You can take simple steps to help prevent your migraines

One way to help prevent migraines is to have a headache diary or notebook to write down when you have a migraine attack, how long it lasts, its intensity, which triggers might apply, and what medication(s) you took for it. This will help you capture information to help your doctor diagnose your migraines.

Certain lifestyle changes can help. Try to eat regularly (while avoiding trigger foods and beverages). Get enough exercise and rest. Stress management techniques, such as meditation, biofeedback, and having a positive and assertive attitude, can reduce your chances of getting a migraine.

Treating your migraines

People with migraine attempt to relieve their headache pain with a variety of methods. Biofeedback, relaxation therapy, and self hypnosis may help sufferers ward off impending attacks, while over-the-counter (OTC) prescription drugs can sometimes relieve migraine headaches.

A Gallup survey conducted for the American Association for the Study of Headache (AASH) found that 78% of migraine patients said OTC medications helped and virtually all migraine sufferers said they have used at least one OTC product. In another study, more than 90% of migraine patients said they use non-prescription medications for their headaches; the majority (60%) said they use OTC treatments exclusively. However, they did not clearly define which treatments work and in what dosages.