MIGRAINES AND CAFFIENE: WHAT’S THE CONNECTION?

If you have ever had a headache, you may have tried caffeine to soothe the pain. There are mixed feelings about caffeine. Some say it helps their headaches and others claim it causes rebound headaches. So what is the connection between this diuretic and migraines? To better understand this, let’s look at what caffeine is and how it works.

WHAT IS CAFFIENE?
Caffeine is a drug that is commonly used to increase alertness, decrease fatigue, and improve muscle coordination. Although coffee comes to mind when people mention caffeine, it’s also naturally found in tea and chocolate, and it is often added to soft drinks and non-prescription drugs like pain-relievers and cold remedies. Some people are sensitive to caffeine. If used excessively, caffeine can be too stimulating and cause anxiety, sleep problems, muscle twitching, or abdominal pain. It can also cause heart problems if someone has a heart condition.

HOW CAFFIENE TREATS HEADACHES
Caffeine is a common ingredient in many prescription and over-the-counter headache medications. When caffeine is added to a pain reliever, it makes the pain relievers 40% more effective in treating headaches. Caffeine also helps the body to quickly absorb headache drugs, bringing faster relief. By adding caffeine you can take less medication thereby reducing the risk for potential side effects and possible drug addiction.
Here are a few over-the-counter medications that have caffeine in them:

 Anacin
 Excedrin
 Bayer aspirin
 Dristan
 Goody’s headache powder
 Midol
 Nodoz
 Alka-Seltzer
Other Caffeine Sources:
 Beverages
o Coffee
o Chocolate milk, chocolate milkshakes, hot chocolate, and chocolate drinks
o Cocoa mix, malt powder, chocolate flavoring
o Cola and other sodas, like Mountain Dew or Surge (regular and diet)
o Tea
o Chocolate or coffee liqueurs
 Foods
o All chocolate products including brownies, cake, and éclairs
o Chocolate candy including fudge and chocolate-covered coconut,
o raisins, and peanuts
o Chocolate-covered graham crackers (or chocolate-flavored graham crackers)
o Chocolate ice cream or pudding

HOW TO PREVENT CAFFIENE WITHDRAWAL
Withdrawal from normal caffeine usage is rare. On the other hand, excess use (approximately five cups of coffee a day) over a long period of time with sudden termination could cause symptoms of withdrawal. You can avoid caffeine withdrawal by reducing your daily consumption, by educating yourself about sources of caffeine, and by gradually decreasing the consumption rather than ending cold turkey. Because they can cause withdrawal, people should not take caffeine-containing pain relievers on a daily basis.

THE SYMPTOMS OF A CAFFIENE WITHDRAWAL
Here are the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. If you experience any of these symptoms, gradually decrease caffeine consumption instead of quitting cold turkey.

 Headache
 Fatigue, drowsiness, or loss of energy
 Irritability
 Anxiety or depression
 Nausea and/or vomiting
 Decreased ability to concentrate or perform mental tasks

CAN CAFFIENE CAUSE REBOUND HEADACHES?
The overuse or misuse of any headache medication, including caffeine-containing medications, can cause a rebound headache. While caffeine-containing drugs can be beneficial, these medications, combined with consuming too much caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, or chocolate) from other sources, may cause you to be more susceptible to getting rebound headaches. The only relief from rebound headaches is through completely quitting all medication; however, this should only be done under the supervision of a doctor.
Migraines and caffeine; what is the connection? While caffeine may help sufferers with the pain, too much caffeine can cause rebound headaches. So…be careful how much you consume and how often you consume it. It can be your friend but if you overuse it, it can be your worst nightmare.

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