Condition
Postdural Puncture Headache
Postdural puncture headache follows a spinal tap, spinal anesthesia, or epidural, when a small hole in the membrane around the spinal cord leaks fluid, lowers pressure, and brings pain that eases lying down. Caffeine has the most research behind it, and one small trial of 94 people having spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery found fewer headaches when it was paired with acetaminophen. Since that is a single study, the evidence is limited.
Sources: PMID 39371383
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 94
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headaches Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 94 people | ||
Key findings
- HeadachesImproves (the measure goes down)
The Post-Dural Puncture Headache Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 5 supporting supplements
- Caffeine300–500 mg daily (oral or IV); coffee equivalent 3–5 cups strong coffee
- Hydration/Fluids2–3 liters of fluids daily
Studies cited
54 studies from PubMed
- Effects of 1,3-dimethylamylamine and caffeine alone or in combination on heart rate and blood pressure in healthy men and women
- Ergogenic effect of varied doses of coffee-caffeine on maximal aerobic power of young African subjects
- The effect of caffeine ingestion on mood state and bench press performance to failure
- Effect of Caffeine on LT, VT and HRVT
- Metabolic effects of caffeine ingestion and physical work in 75-year old citizens. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study
- Dose response effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on muscle performance: a repeated measures design
- Acute caffeine ingestion increases voluntarily chosen resistance training load following limited sleep
- Effects of caffeine on the metabolic and catecholamine responses to exercise in 5 and 28 degrees C
- Caffeine ingestion reverses the circadian rhythm effects on neuromuscular performance in highly resistance-trained men
- Effect of two doses of caffeine on muscular function during isokinetic exercise
- Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance exercise
- The effects of low-dose caffeine on perceived pain during a grip to exhaustion task
- Caffeine increases sweating sensitivity via changes in sudomotor activity during physical loading
- Effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on biological risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial
- Caffeine and sprinting performance: dose responses and efficacy
- Effects of caffeine on prolonged intermittent-sprint ability in team-sport athletes
- Caffeinated chewing gum increases repeated sprint performance and augments increases in testosterone in competitive cyclists
- The effects of different doses of caffeine on endurance cycling time trial performance
- Effect of caffeine ingestion on time trial performance in cyclists: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Effect of ambient temperature on caffeine ergogenicity during endurance exercise
- The influence of a CYP1A2 polymorphism on the ergogenic effects of caffeine
- Caffeine ingestion, affect and perceived exertion during prolonged cycling
- Effect of caffeine intake on pain perception during high-intensity exercise
- Caffeine as an analgesic adjuvant for acute pain in adults
- Caffeine for the prevention of injuries and errors in shift workers.
- Caffeine enhances working memory for extraverts
- Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory
- Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users
- Effects of caffeine and glucose, alone and combined, on cognitive performance
- Effects of acute caffeine consumption following sleep loss on cognitive, physical, occupational and driving performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Effect of caffeine on reactive agility time when fresh and fatigued
- Effects of Nutritional Interventions on Accuracy and Reaction Time with Relevance to Mental Fatigue in Sporting, Military, and Aerospace Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Effect of caffeine on target detection and rifle marksmanship
- Association of the anxiogenic and alerting effects of caffeine with ADORA2A and ADORA1 polymorphisms and habitual level of caffeine consumption
- Caffeine: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of its thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers
- Caffeine can decrease insulin sensitivity in humans
- Effects of caffeine on glucose tolerance: a placebo-controlled study
- Caffeine ingestion decreases glucose disposal during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in sedentary humans
- Caffeinated coffee does not acutely affect energy intake, appetite, or inflammation but prevents serum cortisol concentrations from falling in healthy men
- Influence of caffeine on perception of effort, metabolism and exercise performance following a high-fat meal
- Impact of acute caffeine ingestion on endothelial function in subjects with and without coronary artery disease
- Caffeine and opening the eyes have additive effects on resting arousal measures
- Effects of diurnal variation and caffeine consumption on Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) performance in healthy young adults
- Caffeine supplementation and multiple sprint running performance
- Effects of caffeine on repeated sprint ability, reactive agility time, sleep and next day performance
- Genetic determinants of blood pressure responses to caffeine drinking
- Caffeine and Physiological Responses to Submaximal Exercise: A Meta-Analysis
- Wake up and smell the coffee: caffeine supplementation and exercise performance-an umbrella review of 21 published meta-analyses
- Effects of acute ingestion of caffeine on team sports performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Caffeine for asthma.
- The Effect of Consuming Caffeine Before Late Afternoon/Evening Training or Competition on Sleep: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
- The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- The Prophylactic Effect of Acetaminophen and Caffeine on Post Dural Puncture Headache after Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Section: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.
- The Effect of Pre-Exercise Caffeine and Glucose Ingestion on Endurance Capacity in Hypoxia: A Double-Blind Crossover Trial.