Can coffee really cure headaches?

Headaches and migraines can wreck your day. A pounding migraine can actually make you clutch your head and pray for it to go away. Clearly, the only thing you can do is manage the symptoms.
Most of us reach out to the coffee when we don't want to take the aid of medicines. But, does it really help get rid of the pain? Experts suggest there is a very different problem lying underneath.

According to doctors, while coffee may seem to solve your migraines, it can also worsen it. Depending on the intensity of the pain and your sensitivity to caffeine, coffee may or may not hold the solution to your chronic problem.

This is why

First of all, headaches are caused when certain blood vessels swell up in the brain. Caffeine present in coffee forces the blood vessels to contract and reduce the swelling and at the same time, relaxes the muscles around the tensed area. While this may make coffee feel like a wonder drug to stop nagging aches and pain, if you have a high dose of caffeine, the same muscles could actually get more worked up and intensify the pain.

Is this making you rethink your decision? We tell you more reasons

One must also remember that caffeine affects everyone differently and hence may not hold the answer to solving pain and migraines. Just the way coffee doesn't actually wake some people up from deep sleep and cause anxiety in some, coffee may not help everybody get rid of a tension headache or a migraine. So, depending on caffeine alone won't help.

It also depends on the number of cups of coffee you have had already. On regular days, 1-2 cups of coffee are ideal but if you are having more than that, it won't actually help you. Instead, it will make you feel more rehydrated and anxious, adding to your migraine problem.

Also, when you do have a migraine and no medicine at hand, never go for caffeinated drinks. They can be worse than coffee. A lot of these drinks contain neuro stimulants which may trigger the nerves and cause dizziness and seizures. Plus, they also contain a high dosage of sugar and empty calories so it may not be the best choice you have.

Go natural!
If coffee is not on your list and doesn't solve the problem, try giving alternate therapies and natural medicines a try. Kitchen ingredients like black pepper, peppermint and honey may help banish the pain away.