What is Caffeine Withdrawal Headache?
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: Caffeine Withdrawal Headache.

Caffeine, reported as one of the most utilized stimulants, has also been called the most widely used behaviorally active drug in the world, according to scientists from John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Reducing or abstaining from caffeine results in caffeine withdrawal syndrome, with headaches being one of the first of these symptoms. Caffeine withdrawal headache is also an aspect of pain management which is getting increased study in the medical world.

Experts now believe that as little as a cup of coffee a day can cause withdrawal symptoms if one goes ‘cold turkey’ or drastically reduces his intake of caffeine. In fact, many people complain of symptoms associated with a decrease in their consumption of caffeine. Headaches are one of the most common on this list, with symptoms reported as a throbbing, or a diffuse pain, sometimes accompanied by blurred vision.

It has been recorded that caffeine withdrawal headache occurred as early as 12 to 24 hours after the last dose of caffeine. Late onsets of 36 and 40 hours have also been recorded. The peak intensity of the headache was reported to be at around one or two days after the stop, with the pain lasting for up to 9 days after the initial stop. Usually, the more caffeine consumed on a daily basis, the more drastic and severe the caffeine withdrawal headache. Yet, headaches have also been noted for withdrawal from doses as low as 100 mg per day.

The best advised remedy would be to stop the consumption of caffeine altogether. However, the avoidance of these withdrawal symptoms and headaches often lead caffeine consumers to have another dose in the morning or after a few hours of withdrawal. This in turn leads to a vicious circle where one cannot escape.

Caffeine withdrawal headaches caused by vascular dilation might also be labeled as caffeine withdrawal headache. Caffeine’s structure is also very similar to another chemical found in the body, called adenosine. Adenosine is responsible for dilating blood vessels in the head. When caffeine is present, it limits this effect of adenosine. But when there is a reduction or disappearance of caffeine, the body is left more sensitive to adenosine’s effects, resulting in a decreased tolerance threshold for vascular dilation headache.

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, Amazon, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.