DEAR DOCTORS: I am 69 years old and have two cups of coffee each morning. Once or twice a week, I wake up with a dull ache at the back of my head, towards the left side. It always goes away with my first cup of coffee. Is this caffeine withdrawal? My doctors have found no physical causes.
DEAR READER: Caffeine is a fascinating compound. For people who consume it regularly, its absence can trigger a headache. And because of the way the body responds to caffeine, its presence can sometimes relieve one. It's possible that both of these things are occurring in your case.
