Let’s face facts, sometimes medicine doesn’t work. Sometimes the top alternative treatments don’t work. Sometimes crazy things that you never in a million years thought would work—work!

Mention the word migraine or the word headache in a room with more than two people and you are almost guaranteed of receiving free advice. There’s an almost limitless amount of possible treatments that you may or may not want to try. Most are harmless enough that it really wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and give it a shot. So next time you’ve got a real brain popping migraine and nothing works maybe you should see if one of these will do the trick. It may just turn out to be the magic pill you’ve been looking for all your life.

One common methods that seems to be circulating involves drinking a lot of water. Not just a few glasses, mind you, but a truly titanic amount of water. For some people, it seems the more water you try the better. Maybe this is just a case of transference. You know, your bladder starts hurting so much from expanding under the weight of that liquid that you forget all about your head hurting. Other suggestions are that the migraines are triggered by dehydration and the water fixes the problem in a jiffy.

Others swear by an alternative liquid treatment. Not water, but Benadryl. This probably works by making you so sleepy that you forget all about the headache. Obviously, this is not recommended if you are pregnant. Not to mention that some people suffer from a reverse reaction to Benadryl and get all hyper and probably will suffer a reverse reaction in regard to headache by making it worse. This one, as with all involving medicine, requires caution.

Massage, of course, is a frequently tried alternative method, but it takes time and money and usually isn’t exactly convenient as far as helping out right when the headache attacks. But self-massage is easily done and many, many migraine sufferers turn to it without even realizing. The preferred method seems to be using the fingertips and gently rubbing the temples, the tips of the ears or the back of the head. Of course, many professional massage therapists.

Draw. Just because you aren’t exactly Van Gogh doesn’t matter. Art therapy works wonders and nobody can even come close to explaining why. Maybe it’s just the physical activity, maybe it’s the creative drive coming to the surface and driving away all that nasty pressure taking place inside the cranial vessels. It’s really an amazing thing to watch. People barely able to keep their eyes open have been known to pick up a pen or piece of charcoal and begin applying it to paper and within a half hour their migraine headache symptoms begin to subside. Oddly enough, this therapy has proven more effective in those who claim to have no artistic talent than those who do; actual artists actually seem to be affected the least.

Play a video game. This is probably not the best idea for those whose migraines tend to be triggered by light or noise. If your trigger doesn’t seem related to sensitivity to light or noise, then give this a try. It seems to work best if you play a game that doesn’t require a significant amount of strategy; either shoot to kill or sports-related games tend to have the best results. It is assumed that sports games work through their ability to a migraine sufferer focused on the outcome of actually winning a game that can be won in the time it takes have a migraine. By focusing on the game and having a goal that can be met, the stress that is related to migraines seems to be eased.

And finally, for the minority of migraines sufferers who are male, there is one last suggestion. Of course, there are disadvantages to this approach in that you need the assistance of a willing participant, but those who try it swear by it. (And when you find out what it is, you’ll understand why). Apparently, being on the receiving end of a certain type of sexual practice associated with France has been known to relieve more than just a few migraines. And even if it doesn’t, well, this one is definitely worth giving the old college try.

The problem with migraine prevention is that there isn’t just one cause for the headaches. There are very many triggers for migraines, in fact, and trying to avoid them all would be an exercise in hermitry. Who wants to spend the rest of their life living in a cave just to avoid headaches? That being said, there are a few things you can do to avoid migraines and here are the top ten.

1) Cut the caffeine. Among the multitude of products linked to migraines is caffeine. Taking in too much can lead to a headache of monstrous proportions. Unfortunately, it’s not only too much caffeine that lead to a headache, it’s caffeine withdrawal if you’re used to taking in a lot. Best to cut back slowly.

2) While we’re talking about caffeine, let’s also talk about NutraSweet. Aspartame has been the culprit for many people who have complained of migraines. Go in search of why aspartame causes migraines and you will run into what seems like the biggest cover-up since Roswell. Most of what you’ll read hasn’t been proven, but then again neither have the makers of NutraSweet proven that their product doesn’t contribute to migraines. Avoid it and you may well avoid a horrendous headache.

3) There are more reasons to give up smoking than you can count, but avoiding migraines is another reason to put on the list. Of course, that’s easier than said than done if you are the smoker, but remember, secondhand smoke is just as likely to cause a migraine headache as actual smoking. So if you can, remove yourself from the environment in which people are smoking. Better yet: Get them to remove themselves. You do have the right to not have to be around their smoke, especially if their smoke is causing your headaches.

