Caffeine can be found added to painkillers, but does it cure headaches or cause them?
The cause of migraines is still not clear. Genetic factors and chemical messengers such as serotonin are thought to play a part in the development of migraines and as the cause of chronic migraines. How a migraine attack is caused, however, is still something of a mystery.
Understanding what causes migraines also has an impact on our understanding of migraine cures. One idea that was previously favoured by scientists was that blood vessels tend to enlarge before a headache or migraine. Caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties, meaning that it narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow1. This is how caffeine might have an effect of relieving headaches.
This theory is however out of date. Instead, the current thinking supposes migraines are closer to inflammation caused by waves of electrical activity across the outer part of the brain. The inflammation and overreactive nerve cells send out pain signals. These pain signals are what we perceive as a migraine. 2
Caffeine is often added to painkillers as it has been found to speed up the pain relief and increase its effect by up to 40%3. There is evidence of caffeine reducing inflammation, which could help explain why it might be useful as a headache cure.
Caffeine can be effective as an analgesic adjuvant – ie as a medication not designed for pain relief, but that can be used for this purpose. Maybe if you feel a headache coming on, you can try having a cup of coffee before reaching for the pills?
On the other hand, there is speculation that caffeine might also cause migraines – not directly, but as a result of caffeine withdrawal. A small number of studies about the topic have found caffeine to be a migraine trigger, while all treatment studies found caffeine to be effective in migraine treatment (especially so when combined with other analgesics). 4
Caffeine overuse, it seems, may contribute to migraines becoming chronic, in which case sudden caffeine withdrawal may become a migraine trigger.4 This might make sense if you are a regular coffee drinker and have missed your morning cup, only to find your head aching. Caffeine is addictive, after all, and the withdrawal symptoms can be serious enough to cause migraines.
Perhaps keeping the caffeine consumption limited will help in managing symptoms and allows for the benefits to outweigh the downsides of caffeine consumption.
In addition to its many other potential benefits, caffeine can help improve mood, so go ahead and enjoy your cup of coffee in peace 😉
Read also: How To Cope With SAD
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