{"id":58042,"date":"2023-04-17T09:30:08","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T13:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=58042"},"modified":"2024-10-25T10:46:15","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T14:46:15","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-caffeine-headache","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-caffeine-headache\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get rid of a caffeine headache"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are one of the<\/span> 80% to 90% of adults<\/span><\/a> who start your day with a cup of coffee, it’s likely you will encounter caffeine withdrawal at one time or another. Caffeine withdrawal usually occurs when you quit caffeine “cold turkey” and can cause unpleasant symptoms—one of the most common being a caffeine withdrawal headache. Some people with caffeine dependence get headaches if they miss their daily Starbucks latte by even an hour.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’ve recently quit <\/span>caffeine<\/span><\/a>, you are probably wondering how to get rid of your caffeine headache. This is totally understandable because caffeine withdrawal headaches can be painful, uncomfortable, and even debilitating. Let’s take a look at what causes caffeine headaches, what symptoms to watch for, how to treat them—and most importantly, how to prevent them from happening in the first place. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is a caffeine headache?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The word headache is used to describe any type of head pain. There are several <\/span>different types of headaches<\/span><\/a>, including<\/span> tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches<\/span><\/a>. Headaches range from mild to severe and have many different causes: changes in sleep patterns, a reaction to food you’ve eaten, increased stress, dehydration, and hormonal changes. <\/span><\/p>\n

One potential cause of headaches is caffeine withdrawal. When you regularly consume caffeine your body becomes dependent on it, and when your body no longer gets its caffeine fix, withdrawal symptoms can result. Caffeine withdrawal headaches are one of several symptoms that can occur during caffeine withdrawal. These headaches are normal and common. Research has found that headaches occur about 50% of the time in people who are experiencing caffeine withdrawal.<\/span><\/p>\n

You might be wondering: How long does a caffeine headache last? Igor Smelyansky, MD, a neurologist and pain management specialist at<\/span> Omega Pain Management<\/span><\/a> in Knoxville, Tennessee, says that caffeine headaches can recur for up to 8 or 9 days, in some cases. Of course, some people are luckier and only get a caffeine headache for two days or so.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of caffeine headache<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is a range for when caffeine headaches start. Caffeine headache symptoms can begin as quickly as 12 hours after you last consumed caffeine. People who are sensitive to the effects of caffeine may start to experience signs as soon as they veer a little off their caffeine schedule. For example, if you regularly have your cup of Joe at 7 each morning, you may feel withdrawal effects by 7:30 a.m. if you don’t have your daily dose on time.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Any regular coffee drinker who ‘misses’ their routine dose of that stimulant can start to go into basically a withdrawal migraine,” Dr. Smelyansky says. For many people, though, caffeine headache symptoms don’t start until it’s been a bit more than 24 hours after the last time they’ve consumed caffeine. Research has found that caffeine withdrawal symptoms tend to peak about 20 to 51 hours after you’ve stopped consuming caffeine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of caffeine headaches can be intense. Dr. Smelyansky describes caffeine headaches as “<\/span>a pulsating, pounding, migraine-like deep headache.” <\/span>Dung Trinh, MD, internal medicine specialist and owner of <\/span>Healthy Brain Clinic<\/span><\/a>, says that symptoms of withdrawal headaches will <\/span>vary from one person to another but typically include a throbbing-type headache.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caffeine withdrawal affects not just your head, but other parts of your body as well. Here are other signs and symptoms of caffeine withdrawal that may accompany your headache pain:<\/span><\/p>\n