Can Caffeine Cause Migraines?

Migraines are very painful recurrent headaches that are often described as pounding or throbbing. Migraines typically are concentrated on one side of the head, but they can affect both sides. Migraines are three times as more common in women than in men. In addition, migraines are more common if you are younger than 40. A number of factors have been found to be triggers of migraines, including caffeine.

Who Gets Migraines

Approximately 25 percent of women and 8 percent of men experience migraines. Children and adolescents may also experience migraines, although it is less common, affecting 5 to 10 percent. The exact cause of migraines is unknown; however, it is thought that both environmental and genetic factors play a role. Current research suggests that inflammation in the blood vessels of the brain causes them to swell and press on nearby nerves, causing pain, according to "The Journal of the American Medical Association."

Symptoms

In addition to painful throbbing on one or both sides of your head, migraines are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and/or sensitivity to light and sound, according to "The Journal of the American Medical Association." Some individuals experience warning signs, also known as "auras" that occur prior to the onset of a migraine. The aura usually consists of seeing flashing lights, numbness or tingling in the face or extremities, a disturbed sense of smell, or having difficulty speaking.

Triggers

You may be able to identify triggers that cause or aggravate your migraine. Avoiding triggers may help to reduce the frequency or severity of your migraine headaches. Migraine triggers include stress, anxiety, weather changes, red wine, lack of sleep, skipped meals, hormonal changes, certain foods such as chocolate, luncheon meat, aged cheese, aspartame and too much caffeine.

Caffeine

Caffeine withdrawal causes changes in blood flow that may lead to a migraine, according to a study by E. Couturier and colleagues published in "Cephalalgia." Caffeine is also used in combination with other substances to relieve migraines. Specifically, over-the-counter migraine medications containing caffeine in combination with pain relievers have been found to be more effective than migraine medications not containing caffeine.