Caffeine: Super Migraine Stopper

Caffeine has gotten a bad reputation lately. It is included in the list of junk foods and additives that supposedly are factors in obesity, mental illnesses and a number of chronic physical conditions. It probably contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire.

But it does indeed have some good properties, a major one being that it can help halt a migraine in its tracks.

According to WebMD, over 28 million people suffer from migraines, and yet not a lot is known about them. They occur when the blood vessels in the brain contract and then dilate, over and over again. These headaches range from those with moderate pain that last a few hours to those severe migraine headaches that can last several days. The blinding pain has been known to land people seeking migraine relief in emergency rooms across the country.

Many people take prescription medications for their migraines, whose effectiveness has increased dramatically over the last twenty years, but they can be costly, especially for those with no insurance. In response, over-the-counter migraine relief medications have cropped up. The ingredients in these headache medicines are very similar across the board: aspirin (or sometimes ibuprofen) and the magic ingredient, caffeine.

Caffeine is a great addition to migraine relief medicines for a number of reasons. The first is that caffeine aids the body in absorbing medications, especially headache remedies. WebMD goes so far as to say, "Caffeine additives make pain relievers 40% more effective in treating headaches."

Caffeine can also stop the constrict/expand action of the blood vessels that help cause the headache. Caffeine causes the blood vessels to contract, not allowing them to expand again until the effect wears off (up to six hours later), effectively ending the cycle that causes the headache.

As with any cure, there is potential danger, as well. Most migraine sufferers find that caffeine use can trigger a migraine. If the caffeine intake is either too high or too low, a headache may come on. Migraine sufferers wishing to reduce caffeine intake overall should therefore take it very slowly, and those who use caffeine as migraine relief should use caution about how much is ingested and how quickly.

Using caffeine to prevent or stop a migraine is not a long-term, solitary method. Severe headaches should be supported with medication. Lifestyle changes that reduce stress and encourage healthy habits including less everyday caffeine are important elements in reducing the number and severity of migraines. And all migraine sufferers should be under a physician's care. But understanding caffeine's role in migraine causes and migraine relief is vital. Carefully used, caffeine can help manage migraine headaches amazingly well.

References:

John Glass, MD. "Migraines, Headaches and Caffeine." Webmd.com.