Diagnosis

Your doctor may recommend brain-imaging tests, such as MRI or CT scans, to rule out other possible causes for your headaches.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During an MRI, a magnetic field and radio waves are used to create cross-sectional images of the structures within your head to determine whether any problems are causing your cough headache.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan. These scans use a computer to create cross-sectional images of your brain and head by combining images from an X-ray unit that rotates around your body.