Caffeine and Migraine: A Curious Relationship
If you suffer from migraines, you may wonder how caffeine affects your condition. Caffeine is a common ingredient in many headache medications, but it can also be a trigger for some people. In this article, I will share my personal experience with caffeine and migraine, and what the experts say about this complex relationship.
I grew up watching my mom struggle with severe migraines that made her miss out on many important events in our lives. She would often end up in the emergency room or urgent care, waiting for the pain and nausea to subside. During those long hours, we would listen to a playlist of songs that we made together, hoping for some relief. She never complained much, but I could see how much she suffered.
Everything changed when she visited a neurologist who was convinced that her caffeine intake was contributing to her migraines. He told her to stop drinking any caffeinated beverages immediately and prescribed her some other treatments to help her cope. Within a few weeks, she was almost completely migraine-free. We were amazed by the difference that cutting out caffeine made in her quality of life.
I was curious to learn more about how caffeine affects migraines, so I did some research online. I found out that caffeine is a double-edged sword when it comes to headaches. On one hand, it can help relieve mild to moderate pain by constricting blood vessels and enhancing the effects of painkillers. On the other hand, it can cause or worsen migraines by triggering blood vessel changes, altering sleep patterns, and causing withdrawal symptoms.
According to the American Migraine Foundation, treatment of headaches with caffeine is sometimes effective but should be limited to not more than two days per week. (1) However, in people with who experience migraine, caffeine taken three or more days per week may lead to dependency and increased migraine frequency. They recommend for those who have frequent headaches to avoid all caffeine, at least until improvement in headache frequency is seen.
Studies suggest that migraine sufferers should limit their caffeine intake as much as possible They should also keep their caffeine consumption consistent, and not vary it too much from day to day. This way, they can prevent caffeine dependency and withdrawal headaches. (2, 3)
If you are a migraine sufferer who enjoys caffeinated drinks, you may want to reconsider your habits and see if reducing or eliminating caffeine helps you. You may be surprised by how much better you feel without it.
References:
1. Sharpio R. Caffeine and Migraine. January 10, 2017. Accessed August 26, 2023.
2. Nowaczewska M, Wiciński M, Kaźmierczak W. The Ambiguous Role of Caffeine in Migraine Headache: From Trigger to Treatment. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2259. Published 2020 Jul 28. doi:10.3390/nu12082259
3. Mostofsky E, Mittleman MA, Buettner C, Li W, Bertisch SM. Prospective Cohort Study of Caffeinated Beverage Intake as a Potential Trigger of Headaches among Migraineurs. Am J Med. 2019;132(8):984-991. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.02.015
