Does caffeine help with headaches?

According to the BBC, in small and carefully controlled doses, caffeine can help painkillers work more effectively.

Caffeine is an analgesic, meaning it can enhance the effects of headache medications - Photo: FREEPIK

However, the prerequisite is that you should not consume too much caffeine every day.

Headaches are something that almost everyone experiences at some point. The pain can last from a few minutes to a few days – from sharp, dull, throbbing, sometimes radiating beyond the head to the scalp, face, or even neck.

Katy Munro, a GP and expert at the UK's National Migraine Centre, says headaches are rarely a sign of a serious illness. However, if it's "the first or worst headache you've ever had, see your doctor to get it checked out."

According to Dr. Munro, caffeine is an analgesic aid, meaning it can enhance the effects of headache medication.

But she recommends avoiding it in the afternoon and evening so as not to disrupt sleep.

You should also consider your overall caffeine intake. Drinking too much caffeine each day can cause caffeine overuse headaches. If you stop abruptly, you may experience caffeine withdrawal headaches.

She warns that you should avoid “anything that contains codeine” as it can make headaches more frequent and worsen symptoms like nausea. “Painkillers can work very well, but it depends on how severe the headache is.”

If your headaches become more frequent or severe, see your doctor for a checkup and find a more suitable medication. Avoid taking painkillers more than two days a week to reduce the risk of medication overuse headaches.

Understanding your headaches is important, as they often don't have a single cause. Keeping a headache diary can help identify recurring conditions and triggers.

When you have a headache, write down what you were doing when it started, what you ate or drank, how well you slept, what the weather was like. For women, keep track of your menstrual cycle, as headaches can be related to hormonal changes.

But you don't need to keep extensive notes. Instead, keep it simple and rate it on a scale of one to ten to summarize how much the headache affects you.

You can also record the number of days you have no headaches at all, not just the bad days. Your doctor can review this data to help identify recurring conditions.

DAWN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/caffeine-giup-giam-dau-dau-20251107225610938.htm