Coffee For Pain: Can coffee provide pain relief?

coffee dosage

Some of us drink coffee like its medicine – every morning, precisely at the same exact hour. It can get us through the toughest and most tiresome of mornings. Coffee is like our superhero.

Coffee for pain relief is absolutely a real thing. It supports everyday health and stress relief. While coffee may seem to generally relieve mental fatigue, coffee for pain relief is a viable way of resolving acute discomfort. And, there is ample research and scientific studies to prove it!

The Physiological Affect of Coffee

Coffee supports our bodies in response to pain. This relies primarily on coffee’s interaction with adenosine receptors in the brain.

Adenosine is a neurotransmitter responsible for sleepiness. Its behavior explains why we feel more tired as the day goes on. Coffee opposes adenosine receptors, allowing our minds and bodies to feel stimulated longer. This also results in an increased release of dopamines. This chemical makes us feel energetic and happy. 

Coffee also supplements pain relievers. Ever notice the small amount of caffeine often in your pain medication?  This is not a coincidence. Because of caffeine’s interaction with brain chemicals, it is known to increase the performance of pain relievers. It can make them nearly 40 percent more effective! This makes everyday coffee consumption supplemental for reducing random acute pains.  

Also, coffee is known to have specific anti-inflammatory properties. It contains potent polyphenols that protect your body against threatening inflammation. In proper doses over time, coffee can strengthen a body’s defense against inflammation.

Coffee’s Pain Relieving Qualities in Practice

Coffee and Headaches

You probably heard at least once that coffee cures a headache or migraine. This recommendation has some science behind it.

As we know, the caffeine found in coffee improves the potency of pain medication. The vasoconstrictive nature of coffee also challenges the effect of migraines on blood vessels. Typically, these vessels are tormented during migraines; they expand and contract, distorting the arteries. Caffeine narrows these blood vessels. This helps to normalize arteries during a migraine. This allows for pain and pressure relief.

This, of course, does weigh heavily on how much coffee you do consume. Scientists suggest limiting your caffeine intake to 200mg a day when dealing with migraines can provide relief. This is roughly 2 cups of coffee, depending on how you brew your coffee.

Anti Stress and Anti-Anxiety Properties

As we know, happiness means less stress. And, less stress means a healthier life!

Caffeine releases dopamines. These boost us with energy and excitement. This makes coffee an excellent way to maintain a positive mood. 

Sadly, anxiety is one of the biggest results of chronic stress. It affects millions of people all across the world. It causes many to struggle with performing everyday activities. 

Challenging anxiety requires developing positive coping mechanisms. These depend on each individual sufferer; however, each coping mechanism centers around focusing the mind. 

Coffee offers a definite ritual to your daily routine. When consumed in moderation, coffee promotes a calm and organized lifestyle.  It focuses your mind and energy towards tasks beneficial for your well being. The stimulating aspects of coffee let you power into each activity.

Coffee is not an alternative ‘PRN’ medication for anxiety. You should not get a coffee to immediately counteract overwhelming anxiety. Instead, coffee is a way of incorporating a ritual into your life. This rhythm can help you build an anti-stress and anti-anxiety lifestyle. Also, coffee is delicious. It offers several preparation methods that are fun and can distract you from any bothersome thoughts. 

Coffee and Sleep Deprivation

Many assume that coffee can lead to no sleep. Of course, a giant cup of coffee either right before or a few hours before bed will probably keep you awake. Yet, coffee is actually one of the best methods of alleviating pain symptoms resulting from sleep deprivation!

Sleep deprivation can cause a variety of discomforts. It slows brain function, causes chronic pain, and can even lead to serious depression. Most importantly, it increases your sensitivity to pain. 

For those dealing with severe sleep deprivation, coffee is your best bet to counteract symptoms from sleep-deprivation. Researchers found that caffeine in coffee was the most effective in relieving any pain caused by sleep deprivation, especially in comparison to morphine. Although the study is still being expanded upon, there is a direct correlation between coffee and coping with sleep deprivation.

