A migraine headache can incapacitate its victims, rendering them unable to perform the most simple of activities for hours or even days. Severe migraines affect millions of people every year; their side effects reading like a who's who of illness - nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, diarrhea, and sensitivity to light, sound, and smell. The repercussions can be disastrous - affecting work and home life as the migraine sufferer loses precious hours to pain and debilitation. It's no wonder that the quest to find a migraine cure is paramount in the life of a migraine sufferer.

The components of a migraine include the inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain. This inflammation affects the central nervous system and often the digestive system causing the bevy of side effects typical of migraines. Often, the identifying of specific triggers particular to each sufferer can be tantamount to a migraine cure, as the avoidance of the triggers prevents further episodes. But in order to isolate the triggers for each person and discover a migraine cure, it is necessary to understand the most common causes of migraines.

Research has shown that there are a number of common causes of migraine including lack of sleep, excessive caffeine, red wine consumption, exposure to smoke, high levels of stress, hormone fluctuations, and particular foods such as those that contain additives and preservatives. Sometimes the minimizing or avoidance of these triggers acts as a migraine cure.

In other cases, over-the-counter or prescription drugs act as a migraine cure, nipping pain in the bud and allowing the migraine sufferer to move on with their day. However, it is not often that over-the-counter medication can completely alleviate the pain of a migraine. Prescription medication has a better chance of acting as a migraine cure but in order to be effective it must be carefully administered by a doctor.

But for those who wish to find a more natural migraine cure, the implementation of a natural lifestyle may be just as effective as medication. In addition to a natural diet, the avoidance of alcohol and caffeine, a consistent exercise program, and commitment to adequate sleep, many migraine sufferers find relief through the use of such therapies such as chiropractic treatment, therapeutic massage, and acupuncture.