will get awful headaches from all the coughing, and this mucus spilling out of my head is NASTY. What does this mean? If this is a bacteria kinda thing, shouldn t the antibiotic have fixed it? Constantly blowing my nose, propping head up when sleeping, coughing until my head feels like it s exploding and spending 30 minutes every morning to clear my head (literally) is driving me insane. Any advice is appreciated. Side note: I had very bad nosebleeds every morning from Jan until the beginning of March. Not simple specks of blood in mucus... But gallons of dark blood pouring out of my nose. May be unrelated.
posted on
Sun, 3 May 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 6 Mar 2023
Answered on
Tue, 25 Apr 2023
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Severe headaches after coughing can be caused by a variety of factors, including sinusitis, allergies, or even a more serious condition like a brain aneurysm. In your case, the persistent cold and congestion may be causing sinus pressure and inflammation, which could be contributing to your headaches.
The fact that you are coughing up thick, colored mucus and experiencing sinus pressure and blockage suggests that you may have a sinus infection. Antibiotics are typically effective in treating bacterial sinus infections, but they may not work if the infection is caused by a virus or if the bacteria are resistant to the medication.
It is also possible that your symptoms are caused by allergies or another underlying condition, such as asthma. If your symptoms persist despite treatment with antibiotics, you may want to consider seeing an allergist or pulmonologist for further evaluation and management.
As for your nosebleeds, they may be related to your sinus symptoms. Chronic sinusitis can cause irritation and inflammation in the nasal passages, which can lead to nosebleeds. However, it is also possible that the nosebleeds are caused by something else, such as dry air or a blood clotting disorder. If they persist or become more severe, you should discuss them with your doctor.
Overall, it is important to seek medical attention for persistent symptoms like those you are experiencing. Your doctor may recommend additional tests or treatments to help determine the underlying cause of your symptoms and develop an effective treatment plan.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Priyanka, General & Family Physician
Severe headaches after coughing can be caused by a variety of factors, including sinusitis, allergies, or even a more serious condition like a brain aneurysm. In your case, the persistent cold and congestion may be causing sinus pressure and inflammation, which could be contributing to your headaches.
The fact that you are coughing up thick, colored mucus and experiencing sinus pressure and blockage suggests that you may have a sinus infection. Antibiotics are typically effective in treating bacterial sinus infections, but they may not work if the infection is caused by a virus or if the bacteria are resistant to the medication.
It is also possible that your symptoms are caused by allergies or another underlying condition, such as asthma. If your symptoms persist despite treatment with antibiotics, you may want to consider seeing an allergist or pulmonologist for further evaluation and management.
As for your nosebleeds, they may be related to your sinus symptoms. Chronic sinusitis can cause irritation and inflammation in the nasal passages, which can lead to nosebleeds. However, it is also possible that the nosebleeds are caused by something else, such as dry air or a blood clotting disorder. If they persist or become more severe, you should discuss them with your doctor.
Overall, it is important to seek medical attention for persistent symptoms like those you are experiencing. Your doctor may recommend additional tests or treatments to help determine the underlying cause of your symptoms and develop an effective treatment plan.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Priyanka, General & Family Physician
I find this answer helpful
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer.
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service
[Sample answer]
Related questions you may be interested in
Loading Online Doctors....