Caffeine for pain?

[chabella]

I was reading this today through a list of all the notes I have taken through out the years (I have a huge stack I am trying to get all into the computer and formatted, call me a crazy lady), anyways I stumbled across Caffeine for pain relief and never really though about it much. Is it just from the adrenaline or is it really working to halt the pain?

 

[moonafter]

Caffeine for pain relief? It's interesting. I have never heard about this. According to the note, how does it work? Do you just need to drink coffee to get your pain relieved? What kind of pain does it work for?

 

[NatureMom]

I believe it is dependant on the cause. For instance it is excellent for migraines, where the blood vessels in the brain dilate, causing pain. Caffeine causes them to constrict.

On the other hand it is terrible for normal headaches, wherein the blood vessels are already constricted.