Headaches can range in pain from very minor to debilitating. Sometimes headaches can last for a few hours or a few days. You may use either over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers to treat headaches. Some pain relievers contain caffeine, as it can help decrease the pain associated with headache.
Medications
Caffeine can help relieve regular headaches, tension headaches and migraines. Some over-the-counter headache and migraine medications contain caffeine. The amount of caffeine can vary depending upon brand and strength of the medicine. Caffeine is typically found in headache medications that use acetaminophen, according to FamilyDoctor.org. Caffeine may also be used in some prescription drugs used to relieve headaches and migraines.
Side Effects
Just because caffeine can help relieve headaches and migraines, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a cure-all type of medication or treatment. Caffeine can cause dependency and may become habit forming. It's also possible that you can develop what is known as rebound headaches from using caffeinated medications. Rebound headaches occur when your body becomes dependent upon caffeine and suddenly stops receiving it.
Warning
Using pain relievers over a long period of time to treat any type of pain can cause additional problems, such as kidney failure, dehydration or increased heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine is a diuretic, which can cause you to urinate more than you normally would. Excess urination can lead to dehydration. Excessive use of aspirin, or acetaminophen, can lead to kidney failure or decreased kidney function, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
Considerations
If you experience frequent headaches or migraines, discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor can perform special testing to help determine the cause or target of your headaches and migraines. It could be something very serious such as a brain aneurysm. You could also have some type of nerve damage in your neck that causes headaches. Finding the cause of your headaches may help save your life or prevent further damage. Ask your doctor about the use of pain relievers if you have frequent headaches. Aspirin should not be used for more than 10 days for pain and more than three days for fever, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org; Migraine Headache: Ways to Deal With the Pain; Sept. 2010
- FamilyDoctor.org; Rebound Headaches; Jan. 2011
- Drugs.com: Phrenilin with Caffeine and Codeine
- National Kidney Foundation; Pain Medicines (Analgesics); June 2009
- Drugs.com; Excedrin; Nov. 2009
- MedlinePlus; Aneurysm in the brain; Sept. 2010
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