The pain from a migraine headache can get so severe that it interferes with your ability to function throughout the day. Migraine headaches can cause intense throbbing in the head, sensitivity to light, nausea, vomiting, sound sensitivity, blurred vision, cold hands and feet, and diarrhea.

Anyone can get migraines, but these headaches tend to strike those under 40, women, and people with a family history. Migraines happen when the blood vessels enlarge, and certain chemicals are released into the nerve fibers.

Some of the things that can trigger migraines include:

" lack of sleep

" too much sleep

" certain smells

" being overexerted

" obesity

" medications

" too much stress

" bright lights

" loud sounds

" alcohol (particularly red wine, and beer)

" aspartame

" caffeine

" monosodium glutamate (MSG)

" aged cheeses

No two people are alike, so migraine headache triggers will be different for everyone.

Drug Treatments for Migraine Headaches

Migraines headaches can last up to three days, and who wants to put up with debilitating pain for that long? Here are some drug treatments that are commonly used to treat migraine headaches.

Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, NSAIDS, and acetaminophen can treat migraine headaches if they are taken right when the headaches start. Over-the-counter meds are only effective if your migraine headaches are mild. To prevent rebound headaches, OTC meds should not be overused.

If you have severe migraines, prescription abortive medications may be prescribed by your doctor to stop migraine headaches in their tracks. Abortive medications can be injected into the thigh (you can do this yourself), or they can be administered orally via a tablet or wafer that dissolves on the tongue.

If you have more than one migraine a week, your physician may recommend preventive medications to keep migraine headaches at bay.

Natural Treatments for Migraine Headaches

If you prefer not to use drugs to treat migraine headaches, there are several natural treatment options that you can use such as magnesium (found naturally in some foods), butterbur (herb), acupuncture, chiropractic care, and feverfew (herb).

Even though herbs are all natural, they can still have side effects. So before you take any type of herb to treat you migraine headachesm clear it with your doctor, especially if you are taking medications to treat other conditions.

How to Prevent Migraine Headaches

While there is no foolproof way to keep migraines from striking, there are a few lifestyle tweaks that can prevent, or minimize the frequency of these headaches. Adults should get between six and eight hours of sleep each night. But be careful not to oversleep; snoozing too long can trigger migraines.

Get an hour of moderate physical activity each day. There are no limitations on the types of exercises you can do. Walking, running, biking, tai chi, yoga, treadmill, Pilates, swimming, aerobics, dancing, and kick-boxing are all great forms of exercises.

Migraines are a pain to deal with, so whether you choose drug or natural methods to treat the pain, being proactive can help stop these terrible headaches from ruining the quality of your life.