Caffeine Withdrawal
Quitting coffee can cause one heck of a nasty headache.
I remember hearing years ago that the nasty headache that people encounter following surgery was due, in part, from caffeine withdrawal.
One familiar with homeopathic remedies might be forgiven if one were to assume that the homeopathic remedy Coffea cruda would be the remedy to turn to for help with this pain. And, to be fair, it may help in this situation. Keep reading…
However, using Coffea for caffeine withdrawal would be more akin to isopathy, or, “same cures same.” See: Buzz on Apis and Hom, not home.
This is not to say that Coffea doesn’t have a place in helping headaches, it does. Particularly if:
Chills during a headache
Headache from music
Headaches experienced on the sides of the head or a one-sided headache.
A cracking sensation on the top of the head
Might there be a better homeopathic remedy to help if you are suffering headaches from caffeine withdrawal? Generally speaking, were I to be suffering from this hellish experience again today, I would start with Chamomilla. But, to be fair, Coffea cruda is also indicated in a number of these symptoms — It’s a matter of degree.
From Roger Morrison’s Desktop Guide:
“Chamomile is characterized by an unsurpassed hypersensitivity to pain and an angry, almost accusatory response to that pain. Often the patient seems to complain of more discomfort than could possibly be felt from the existing condition. Furthermore the complaining is usually hostile and vehement. There is always irritability…”
Yep. That sounds like someone going through caffeine withdrawal.
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms, as noted ffrom Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition:
Irritability
Blurred vision
Drowsiness/sleepiness
Yawning
Lethargy/fatigue/tiredness/sluggishness
Thick head
Headache
Heavy feeling in arms and legs
Hot or cold spells
Decreases desire to talk/socialize
Flu-like feelings
Chamomilla also has a keynote of being aggravated from coffee, ailments from coffee and headaches from NOT drinking coffee. Once again, Coffea cruda is in some of these rubrics, but not to the degree that is indicated in Chamomilla.
Heck, Chamomilla even has an aggravation at nine AM — just about the stereotypical time the caffeine would have been consumed and had “kicked in!”
Other remedies to consider if you are dealing with this type of headache: Nux vomica and Ignatia. (See Overwhelmed for a bit more information comparing those two remedies.)
It is not at all uncommon for people to use coffee first thing in the morning to get their bowels moving. So, if you are considering ditching the coffee habit, know this is a possible “side effect.” Chamomilla can help with this, but so, too, can Nux vomica. (See The Eagle has Landed).
Is there a reason to quit coffee? Lots of homeopaths recommend to not drink coffee when taking homeopathic remedies. (I don’t agree with this. See HERE for more thoughts on this.)
Sarah Ballantyne*, (I first learned about her when she was known as The Paleo Mom), has now written a book (being published in May) called Nutrivore. Her new system is based on nutrient density. “The Nutrivore Score is an objective measurement of the total amount of nutrients a food contains per calorie. There are 33 nutrients that go into the calculation.” Well, guess what the number one food item is according to this system? That's right… Coffee. Hmmmm.
Having said all that, from someone who has been there, done that — drinking many, many cups of coffee all day, everyday -- I don’t think you’ll regret kicking the coffee habit if you choose that route. It may take a little time, but I bet you’ll be waking more refreshed and feeling much better at being able to function without relying on the coffee crutch.
Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath
#wellnessawaits
* I have no affiliation with Sarah Ballantyne, I am just intrigued by her new dietary system.
Works Cited
Ballantyne, Sarah. “Brewed Coffee Nutrients.” Nutrivore, nutrivore.com/foods/brewed-coffee-nutrients/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2024.
Morrison, Roger. Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms. Nevada City, Calif., Hahnemann Clinic Pub, 1993.
Watson, J. “CAFFEINE.” ScienceDirect, Academic Press, 1 Jan. 2003, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B012227055X001449. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.
Weber, Joseph G., et al. “Prophylactic Intravenous Administration of Caffeine and Recovery after Ambulatory Surgical Procedures.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, vol. 72, no. 7, July 1997, pp. 621–626, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9212763/, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0025-6196(11)63567-2.