If you have migraines, put down your coffee and read this

During medical school, a neurologist taught me that the number one cause of headaches in the US was coffee. That was news to me! But it made more sense when he clarified that he meant lack of coffee. His point was that for people who regularly drink coffee, missing an early morning cup, or even just having your first cup later than usual, can trigger a caffeine withdrawal headache. And considering how many daily coffee drinkers there are (an estimated 158 million in the US alone), it’s likely that coffee withdrawal is among the most common causes of headaches. Later in my neurology rotation, I learned that caffeine is a major ingredient in many headache remedies, from over-the-counter medicines such as Excedrin and Anacin, to powerful prescription treatments such as Fioricet. The caffeine is supposed to make the other drugs in these combination remedies (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) work better; and, of course, it might be quite effective for caffeine-withdrawal headaches. But then I learned that for people with migraine headaches, certain drugs, foods, and drinks should be avoided, as they can trigger migraines. At the top of this list? Coffee. So, to review: the caffeine in coffee, tea, and other foods or drinks can help prevent a headache, treat a headache, and also trigger a headache. How can this be? Migraine headaches: Still mysterious after all these years Migraine headaches are quite common: more than a billion people reportedly suffer from migraines worldwid...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Headache Health Source Type: blogs