How caffeine causes and treats headache according to doctors. Caffeine headaches are headaches caused by the consumption of caffeine. These headaches are usually felt behind the eyes and can range from mild to debilitating. Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea and chocolate and added to many sodas. Learn how these headaches occur and how caffeine can be the cause or cure.
Caffeine can eliminate headaches
Although too much caffeine can cause headaches, the most common cause of caffeine headaches is a lack of caffeine. Caffeine withdrawal occurs when you develop a caffeine addiction and suddenly reduce or eliminate its consumption. Caffeine addiction is not necessarily the result of long or high caffeine consumption. It can develop in just a few days by drinking latte or other caffeinated beverages.
However, most headaches in the absence of it are the result of consuming 500 milligrams of caffeine per day for two weeks or more before reducing or eliminating it in the diet. When your body gets used to a certain level of caffeine, you may notice that you experience fatigue and other side effects (such as headaches) until you reach your typical level of consumption. The side effects of its absence are reversible. You just consume your usual levels of caffeine to get rid of them.
Consuming caffeine as a headache remedy for its lack can be a problem for people trying to reduce or eliminate it from their diets. Alternative treatments include sleep, massage, acupuncture, decaffeinated medications (some headaches contain caffeine) and drinking plenty of water. To avoid this type of headache, it is best to gradually reduce its consumption.
Caffeine as a cure for headache
In addition to quickly treating caffeine headache, caffeine can help cure regular headache and even migraines. Some studies show that low doses of caffeine taken with painkillers can help the body absorb the drug faster and cure headaches in a shorter period of time.
Although most painkillers start to work within 15 minutes, every minute can be important when you suffer from a particularly bad headache. In addition, 130 milligrams of caffeine taken with painkillers has been shown to improve headache relief by approximately 40 percent – a significant difference in results.
In addition to quickly treating caffeine headache, caffeine can help cure regular headache and even migraines. Some studies show that low doses of caffeine taken with painkillers can help the body absorb the drug faster and cure headaches in a shorter period of time.
Although most painkillers start to work within 15 minutes, every minute can be important when you suffer from a particularly bad headache. In addition, 130 milligrams of caffeine taken with painkillers has been shown to improve headache relief by approximately 40 percent – a significant difference in results.
Some people find it unnecessary to take so much of a painkiller when taken with caffeine, and some doctors advocate taking caffeine medications to reduce the likelihood of developing an addiction to a given painkiller.
Increasing the speed and efficacy of painkillers are the reasons why some over-the-counter pain medicines contain caffeine. However, it is unclear whether caffeine taken without painkillers is an effective remedy against this unpleasant problem.