Migraine sufferers can usually tell what triggers their headaches, and learn to avoid those triggers. Some of them include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Stress
• Oversleeping
• Skipping meals
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Hormonal changes
• Changes in barometric pressure
• Changes in altitude
• Menstruation

For many migraines – about thirty percent – food is the culprit. To avoid eating yourself into a headache, doctors recommend turning your nose up at any food containing the following:

• Additives
• Nitrates, found in processed meats; yellow food coloring, also known as “annatto”; and MSG, typically found in Chinese foods, canned or processed foods, soy sauce, and meat tenderizer.

• Tyramine – a substance naturally found in the body that helps to support blood pressure and is also found in certain foods, such as:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Homemade breads
• Aged cheeses
• Processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meat, pepperoni, etc.)
• Bread or crackers that contain cheese
• Fava beans
• Sour cream
• Yogurt
• Broad beans
• Peas
• Lentils
• Pickled foods
• Canned meats
• Bouillon cubes

Tyramine is also found in the following foods, but in lower amounts, making them safe for the migraine sufferer to eat in moderation:

• Avocados
• Bananas
• Citrus fruit
• Figs
• Raisins
• Red plums
• Raspberries
• Chocolate

Migraine headaches are treated with a huge variety of different medications. They’re available in just about any form ranging from nasal sprays to tablets to injections.

Preventative treatments:

• Beta blockers (such as Propranol and Timolol)
• Calcium channel blockers (such as Verapamil, Nimodipine, and Diltiazem)
• Anti-epilepsy medications (such as Divalproex Sodium, Neurontin, and Topiramate)
• NSAIDS (such as Ketoprofen, Flurbiprofen, Fenoprofen, and Naproxen)
• Antidepressants

• Non-sedating (Protryptaline, Desipramine)
• Sedating (Imipramene, Doxepin, Amitryptiline, Nortryptiline)
• Other antidepressants (Trazodone, Bupropion)

• Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (such as Fluoxetine and Paroxetine)

Abortive treatments:

• Over-the-counter medications (such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin/Acetaminophen/Caffeine combinations)
• NSAIDS
• Glutocorticoids (such as Prednisone and Dexamethasone)