tea headaches, HELP!!

[Marlene]

I'm fairly sure it's a tannin sensitivity too, but you may want to try the decaf meathod mentioned above.
It's a pitty you don't like greens. Fewer tannins in greens. Try a light roasted oolong, and see how that suits you.
And a note, it isn't realy a big deal, but it's always bugged me. (a lot of silly little things bug me, so please don't take it the wrong way!!) Tannins are what's in tea, tannic acid is used to tan leather. They aren't quite the same thing, lol.
I wish there was a way to de-tannin tea the way we can de-caff it, but there realy isnt. Good luck!

[yresim]

I heard from a "tea savvy "friend of mine who said I should diminish the amount of tea That I am using in the pot

Your friend has a good point. Using too much tea in the pot will cause the level of tannins to be higher than normal. For black tea, you should be adding right around 1 tsp per 8 ounces.

Also, if you find that the "30 second decaf" works, you might just try a regular "pre-brew." A pre-brew is exactly like the decaf trick, except that you only let the tea sit in the hot water for a few seconds (I usually wait 3-5 seconds). Pre-brew is usually used to make the tea taste better. It takes away the bitter edge by rinsing away some of the caffeine & tannins. Basically, it does the same thing as a decaf, but to a much lesser degree.

You can also try a dark oolong tea. I like Adagio's Jasmine #12. Just make sure it is a darker oolong, and not a greener oolong (since you don't sound like you like green tea much).

Or you can try adding some herbal "teas" to your repitoire. That way, you can have tea ("tea") any time, even while limiting your caffeine/tannin intake.

And, finally, if none of that works: try a different pot! Seriously. Get a small, simple one made out of glass. Or ceramic with a white, non-lead glaze. Some materials/glazes can cause headaches in rare people (e.g., MCS or allergies). And tea will pass that on. You should know within a day or two whether or not this is going to help you.

~Yresim~

[RTourn]

I just want to say I have the same problem. These crazy Tea headaches are more annoying than painful, most of the time. It’s a pounding inside my skull at a few areas in my head. It’s the same headache I get when I study hard, but when it’s really bad, my head pounds with a great force, my skin gets sensitive and it feels like I got the flu. This is something I accept for drinking “healthy” tea. I would like t know why it happens but it is mostly curiosity that drives me to find answers.

I have read the tannins theory in the earlier post. And I’m intrigued as soon as I can I’ll eat a whole meal with as much tannins as I can assemble. I'll let you know.

[deea_210]

I also drank green tea for a month and after 3 weeks I began to experience severe headache and especially in the back of the head particularly in the afternoon and evenings everyday. In the morning I have no headache. It is not beacause of caffeine because I didn't get any headache from coffee. I have a question for you: did you experience headache when you drink black tea? I think about switching from green tea to black tea.

[nvnohi]

I realize this is an old topic but in case anyone else finds this, I think I get headaches from tea, too, but only specific kinds, perhaps. Here is what I know:
- Began drinking Lipton bagged tea at work, about 1 cup per day, for a couple weeks.
- Started getting excruciating headaches behind left eye; left eye would feel weird - it could see just fine, but it felt like I couldn't, or like the muscle behind it was straining. Occurred almost every afternoon for almost two weeks. Advil did not help much (if at all).
- Saw an eye doctor; worried it was an eye problem. He ruled eyes both very healthy and said my prescription had gotten very slightly /better/. Said the computer work I do may strain and bifocals might help. Did not get new glasses, because I was unconvinced since it was so sudden. However, I did begin to look out the window ever half-hour as he suggested, to refocus my eyes; figured it couldn't hurt.
- Suspected Lipton as I realized it was the only new thing I'd really introduced - I usually drink only loose-leafs. Stopped drinking that at the same time.
- Within days, headaches disappeared completely.
- Slowly stopped looking out window.
- Fine for at least a month now.
- Drank lipton once a couple days ago, nothing.
- Have had two tetsubin-pot-fulls of Adagio's Jasmine #12 over the past two days and can feel the beginning of something behind same eye. Feels like it's straining again.
- Have also noticed in past that drinking a LOT of tea (kind unknown, don't recall) seems to increase urination and over time, my kidneys ache. This made sense given caffeine is a diuretic and tea is the only thing I drink in great quantities; sudden influx of extra fluid that wants out probably makes my kidneys work overtime. I suspect this would also occur if I drank coffee (yuck).
- Also noticed that sometimes I feel "drier" after drinking a lot of tea. Not sure what this is about.
- There is a nerve, pressurepoint, blood vessel, or something, in the back of the neck that is directly connected to the left-eye headache/strain. I noticed it the last time I had a bad left-eye headache and after some trial and error, found the spot to press down on to temporarily relieve the symptoms. The problem is that it's instantaneous - push down, pain's gone, let off, it returns right away. It is currently working for the second time, so I thought I'd mention it.

I /love/ tea but I think for some people, moderation and perhaps figuring out which teas do what for them might be needed.

Oh, another point of potential interest - if I eat a lot of blueberries (over a cup in a day), I typically get headaches (and/or a nonitchy rash on both shoulders), but not specific to the left eye, it's more of a general thing. Given that both are "antioxidant" oriented, I wondered if there's a connection there, but I don't know - I eat lots of things that probably fall into that category that do not cause headaches. From this I draw no concrete conclusions but it's possible there are chemicals in both tea and blueberries that I am sensitive to. If I can find a correlation I might be able to figure out how to avoid this in the future without avoiding the foods altogether.

Hope this helps others or perhaps it might lend another perspective.

