Q. I get caffeine withdrawal headaches and treat them with a cup of coffee. The severe headaches I get from the weather are more difficult to treat. They occur when it is about to rain.
Why does this happen? Should I watch the weather reports and drink coffee to prevent them? I am frustrated!
A. A drop in barometric pressure can trigger migraines in some people (Internal Medicine [Tokyo, Japan], 2011). Prevention may indeed be worthwhile, but the best approach may vary. We are sending you our Guide to Headaches & Migraines for details on the pros and cons of many treatments and remedies. some people find that inducing a “brain freeze” headache with ice cream or an iced beverage right at the onset of a migraine can keep it from developing. We don’t know if this strategy would work for you.
Caffeine withdrawal headaches can certainly be excruciating. One clue that caffeine withdrawal is the problem is that the headaches occur on weekends and holidays, when the sufferer is not consuming their usual “get-to-work” coffee.