Skull

• Secondary cough headaches can result from defects in the shape of a patient's skull, according to the Mayo Clinic.
  
  

Cerebellum

• An improperly configured cerebellum can cause part of the brain to protrude through the opening at the base of a person's skull that should only contain the spinal cord. This brain defect can cause secondary cough headaches.
  
  

Tumor

• Patients with brain tumors may develop secondary cough headaches due to the pressure that the tumor exerts on the brain.
  
  

Triggers

• Secondary cough headaches can be triggered by sneezing, laughing or crying as well as coughing, according to the Mayo Clinic. People may also experience this type of headache when they have a bowel movement, bend over or sing.
  
  

Symptoms

• Sufferers of secondary cough headaches may notice sharp and splitting pain on both sides of the head that is strongest at the rear of the head, according to the Mayo Clinic. This kind of headache can occur suddenly and may last for several days.