The first approach in attempting to prevent migraines is to make sure there are no other factors contributing to the potential development of headaches and migraines. You should discuss with your physician the possibility that you may be having issues around stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse etc.

The next is to try to characterize the nature of your headache and the pattern of the headache. For this we would recommend keeping a headache calendar or diary for two to three months. Entries should include the date and time that the symptoms start and stop or anything that may trigger the headache (stress, lack of sleep, particular food, drink, fumes etc), type and severity of your pain, how you treated the headache and what the response to the treatment was. Bringing the calendar when you meet with your health care provider would be helpful in development of a care plan.

You should keep a regular schedule of sleep, exercise and good nutrition as irregular sleeping and eating patterns are well recognized triggers for migraines. Non-medication strategies are key elements of any headache prevention plan. Examples include identifying food triggers and looking into psychosocial and lifestyle factors. Keeping a regular schedule of sleep (preferably at least eight hours a night) and exercise (at least 20 minutes three times per week of moderate intensity), not smoking and relaxation techniques can be very effective with no side effects.

Some people get headaches if they consume significant amounts of caffeine daily and then pause with consumption. These are caffeine withdrawal headaches. Decrease either coffee or tea intake to no more than two cups per day will help avoid these headaches. Even patients without obvious caffeine withdrawal should also minimize their caffeine intake.

Keep a list of foods you ate up to 12 hours before migraine started. Avoid these dietary triggers. The most common dietary offenders are food additives such as nitrates (hot dogs, salami, processed lunch meats, ham, bacon or sausage), MSG (found in packaged foods, soups, stews, meat tenderizers and Chinese food), aged cheeses (including cheddar, Brie, Gruyere, Stilton and Camembert), yeast (found in pizza crusts, raised coffee cakes, and donuts, home baked and sourdough breads), and alcohol (especially red wine and champagne).

Treat neck pain with heat and ice, and use gentle stretching exercises and relaxation techniques. Some of this information can be found in the Health Encyclopedia. Rearrange your study or work area to avoid physical strain. For example move computer screens to eye level, lower your chair so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and use a lumbar roll to maintain good sitting posture. Use a phone headset if you often cradle a phone on your neck.

Examine your surroundings. Headaches can be caused by exposure to glue, paint, chemical or petroleum fumes. Poor ventilation may bring on a headache particularly if you are affected by cigarette smoke, perfume, odors or automobile exhaust fumes. Other possible exposures include ongoing drafts, intense sunlight, and too much heat.