Migraines are a kind of neurological disease. The most common symptom of a migraine is a strong headache, and people often in fact refer to migraines as "migraine headaches". There are other symptoms of migraines, however, such as gastrointestinal problems (difficulties digesting food or pain in the digestive tract), nausea, vomiting, and a much greater than normal level of sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds. Dizziness and various affects on people's perception (collectively known as an "aura") also tend to accompany the onset of a migraine.



The most simple treatment that people use to treat a migraine is to apply something hot or cold to the part of the head where the most pain is located. The effectiveness of this can vary from person to person; some people are able to greatly lessen their pain with a hot or cold compress, and for others it can make things worse (both hot and cold temperatures should be tried to see which one gives the migraine sufferer the best results).

Various vitamins and minerals can also be used to treat migraines, as migraines are thought to be related to hormonal cycles (this also helps to explain why migraines are more prevalent in women than in men), and in some cases of hormonal imbalance migraines are seen as a frequent symptom. One of the most popular substances which people all around the world use every day to prevent minor headaches, and which can also be useful in preventing migraines, is caffeine. Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning can help to improve the state of one's vascular system and make migraines much less likely or alleviate the symptoms of existing migraines. Over the counter medicine such as acetaminophen can also be helpful in some cases, and herbs such as butterbur, feverfew as well as substances like vitamin B2, riboflavin or magnesium citrate have also been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks over time in clinical studies. These kinds of supplements have been seen to make the frequency of migraine headaches go down by between forty to sixty percent or more.

By avoiding the kind of stressful situations and triggers which most frequently cause migraines, applying the basic treatments for stress and pain relief, and taking advantage of the various vitamins, minerals and other supplements that reduce headache severity, you can avoid having strong migraine headaches and get on with your life.