rb@cci632.UUCP (Rex Ballard) (10/16/86)
In article <1954@princeton.UUCP> booth@princeton.UUCP (Heather Booth) writes: >My doctor told me that caffeine was thought to make migraines >*worse*. What is the answer? >Heather Booth Caffeine is a stimulant, and if stress is a factor in the headache, the stimulation of caffeine can complicate the stress. More interesting, one of the common effect of caffeine withdrawal is severe headaches. The withdrawal period is about 4 days, but afterword, the headaches do go away. There is a vary good chance that if your intake of caffeine is erratic, for example drinking less during certain times of the day, or certain days of the week, that your headaches will be more intense during these "lag" times. Migraines can be either neurologically or chemically induced. Neurological causes range from poor circulation in certain areas of the brain, to tumors. Chemically, effedrine, and certain hormones, often imbalanced by stress can cause or aggrevate migranes. The simplest test to see if you should get off is to try going for 3 days without caffeine. If the headaches get worse during this time, try to get through the additional day and stay off. Rex B.