Do You Ever Drink Coffee to Get Rid of Headaches?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
October 8, 2016 11:23am CST
I woke this morning with a headache. When I was in my twenties I had them quite often, and eventually, over a few years time, I quit having them anymore. After I went through menopause I began having migraines. If I caught them early enough and took two Excedrin for Migraine tabs it would disappear shortly thereafter. But, if I didn't catch it soon enough it could end up being a full-blown one where I had to stay in bed with all the drapes shut and a cold compress over my forehead or neck. Sometimes drinking coffee was all I needed to do.
In the past few years, I've been waking up with a sinus headache. Those don't seem to go away no matter what I do for them. I have found that after about eight hours or after six pm they will dissipate. I always wonder if that's when pollen in the air dies down or something.
My problem is that I never know for sure which type of headache it is. I don't think I've had a migraine in a couple of years now. Today, I woke with one again. So I'm enjoying a cup of coffee to see if that might help at all and because it's a bit chilly in the house.
I work today at 2pm, but I'll be back again tonight. I'm trying to work on clearing off my old desk and throwing away junk mail before heading off for the day.
The cup I'm drinking my coffee out of isn't supposed to imply anything. I've had it since my oldest daughter was born, twenty-eight years ago. No new news on the horizon otherwise.
9 people like this
12 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
I didn't get the headache from drinking coffee if that's what you're asking, but I don't' think the coffee alleviated the headache this time either. It has before, though, so it's worth a try.
@RitzzView (3041)
• India
11 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman Yes, it was worth a try.
And I meant whether your headache was gone this time.
Sorry..I can be pretty confusing and unclear sometimes..
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Oct 16
That's a very nice cup, loaded with lots of memories, not just coffee. I used to take Ibuprofen and Pepsi - just a swig or two, to get rid of my headaches. Now I take Feverfew to keep them away, just two a day and I don't have a problem with headaches. I did have a couple this weekend, but I think it was the uncommon amount of milk chocolate I had in the sweets brought for the conference. Dark chocolate doesn't give me headaches. Finally figured that one out.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
What's feverfew? I've never heard of that before. I suppose I can check in our vitamin/med area of the store to see if we carry it too.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman Feverfew is a natural supplement. GNC carries it for sure.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
8 Oct 16
I do drink coffee in addition to taking other medication, I find the caffeine helpful.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
8 Oct 16
The Excedrin for Migraines does have caffeine in it already, but I thought I took them some time ago and then noticed they were still on my desk. I didn't have anything to drink them down with at the time. I'm sure I don't have a migraine right now, and the caffeine may not do much good for whatever type of headache I do have, but the coffee at least tasted great.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
Did you get a headache every day that you were trying to give up coffee, Marie? Do you drink more than one cup per day and why were you trying to give it up? I knew a girl once that drank so much it made her depressed and when she gave it up it changed her whole personality, but I don't know that it affects most people that way.
If you drank a lot of coffee each day before, then if you dropped the amount you drank that might not produce any headaches, or have half a cup if all you drank was one cup per day.
Since caffeine is a stimulant if your body was used to having it, it could be you need to wean yourself off it slower than you did to remain headache free.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Oct 16
I used to drink coffee every day, but mostly decaf as that's what my husband drinks. Only more recently do I again drink caffeinated coffee. I have a single cup brewer, but not a Keurig. I run in streaks now on how much I drink. I don't need to buy as much creamer for it could go bad before I finish it. I've been having more coffee recently mostly for warmth or if I'm a tad tired.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
Maybe you don't get headaches because you already get the caffeine. I met an elderly lady when my mom was living at the senior apartment complex last year and she said her doctor told her to have a cup of coffee per day so she won't have any more migraines. Since she's been drinking it, she's been migraine free.
I don't know that she enjoys the coffee, but she does enjoy being without pain and that's one of the easiest ways to minimize it.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
13 Oct 16
If I catch my migraines early, which I can because of the flashing lights, taking an Excedrin Migraine heads it off. I learned early on to always carry them with me because I've gotten caught out and about when the flashing lights hit.
I don't drink coffee, but my Dr Pepper does the same for me....and if I don't have my Dr Pepper I will get a migraine too.
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
19 Oct 16
Coffee does really help some when it comes to headaches.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128854)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 16
I always take Excedrin to get rid of my headaches, especially the bad ones. I know Excedrin has a lot of caffeine in it, so it never really crossed my mind that I could probably just drink a cup of coffee and get the same result!
1 person likes this
@ms1864 (6882)
• Bangalore, India
8 Oct 16
Yes. I drink coffee to get rid of my headaches...it works 70% of the time..i really prefer not taking medications. ...
If it doesn't get fixed with caffeine...i try a balm and hot water bag.... though if i am out..the only option i have is taking a pain killer.
If the headache stays for hours...it somehow makes me feel like i might throw up. So fixing it immediately is kinda a priority with me.
1 person likes this
