Friday, August 28th 2026
In some people, caffeine relieves the crisis, while in others it becomes its cause – it all depends on a factor that is often neglected
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and some painkillers. However, people with migraines can react very differently to it.
For someone, a cup of coffee during a crisis can ease the pain, while for another, caffeine can be one of its causes. Problems can also arise when a person who drinks coffee every day suddenly stops drinking, because withdrawal from caffeine can cause headaches.
Caffeine can have an analgesic effect and is therefore included in some combination drugs for headache and acute migraine. It can also enhance the action of some analgesics.
In the past, its effect was mainly explained by the narrowing of blood vessels. Today migraine is considered a complex neurological disorder and changes in blood vessels are not enough to fully explain it.
An important mechanism is related to adenosine, a substance that participates in many processes of the nervous system. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors and thus can also affect the perception of pain.
However, more caffeine does not necessarily mean a better effect.
A systematic review published in May 2026 in the journal BMC Neurology analyzed 19 studies on the link between caffeine and migraines.
The results showed that moderate and habitual consumption of caffeine, in general, was not associated with a greater migraine burden. However, consuming a large amount in a short time or suddenly stopping consumption could trigger a seizure in some people.
One of the included studies followed 98 adults and showed that one to two caffeinated drinks a day were not associated with a greater risk of migraines on the same day. With larger amounts, the connection was more complicated.
So the effect depends on the dose, daily habit and individual sensitivity.
Even sudden cessation can cause pain
If you drink coffee every day, the nervous system adapts to the presence of caffeine. Therefore, sudden reduction may cause withdrawal symptoms.
In addition to headache, fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, irritability and nausea may occur.
In people with migraines, a sudden change in the usual amount of caffeine can also become the trigger of a crisis.
For this reason, those who consume large amounts every day do not necessarily need to stop immediately. immediate. Cutting back gradually can reduce the chance of withdrawal headaches.
How do you know if coffee is helping or hindering you?
One practical way is to keep a headache diary. Note the time when the pain starts, the intensity, the duration, the amount of caffeine consumed, sleep, drugs and other possible factors.
After a few weeks, a clear pattern may appear: for someone, a migraine may come after a few coffees, while for someone else exactly on the days when they have skipped their usual morning coffee.
Be careful with painkillers that contain caffeine. Their very frequent use can contribute to headache from drug overuse.
If the pain is severe or frequently repeated, a doctor should be consulted. Emergency help is required when the pain appears suddenly and is extremely strong, or is accompanied by weakness of a part of the body, impaired speech or consciousness, high fever, stiff neck or new neurological symptoms.
In the end, coffee is neither necessarily “good” nor “bad” for migraines. More important is how much caffeine you consume, how stable this consumption is and how your body reacts to changes.
Source: prizrenpost
