Caffeine was formally identified as a possible migraine trigger in a study published in the well respected Lancet in 1979. Since then a variety of theories about caffeine and other substances found in caffeine containing products have been explored.

As is frequently the case with food intolerances, one person will not react to a specific food, whilst another can suffer a severe reaction to the same food. Consider the shellfish - a killer for some, a healthful food for someone else.

Reports of the effect of caffeine on migraines are contradictory; some people believe it to be a trigger, but it remains a major ingredient in many headache medications. Many studies have been carried out, focusing on the efficacy of caffeine when used to relieve migraines; as a natural vaso-constrictor, it would seem that caffeine might help rather than intensify migraine pain. Some studies have found that the inclusion of caffeine in migraine medications promotes faster relief(1).

However, there is some evidence to suggest the link between caffeine and migraines hinges on a borderline addiction. Weekend headache or Sunday migraine often occurs when the usual daily routine is disrupted - or in other words, when a person sleeps in and misses their 6am, 7am and 8am cups of coffee. The body goes into withdrawal mode, resulting in a migraine. The headache clears after the caffeine ingestion.

A study on the subject at the Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, London in 1992, concluded that amongst a chosen group of migraine sufferers, there was a noticeable tendency towards high caffeine consumption during the week. Among the 151 patients, 33 were identified as having weekend migraine. Of these, every single one reported sleeping in late on weekends, and all consumed an average of 734 mg/day of caffeine.

In contrast, of the remaining 118 patients only 43% slept late on weekends, and of these the average caffeine was only 362 mg/day(2). This lends credence to the idea that it is the withdrawal from dependency that is the trigger rather than the coffee or tea being the cause.

Soda seems a slightly different story - a study done on adolescents who drank a liter of cola a day and suffered from daily migraines showed a marked improvement across the board when cola was cut from the diet. This led to the recommendation that children with daily recurring headache be researched as to caffeine intake(3).

The scientific studies are fascinating and useful, but however much we enjoy it, caffeine is a substance we can live without. The simple way to discover if it’s a problem for you is just cut it out for a few weeks. If your migraines are severe, exclusion could be worth the effort. However, be aware that there will be a tendency to suffer an initial increase in headaches, due to the possible "withdrawal syndrome" as discussed above. Consult your GP or health professional if you are concerned.

For coffee, tea and cola drinkers, instead of complete elimination, a gradual lessening of daily caffeine consumption may be the best way to remove the possibility of the excess or lack of it triggering a migraine. On a personal note, I was a heavy coffee consumer and suffered severe and regular migraines. I rarely get a migraine now and enjoy one cup of coffee per day, having found this an acceptable level which doesn’t cause any me problems.

(1) Stephen J. Peroutka; James A. Lyon; James Swarbrick; Richard B. Lipton; Ken Kolodner; Jerome Goldstein Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, Volume 44, Number 2, February 2004 , pp. 136-141(6)

(2)EGM Couturier, R Hering, and TJ Steiner, Weekend Attacks in Migraine Patients: Caused by Caffeine Withdrawal? Cephalalgia 12(2):99-100 (Apr 1992)

(3) Hering-Hanit R, Gadoth N. Caffeine-induced headache in children and adolescents. Cephalalgia 2003;23:332-335.

Joy Healey qualified in 2000 as a nutritionist at the acknowledged Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London; with her dissertation topic being migraine. Check out: www.natural-migraine-alternatives.com to order an e.book packed with further recommendations for natural alternatives and approaches to treat and prevent migraine. Keep up-to-date with new information on migraine at: natural-migraine-alternatives.blogspot.com

A very unique head pain, headache migraines are the utmost and quite unique in comparison to a common headache. Most common headaches are straightforwardly treatable and explainable. In comparison to the common headache however, migraines are the outcome of stress in the muscles on the back of the neck and head which are the consequence of contracting blood vessels.

Medical researchers have not been able to correctly figure out the reason migraines happen; tests impart arteries located in the brain become incredibly constricted and rigid which is typically associated by inflammation in the tissues and muscles near the area. The brain then becomes a gateway of chemical imbalances, conveying triggers of undeniable pain that does not ease. High levels of serotonin have been linked to the cause of blood vessels in the brain when constricting occurs. There are genetic inclinations in those that seem to suffer from migraines. Doctors will advise only certain types of headache migraine medication for the treatment of migraines.

Most common pain relievers are generally not strong enough to be able to adequately treat a migraine. As a result, what follows is an outline of the top headache medicines recommended.

- Aleve Pain Reliever can be found in 220 mg caplets in quantities of 200 for around $16.99. This pain reliever is quick to take action; most patients begin feeling the affects of the Aleve pills within 10 minutes. From that point, the medication slowly increases its effect until the migraine is subdued.

- Advil Pain Reliever can be found in 220 mg coated tablets in quantities of 200 for around $14.99. This pain reliever takes a short time longer to begin working, typically around 15 minutes,however the initial punch of relief is a fuller affect and the increases are felt in subsequent steps.

- Tylenol Pain Reliever can be bought in 220 mg coated caplets in quantities of 200 for around $14.99. This pain reliever commences working sooner than 10 minutes, however the levels of relief at first are very low. A slow and gradual increase continues until the migraine is relieved.

- Motrin IB Ibuprofen Tablets USP can be found in 220 mg coated caplets in quantities of 200 for around $15.99. This pain reliever takes the longest to begin working, usually 15 to 20 minutes, however once the pain medication kicks in; nearly complete relief of pain is felt. After 10 to 15 more minutes the pain is completely gone.

Sufferers migraine headaches will admit that migraines are the strongest pain to feel. Do not stall your treatment. Any of the above listed medications will remove your pain within minutes.

