Caffeine can also potentially cause chronic daily headaches or intensify a primary headache (that is, one not caused by other medical conditions). While it’s true that caffeine is often used to relieve headaches (even ones not caused by withdrawal), it’s also true that it can sometimes cause headaches.įor one thing, caffeine makes you urinate more often, which could lead to dehydration and noggin pain. There’s another possible reason your head is pounding: the caffeine itself. Again, caffeine constricts blood vessels, and when you reduce or remove that intake, the sudden change can cause a headache. Most caffeine headaches are attributed to withdrawal because headaches are one of the most common withdrawal symptoms. too little caffeine: How to tell the difference So what are you supposed to do if you want to cut your caffeine consumption? Taper off slowly instead of going cold turkey (and becoming miserable). This can cause a headache.Īs your brain gets used to the effects of caffeine, cutting it off even just for a day can result in withdrawal symptoms like headaches. When you don’t have caffeine, those blood vessels widen, and your brain experiences a boost in blood flow. How does a lack of caffeine make your head hurt, though?Ĭaffeine affects us in a handful of ways, particularly by narrowing the blood vessels in our brains. Even someone who just has one small cup of coffee each morning can experience caffeine headaches.įYI, the FDA says about four 8-ounce cups of coffee - or 400 milligrams a day - is a safe amount to consume. But you must cut down on the caffeine very gradually or your headaches may worsen.A caffeine headache occurs when someone who consumes caffeine regularly skips their usual “dose.” This doesn’t only happen to people who drink excessive amounts of caffeine every day. Then you usually will go back to getting only occasional headaches. If you fall into this group, you should gradually cut down on your caffeine intake until it is eliminated. This is why people who drink coffee at work on weekdays may develop headaches on the weekendsĪlso, people who get occasional headaches or migraines and drink more than two cups per day of caffeinated beverages -or who take a lot of medication that contains caffeine - are at risk for developing daily headaches. An important study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine about ten years ago, found that people who drank more than one cup of coffee a day were at risk for getting a withdrawal headache if they went without it. However, caffeine can also cause headaches. He is co-author of Migraines and Other Headaches (American Academy of Neurology Press). Young is an associate professor of Neurology and director of the In-Patient Program at the Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Caffeine is also used as an ingredient in many commonly used prescription and over-the-counter headache medications. Some people find that a cup of coffee or tea helps relieve an occasional headache or migraine. We know that caffeine can help migraines. (Chocolate contains caffeine, but it does not contain enough to have an effect on headaches.) The key to whether caffeine is harmful or beneficial depends on how much you ingest. That's a question with a complicated answer. Is caffeine good or bad for people who get migraines? Dr.
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