4) Establish a regular pattern of sleeping and waking. In fact, get as anal-retentive as you can about this. A regular pattern of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, on weekends as well as weekdays, can do wonders. Many people who have instituted a rigid routine of sleeping and waking have discovered that their migraines disappear completely and forever. Or at least as long as they continue the pattern.

5) Give up the pill and try another form of contraception. Birth control pills and their effects on hormones can be a major hazard when it comes to migraine pain. You don’t necessarily have to go off the pill entirely. Some people have found that merely changing brands puts an end to their migraine misery. If that doesn’t help, however, you may look into other forms of female contraception or, if you and your partner don’t mind, switching over to condoms.

6) Change your lighting. Very bright lights can often trigger very severe migraines. You might consider using the softer, filmy kind of light bulbs. Or use lamps instead of overhead lights. Or stop using fluorescent lighting, if that’s possible. If you spend a lot of time at the computer monitor, take frequent breaks and get as far away from the pulsating waves of the monitor as possible.

7) Cheese, chocolate and wine may sound like the ideal ingredients for a romantic picnic, but if you are prone to migraines the last thing you may be feeling is romantic following that afternoon getaway. Aged cheeses especially are dangerous because they contain the amino acid tyramine. Chocolate contains phenylethamine. Both chemicals contribute to migraines and alcohol is a trigger as well. Stay away from all three and find other ways to get in a romantic mood.

8) Use body wash to smell good instead of perfume or cologne. Odors and aromas are major causes of migraines and those that make you smell good are among the worst. Keep yourself clean instead of daubing with the smelly-goods.

9) Being an aerobic exercise program. Exercising regularly helps to increase your cardiovascular capacity and improper blood flow is linked to recurrent migraines.

10) Driver or take a train when you can instead of flying. The lowering of cabin pressure on airplanes is a sure-fire migraine trigger and one easily avoided when the trip can be made by alternative means of transportation.

You’ve read the good advice, or at least the advice that has been know to work. But how many times have you gotten advice on how to treat a migraine that, well, gave you a migraine? Some advice making the rounds almost sounds like jokes, or at least some kind of fiction. But the following are actual migraine treatments that people like you and me have received from friends, family, co-workers and strangers.

A man who had been suffering headaches for decades went to see a headache specialist in the 60s and was advised to start dating younger women. Not just younger women, mind you, but younger women of the kind that you don’t meet in bars. Nice younger women. Okay, well maybe that shouldn’t quite qualify as one of the worst pieces of migraine advice of all time. It’s certainly not as bad as:

Buy a razor and dig out that nerve bundle over your eye that's causing all your freaking pain! Yeah, that would definitely qualify as bad advice. In the first place it would hurt like you know what. In the second place, it would probably make your head hurt worse, not make it feel better.

This next one is entertaining because of the exactitude of its requirements, but it could possibly pan out in the future to have some merit. Take a five ounce magnet in your left hand and a three ounce magnet in your right hand and alternatively rotate them exactly three inches away from your skull for five minutes. To be honest, magnets have been used in scientific studies to treat various illnesses and there are subcultures out there that turn to magnetic power as a general cure-all for just about anything. To say that magnets could have no effect at all migraines might be going too far, but it’s still got to rank as bad advice to assume that the magnets have to be of different weights, held in different hands and only work when held at a specific distance for a specific amount of time. Then again, who knows?

There are several modes of thought that might find this next one actually makes sense. Those who are completely convinced that all migraine pain is in your head and that medicine can’t work because it’s not accomplishing anything anyway might just see past the idiocy of this next one. Quit your medication cold turkey, stiff it out for a few weeks and desensitize your head. Sure. And maybe if angina sufferers just desensitize their hearts they won’t die from a heart attack.

Sit in a bathtub filled with ice for five minutes then take a hot shower until all the ice has melted away. Where to begin on this one? In the first place, sitting in a tub billed with ice may take your attention away from the headache, but only because you are transferring your attention to the pain caused by frostbite. It’s almost certainly not a good idea to sit that long in ice. Next comes the question why does the shower have to last until the ice melts? Is there some magic in the time it takes for hot water to melt away all that ice. This one goes beyond merely bad advice straight to insane. It’s almost impossible to imagine how this cure could work.

Quit your job and sell Amway. This one probably came from a top level Amway distributor trying to add to his pyramid.

Migraines are caused by severe resentment of someone. If you can overcome the resentment, you will get rid of your migraines. There are two problems with this treatment. One, resentment has nothing to do with migraines and two, getting rid of migraines is probably easier than overcoming resentment.

A lot of crazy advice over the years about a lot of different things has gradually turned into accepted methods of treatment. After all, who would ever have thought that bread mold could cure disease? Still, it’s probably not the best idea in the world to take a razor to your head.

