I think coffee has been discussed before, so please excuse me if it has.
But, does anyone find that drinking coffee really helps with pain?
For whatever reason, drinking coffee in the morning seems to stop my neck pain. If I don't, I can't shake off the pain and stiffness,.
Coffee (for the caffeine) in combination with regular pain relief meds works a treat for me. As best I can recall caffeine constricts blood vessels ...... not sure why this helps with pain relief, but it does. Have cans of Red Bull in my migraine treatments box!
I went off coffee for the month of January and just started having a cup in the morning again. I can't say it's made any difference with pain...having or not having it.
I've been caffeine free and loaded up with caffeine. What loading up on caffeine does for me is helps me cope better emotionally. I suppose it's a crutch like anyone's comfort items (food, drinks, cigarette's, etc). I never started drinking any sort of caffeine with regularity until after my son was born, and when he was 9 months old I realized I was never doing to sleep again (he didn't sleep through the night until he was almost 4 yo). That's when my caffeine habit kicked in (coffee, tea, or diet soda).
I only have a cup in the morning, I can’t drink it after or I feel sick. But that fix in the morning can do so much wonders!
It obviously effects us all so much differently. It’s interesting to see how what something so common place to us in this world can impact us!
Aye yaye yaye!!! I couldn’t even imagine!!
Marietta said:
I’ve been caffeine free and loaded up with caffeine. What loading up on caffeine does for me is helps me cope better emotionally. I suppose it’s a crutch like anyone’s comfort items (food, drinks, cigarette’s, etc). I never started drinking any sort of caffeine with regularity until after my son was born, and when he was 9 months old I realized I was never doing to sleep again (he didn’t sleep through the night until he was almost 4 yo). That’s when my caffeine habit kicked in (coffee, tea, or diet soda).
I don’t function so well without coffee…sad but true! I have used coffee to help my migraines for a good 10 years or so and find my fatigue much worse at work if I don’t have coffee, try not to have more than about 3 a day but I do have it “Black ‘n’ Strong” Prefer proper coffee but as we don’t have that privilege at work I buy a Kenco 100% instant which is ok 
When I start to flag all the team leaders let me get to a coffee before I start my paperwork, or I’m fit for nothing!
But I do agree its a crutch, and I’m sure there must be a placebo effect as well…I know it helps so it does, as it were 
It’s most definitely a balance for me.
One (strong) coffee in the morning is great for the brain (on a happy tummy day), two or more is always risky on whether the emotional and physical effect will be positive or negative, but if the tummy is sensitive, leave caffeine the hell outaa my way!
If I ever needed to lose weight, black coffee would do it. No milk, no sugar, no appetite for 2 hours!
So that’s when a shout of “Coming Through!” is needed to clear your path 
Jen said:
It’s most definitely a balance for me.
One (strong) coffee in the morning is great for the brain (on a happy tummy day), two or more is always risky on whether the emotional and physical effect will be positive or negative, but if the tummy is sensitive, leave caffeine the hell outaa my way!
If I ever needed to lose weight, black coffee would do it. No milk, no sugar, no appetite for 2 hours!
I rely on a strong cup of Irish tea to give me a good kick in the arse. And by cup I mean a half liter. I have been using a beer stein as my coffee/tea cup since my military days. I absolutely love Lyons tea & will settle for Barrys in a pinch. Lyons is hard to come by in the states so I special order it from an importer. My last order was an institutional box of 500 2-cup bags. God help the poor soul that comes between me and my morning tea ;)
The caffeine helps with my fatigue & can boost my mood but I have never thought to consider its effect on pain. Interesting observation. Tea drinking is definitely a comfort thing for me ... a ritual way to de-stress and get a boost. I am now curious to see how it may affect my pain. I really don't need much of an excuse to pour myself another cup ;). Thanks for this interesting topic.
Coffee has made no difference for me. I actually cut back to only a couple cups a week and am drinking Jasmine Green tea instead. I think the tea helps me more but I can't explain how. I stopped drinking coffee for a while because I thought it dehydrated me too much but that's my opinion and experience.
It helps me, for sure. As a matter of fact I just drank a cup. I was so sore and tired. I drank the coffee and the soreness and fatigue was lifted. Caffeine also helps my migraines.
And here I read that caffeine was bad for arthritis! I've been caffeine free for over a year.
After reading this I'm not sure whether to drink caffeine or not.
Linda
I was never a coffee drinker until I was hit with these auto immune diseases and the pain that comes with it. Now for 13 years I have gotten on the coffee band wagon. It really helps with that morning pain and getting me going. It helps with motility issues and when I feel a migraine coming on I get a cup of coffee and it nips it in the bud.
