Recently I read the replies about caffeine, pain and Fibromyalgia at Daily Strength Fibromyalgia Forum. People there are obviously responding to many different needs and circumstances in attempting to manage pain, particularly Fibromyalgia pain.
However, caffeine can be an insidious substance when it comes to pain. It can:
- Be a sudden trigger to new "mysterious" headaces (such as migraines with no other explained cause)
- Be a re-occurring trigger for body pain if too much caffeine is ingested at a time. (Sometimes a little caffeine won't bring on a pain symptom, like the amount of caffeine in a single glass of tea as opposed to the amount in an expresso coffee. Other times, even a bit of caffeine can send people into a pain spiral.)
- Actually be addictive in such a way that if you "don't drink" coffee you feel worse and develop a stomping headache or body ache!
Ingest caffeine for several days to see what happens. If you don't notice a symptom change, then cut out caffeine completely for several days. Do not consume any cola, tea or chocolate. Drink lots of water.
After a few days you'll know what amount of caffeine you can handle, if any. I urge you to do this self-trial. Be sure to give your testing phase a fair shake and be honest with yourself, even if it that means giving up a beloved food or drink! That's better than being in pain.
Note: Hang in there long enough to be sure of your results. It can take up to three days s for the caffeine in even one cup of coffee to leave your system and for your energy level to get back to normal. (People think caffeine gives them energy, when in fact it can rob you of energy for up to 3 days! No wonder you have to keep drinking it over and over!)
While you wait for your body to rid itself of the caffeine, you may ache. Withdrawal from caffeine can be as unpleasant as withdrawing from other substances. You may be one of the susceptible people to acquire a coffee addiction and not even know it.
Personal story: My 34 year old son never had migraines until a few years ago. Recently he figured out that they were caused by a habit, of drinking two cups of coffee per day. He has stopped drinking coffee completely now. He watches how many sodas he drinks and feels a lot better! (No more headaches at all and fewer aches and pains.)
Plus, of course, mom encourages him to drink at least 8 glasses of pure, clean water everyday...
Here's wishing you good health and more information about how to control your pain,
Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show
