Does caffeine affect headaches?
Many people ask about caffeine once headaches become regular. Tracking your headaches comes first, and the talk with a clinician comes after.
Caffeine and migraine
Wikipedia's migraine article says avoiding dietary triggers and caffeine overuse may also be recommended. Cleveland Clinic's migraine overview mentions addictive substances like caffeine or tobacco.
Your own caffeine pattern
Caffeine is named in connection with migraine, but that does not show what it does in your own headaches. The migraine overview from Cleveland Clinic is worth reading in full for the context around its mention.
Steps to take before the appointment
- For a week or two, write down what you drink each day, including coffee, tea and soda, and the time you drink it.
- Write down each headache: when it started, how long it lasted and how strong it felt.
- Put the two lists side by side and look for a pattern.
- List your questions, such as whether to change your caffeine and how quickly.
If you live in Bloomfield or nearby, bring both lists to the visit. For background on how pain is described more broadly, see the Pain page at MedlinePlus and the American Academy of Pain Medicine, a professional society for the field. The Cleveland Clinic also publishes a page on pain management.
Talk to your clinician before changing caffeine
Ask your clinician whether to change your caffeine and how fast. Do not change it on general information alone.