The next time you have a headache or other minor pain, chasing your pain pills with a cup of coffee will do a better job of relieving the pain than plain water, according to a report by the Detroit News published by WebMD Friday.
The coffee itself doesn't have any pain-killing properties, said the report, but medical studies prove that caffeine increases the effectiveness of over-the-counter analgesics, the Detroit News reports.
Caffeine can also relieve headaches among people who regularly consume caffeinated drinks and go too long between "doses." The rebound headache that occurs can be cured with another cup of java or tea, but it might also be a sign to cut back on caffeine. A previous HealthSCOUT story explains that caffeine withdrawal may be responsible for weekend "hangovers" that occur when we sleep in.
Doctors still debate whether caffeine has any serious long-term effects. For example, the Electronic Telegraph describes Israeli research indicating that caffeine changes the shape of cells in the hippocampus -- a part of the brain needed for storing memories -- but doctors don't know whether that's good news or not.
The Caffeine FAQ from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Canada, offers detailed descriptions about caffeine's effects, and even estimates the lethal dose of coffee -- at least 100 cups! — Albawaba.com
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