[beckynoel]

if I eat a lot of blueberries (over a cup in a day), I typically get headaches (and/or a nonitchy rash on both shoulders), but not specific to the left eye, it's more of a general thing. Given that both are "antioxidant" oriented, I wondered if there's a connection there, but I don't know - I eat lots of things that probably fall into that category that do not cause headaches.

I know that if the blueberries are not organic they are going to be slathered in pesticides. I get headaches and rashes when I eat pesticide-contaminated fruits and veggies. Also, if the tea you drink isn't organic, it has some pesticides too.

As for tea headaches, I have the same kind of problem, and I know it's due to tea consumption. I've found that too much leaf to water ratio can bring it on.

If I don't drink tea daily, I get a headache. If I drink too much, or it's too strong- same thing. Gotta find a balance.

[TubbyCow]

If I don't drink tea daily, I get a headache. If I drink too much, or it's too strong- same thing. Gotta find a balance.

Hear, hear. A few weeks ago I was getting headaches every day, so I cut back to about 7 cups of tea a day for a few weeks, and that seems to have done it. Think I was getting a bit too reliant on the caffeine and need to drink more herbals.

[djentropy]

If you're having headaches that are making you uncomfortable, may I offer my advice?

Unless you are a doctor, ignore all the results of any self-done "experiments" you have performed. Then, ignore all advice you get from anyone on the internet. Follow that by ignoring all advice from anyone you know who is not a MD.

Now take a deep breath. Go see a doctor. A real doctor. Not some "alternative" doctor. A MD with a license to practice and good references. Talk to him.

[beecrofter]

Patient: "Doctor it hurts when I drink tea"

Doctor: " Don't drink tea"

[djentropy]

LOL @ post above mine --

My point is that people often decide that their headaches are "caused" by something like drinking tea, or by the cycle of the moon, or by a bunch of things. Sometimes they may be correct, but we are generally way too close to the situation to make those kinds of decisions. Self diagnosis is generally a really bad idea. Ask your local doctor what he thinks of WedMD

Best to hit up a real doctor and let them take a look at you, versus trying to self-diagnose. You're never going to get sound medical advice via the internet.

[TomVerlain]

Patient: "Doctor it hurts when I drink tea"

Doctor: " Don't drink tea"

The correct q&a is:

Patient: "Doctor, I have a horrible stabbing pain in my right eye when I drink tea !!"

Doctor: "Take the spoon out !!"

[tenuki]

30sec decaf is just that pour the hot water over the tea wait 30 sec dump that, then brew normally. It takes most of the caffine out.

settles in for an entertaining evening....

[nvnohi]

LOL @ post above mine --

My point is that people often decide that their headaches are "caused" by something like drinking tea, or by the cycle of the moon, or by a bunch of things. Sometimes they may be correct, but we are generally way too close to the situation to make those kinds of decisions. Self diagnosis is generally a really bad idea. Ask your local doctor what he thinks of WedMD

Best to hit up a real doctor and let them take a look at you, versus trying to self-diagnose. You're never going to get sound medical advice via the internet.

Indeed. From past experience, my days' worth (and sometimes years' worth) of observation have often been momentarily confirmed by my doctor during a two-minute exam, during which time he listens to my complaint, my suspicions, and my reasoning. Often I leave there feeling silly for having bothered him. However, he has offered truly helpful information from time to time such as "Yep, eating a lot of yeasty items can cause yeast infections of the skin," and "don't fill this prescription for four days, because I suspect this cough will go away in three and not turn into the bronchitis you remember as a child."

A bit of common sense, observation, paying attention to your own body, and knowing when to consult with more knowledgeable folks (such as doctors and mothers) can go a long way. For me, this would be one of the times that I'd feel pretty silly for paying my doctor to tell me what I already know. I've already heard "then don't do that" from my mother over this one!

[nvnohi]

I know that if the blueberries are not organic they are going to be slathered in pesticides. I get headaches and rashes when I eat pesticide-contaminated fruits and veggies. Also, if the tea you drink isn't organic, it has some pesticides too.

You know, it's funny you should mention that. I had not considered pesticides until this past summer when we began growing our own [organic] strawberries. It could have been the /type/ of strawberry, but I ate several and did not get any stinging sensations on my tongue whatsoever, which I usually do (eventually my tongue bleeds if I eat enough of them). I also had no discernible symptoms the past couple years from our hand-picked blueberries, which made me think I was either wrong or had become desensitized. However, I found out this past summer that the blueberries had gone organic two years ago.

I've not drawn conclusions just yet, though, because I recognize that a) there's a huge movement promoting "organic" everything and I'm wary of sudden onset of mass opinions; and b) there are also differences in soil composition, and that /when/ something is picked can cause taste changes as well as /what/ the item is grown in. If things taste different, the chemicals /must/ be oriented differently. Heck, if there's a noticeable change in tea flavour simply by using different brewing methods, there has to be a correlation in ground materials as well, right?

Yet, with tea, I would never have thought of pesticides. I don't know whether Adagio's teas, or the Lipton kinds, are ever treated with pesticides or other chemicals. I would be surprised if they were (I have a romanticized concept of how tea is produced) but I won't disregard the idea, either, since I don't work in tea fields.

Something else to consider, at the least.

[silverneedles]

ignore all advice you get from anyone on the internet. Follow that by ignoring all advice from anyone you know who is not a MD.
... Go see a doctor. A real doctor. Not some "alternative" doctor. A MD with a license to practice

blasphemy! MDs with a license to practice are not natural... unless you can provide source for doctors whose mothers lived on downsloping hills and ate organic chickens who ate organic feed that was organically produced on the other side of the downsloping hill caressed by the south-east winds.