Scott Wiseman writes articles for:
Tips on Pain in Chest

Only migraine headache sufferer truly understands the gravity of the pain that a migraine headache creates. A migraine is much more than just another headache form but rather they are a headache that is definitely draining.

Over the Counter Medications

Your first form of treatment procedure for migraine headaches should focus on over the counter medications. There are quite a few to choose from, so test each and see if any of them work. One more idea is to experiment with the foods that you are eating and see if a food allergy may be at the very least the culprit.

Botox Treatments

More than that there are different tested treatment alternatives found to be effective by migraine sufferers. One of these treatments requires administration of botox injections in the law muscles. If your migraines are connected to involuntary clenching of these muscles, this treatment may provide some relief.

Powerful Narcotic Pain Treatments

For a more radical scheme, there are many migraine sufferers who are claiming to have found relief through powerful narcotic pain medicines. However; bear in mind that this should only be considered as a last course of action, since most of these types of drugs are highly addictive.

Written by Antonious Franheimmer. Now you can learn all about Migraine Headaches as well as Migraine Treatment Options

Migraine Headache Relief - Easy Tips

Simple Tips to gain relief from Migraine Headaches. There are always alternatives that are effective in treating migraine headaches instead of resorting to prescription drugs.

It is a well known fact how devastating a migraine headache can be. Although, there is no ’switch on - disappear’ approach to treat migraines, there are a few home methods that could be tried which could ease out the pain. The usual method is to resort to drugs in the form of pain relievers and anti-depressants prescribed by the doctors. This method, though it provides minor relief, it is not the best way to treat your headache as it can have harmful side effects and it can end up creating dependency on the drug, which is even worse in a long term.

Some of the simple techniques listed below could be followed at home to gain relief from migraines:

Massage of The head:
Massage of the head, neck and shoulder region could help ease out the pain. Touch of a human hand with love and care is very healing and it can help relax the body and mind. Mild aromatic oil could be used. Choose an aroma or flavor that your body is not allergic to.

Breathing exercises:
Slow down your breath and let the breathing become deep and long. This cuts down on the accompanying anxiety and lets you focus on the moment. It also improves the circulation of blood to the head region which greatly improves the headache condition offering good relief.

Hot and Cold Treatment:
Take a towel and dip it in hot water. Gently rub and massage the painful areas with the towel. Keep the temperature of the towel to a level that feels comfortable. Some people prefer Cold water or ice cubes instead of hot water or steam. Find out what works best for you to bring you relief.

Aroma Therapy:
Aroma therapy is gaining popularity these days as a treatment for migraine headaches. It consists of using herbal and essential oils that can be put into air by means of a suitable diffuser. It could also be mixed with water and steamed on the face. It can be coupled with gentle music or guided relaxation music to bring in a gentle relaxing atmosphere to the place offering great relief from the pain.

Many people suffer from migraine headaches but just what are migraine headaches and why do we get them?

In excess of twenty-nine million Americans suffer from migraine headaches and that represents just about 10 percent of the population. Migraine headaches afflict women about 3 times more often than men and they are not restricted to adults with a considerable number of children experiencing them as well. A migraine attack lasts anything from a few hours to three or four days and with longer attacks victims generally experience secondary effects for longer periods. In spite of the fact that migraine headaches are so common close to 50% of all victims do not bother to see a doctor about the condition.

One frequent symptom of a a migraine headache is an acute and throbbing pain on one side of the head which is usually localized close to the temple. This pain is also often accompanied by various other symptoms like nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to noise and light.

The precise causes of migraine headaches are not known and, despite the fact that for a long time it was suspected they were the result of a dilation of the blood vessels, Current research now favors alternative explanations. In addition, though there is no sound consensus of opinion, many researchers consider that the condition is a genetic disorder that affects how certain brain chemicals like serotonin act upon the nerve cells.

The complexity in unraveling the mystery of migraine headaches is amplified by the simple fact that migraines come in two different forms.

The first type is called ‘classical migraine’ and is connected with something which professionals call an ‘aura’. This has nothing to do with spiritual fields surrounding the body but refers to the symptoms sufferers experience just before the arrival of a headache. For these migraine victims it is normal to have visual hallucinations like bright spots and flashing lights or even to experience loss of vision immediately before the arrival of a headache.

When these visual symptoms are absent victims suffer from the second class of headaches.

Attempting to pinpoint precisely what causes migraines is anything but easy although data collected over the years might point to the eventual answer. For example, individuals who do not get enough sleep can be at higher risk, as are individuals who have too much sleep which has been linked to a higher incidence. Migraine attacks are also generally linked to eating certain foods such as cheese and to missing meals.

Many researchers also think that some hormonal factors have a bearing on the start and severity of attacks and one piece of evidence to support this is the far higher incidence of migraine headaches among women than men. Indeed, one particular study reported an incidence of 17% in men against only 6% in men. Furthermore, studies have revealed a link between the contraceptive pill and migraines and it is known that Estrogen, which is a major ingredient in birth control pills, has an effect upon blood vessels.

However the list of trigger factors does not end here and simple everyday activities like walking up a flight of stairs or more intensive physical exertion can trigger an attack, as can stress, extremes of cold and heat and flashing lights and loud noises. It has also been noted that migraine headaches occur more often when there is a combination of these triggers present.

Luckily, there are a number of medical treatments available, though none has been shown to be tremendously effective in all cases, and completing a diary of when attacks occur will often help you to identify lifestyle changes which might help in curing migraines. Where lifestyle changes on their own do not do the trick then there are a number of medicines that your doctor can prescribe to help.

TheMigraineHeadacheCenter.com provides migrane headache information including details of migraine treatments