Above all, quality sleep is essential to reduce all pain. But, coffee’s interaction as a pain reliever in the body can promote better sleep overall. It is important to note that timing is everything with coffee. When you chose to drink coffee weighs heavily on how it will affect your sleep. Everyone knows their reaction to caffeine. Many Italians handle a single shot of espresso after dinner as a digestive and sleep perfectly fine. Yet, some people cannot consume any caffeine after 2-3 pm, knowing it will interfere with their sleep. 

This all heavily relies on your total daily caffeine intake. Finding a balance will provide you with ample strength to fight any pains from sleep-deprivation.

Coffee and Muscle Pain

We all have experienced the intensity of muscle pain, especially after a workout. It can affect your mobility a day to three days after hitting the gym. 

Luckily, coffee aids in alleviating soreness following an intensive workout. According to a recent study, coffee lessens the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness by roughly 50 percent. This shortens recovery time and boosts aspirations to head back to the gym. 

The concentration that coffee provides also helps to overcome pain during a workout. The build-up of lactic acid in the muscles can cause severe pain. Consuming coffee an hour prior can most likely keep up motivation and reduce sensitivity to this pain. This leads to a longer, more productive sweat session!

You can also deliciously include coffee int your workout routine. Workout smoothies are a great method of incorporating coffee into your standard exercise plan. Whether its a pre-workout or postworkout supplement, there are some awesome and healthy recipes out there to improve your muscle performance. Try this Coffee Banana Smoothie with your favorite supplement for a naturally sweet and energizing treat.

Ensuring Coffee Provides Pain Relief

Now you know all the fabulous pain-relieving properties of coffee. However, how you prepare your coffee matters extremely in how much pain relief your coffee can provide.

There are tons of ingredients added to coffee. From sweeteners to milk, there are plentiful ways to embellish your coffee. Some of these ways may offer counteractive effects to coffee’s natural pain-relieving nature.

Inflammation 101

There are many additives to coffee that can cause inflammation. Inflammation is one of the leading causes of acute and chronic pain. Some people deal with chronic inflammation. This is often a consequence of multiple diseases, like diabetes and arthritis.

Allergies are one of the biggest causes of major inflammation. When someone goes into anaphylactic shock, the throat and tongue can swell severely, constricting the airway. Swelling is a form of inflammation. 

Either way, inflammation causes pain. This varies from person to person. Knowing what causes inflammation in your body will help you lead a more comfortable life and consume coffee in the most appropriate way!

Ingredients to Note

As mentioned earlier, there are foods that do not support an anti-inflammatory and pain-free lifestyle for certain people. This deals with properties in specific ingredients added to coffee. 

There are sweeteners out there that should be avoided. Table sugar and corn syrups (especially high fructose corn syrup) are not conducive to an anti-inflammatory diet. These are known to actually cause inflammation. It is best to opt for a sugar alternative like honey or maple syrup to ensure a deliciously anti-inflammatory cup of joe. 

Milk products should also be chosen carefully. Knowing your relationship with cow’s milk and how it affects you is very important. Many who struggle with lactose intolerance have no clue they even have it! If that is the case for you, there various kinds of nondairy milk to investigate. Of course, you need to make sure that you do not have any allergies to soy or nuts.

Finally, when it comes to creamers, you need to be extra careful about added sugars. High fructose corn syrup and other inflammation-causing ingredients are hidden in many commercial creamers. We suggest trying out making your own creamer – this vanilla creamer recipe is simple and lasts in the fridge!

If you do struggle with extreme digestive issues, you probably avoid most of the above ingredients already. It would be wise to avoid coffee as well. Coffee is a diuretic and is pretty acidic. These factors can stress an already compromised digestive system.

It is quite relieving to know that there is are major truths behind coffee for pain relief! As discussed, identifying your relationship with coffee will allow it to best suit your pain relief needs. Either way, coffee is a fantastic and healthy addition to your daily routine.
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