Cough, exertional, and other miscellaneous headaches

This article discusses a group of miscellaneous headache disorders not associated with structural lesions of the central nervous system. Usually a characteristic trigger such as cough, exertion, sexual activity, eating something cold, or a food additive initiates individual headache attacks. Although all of the disorders we consider are benign, several include serious organic disease in their differential diagnosis. The authors outline an approach for diagnosis that includes identifying and excluding patients with structural disease. Specific treatments are reviewed.