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James S. Winshall, M.D., is an associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital. In addition to his role as senior editor at Harvard Health Publications, Dr. Winshall practices general internal medicine and is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
Question:
Should I be worried about pressure in my temples during coughing fits? Sometimes it is painful.
Answer:
There are several reasons why you might experience pain or pressure in your temples during coughing, including:
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Increased pressure in your sinuses, due to allergies or chronic sinusitis
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Clenching of your jaw, which transmits pain from the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) that sit right in front of your ears
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Pain in your throat or ears that is transmitted to your temples (another example of transmitted pain is the "ice cream" headache that is triggered when something very cold enters the throat)
Most of these conditions are harmless or just annoying. However, you should seek medical attention if the pressure and pain in your temples seems to be getting worse.