That thing about dating younger women still doesn’t sound too bad, though.

Although there are many other alternative therapies for treating migraines, probably the first thing most of us will turn to is medication. Society today looks for quick answers found inside a pill, tablet or capsule to all our various ailments. There is certainly nothing wrong with resorting to medication, but when it comes to migraines one should be especially careful about what kind they use.

ASPIRIN

Aspirin is the grand old standby for pain relief. It seems as though aspirin has been around forever and its reputation is getting better every day as it has become a recommended daily preventative measure against heart attacks. Here are some thing to keep in mind when using aspirin to treat migraines.

• Aspirin should never be given to children under 12.

• Absorption of aspirin is much more effective and the chances for stomach problems are significantly decreased when dissolved in water.

• Aspirin can be used in combination with codeine; however be aware that codeine often causes constipation and/or dizziness.

PARACETAMOL

• Similar to aspirin, but usually less irritating to the stomach lining.

• Is often used in combination with codeine or sedatives which often strengthens its ability to relieve pain.

• Paracetamol can cause liver damage if taken in excessive quantities.

SUMATRIPTAN (Imigran)

• Prescription drug developed specifically to act against migraine headache.

• It has been proven to be quite effective against migraine.

• Imigram is available in tablet, injection and nasal spray forms.

• Sumatriptan effects include nausea, and chest and throat tightness.

• Sumatriptan should be avoided by those suffering from heart disease, poor

circulation or angina.

METOCLOPRAMIDE (maxalon)

• A prescription medicine used in combination with aspirin as an anti-nausea drug.

• May improve the absorption of other migraine drugs.

ERGOTAMINE (Ergodryl, Cafergot, Migral)

• Another effective prescription drug, this one was originally derived from a fungus that grows on rye.

• Unlike the other medications, this one is not a painkiller, but instead works specifically to reduce the pressure of blood vessels which causes migraine headaches.

• Is often used in combination with caffeine in order to improve its effectiveness.

• It is available in both tablet and suppository form

• Has been known to cause nausea.

• Works by causing a narrowing of the arteries, which may worsen poor circulation.

• This medication should not be used in individuals who suffer from heart angina. Dihydroergotamine (Dihydergot) is a similar drug that is given by injection.

PIZOTIFEN (Sandomigran)

• This is perhaps the most commonly prescribed preventative medication for migraines.

• Common side effects associated with pizotifen include sedation and weight gain.

PROPRANOLOL (Inderal, Deralin)

• Originally introduced to treat high blood pressure.

• Multiple side effects ranging from insomnia, depression and weight gain to nightmares,

impotence, and dizziness due to low blood pressure.

• May aggravate asthma and poor circulation, but is usually safe in heart disease and angina.

• Some people experience problems in absorbing this drug, so high doses may be required.

AMITRIPTYLINE (Tryptanol and other brands)

• The medication works on headaches independently of its antidepressant action.

• Side effects include dry mouth, sedation, weight gain, occasionally blurred

vision, constipation, and bladder problems.

• New antidepressants like fluoxetine (Prozac) and similar drugs are not as effective as headache preventatives.

VALPROATE (Epilim)

• Introduced initially to treat epilepsy, it was found to act against most forms of headaches.

• Side effects include weight gain, nausea, tremor, hair loss and liver injury.

FEVERFEW

• Not so much a medication as an herbal extract that has been found effective for treating migraine headache.

• Few side effects, but be aware that some commercial preparations of feverfew may

be too weak to be active against headache.

METHYSERGIDE (Deseril)

• Methysergide is related to ergotamine.

• Often causes upset stomachs and has also been known to cause muscle aches and dizziness.

• When used over long periods of time, methysergide has caused severe scarring around the kidneys, therefore it must be used strict medical supervision.

Controlling your anger is not always easy. It is important when a person has anger problems to try to talk to the person. Avoid loosing your temper yourself since this will only cause another problem. When a person has anger issues then that person puts others in danger and if we loose our control then we have a seriously chaotic situation that could lead to violence. If you have a child that has anger issues, it makes since to keep the chain of communication open. Sit your child down and talk with him or her attempting to find out what is making the child frustrated. Do not wait until the child is out of control and then try to talk. This only fuses the person often. Wait until the child cools down and then ask him or her what they feel caused the interruption. You might want to search your own area of contact with the child to see if anything you said or did made the child angry. This will help you to avoid this the next time you and your child are together. My child had anger problems and he was told to take a walk or a cool down period before addressing the issues. Of course, my child had mental illnesses underlying the anger and this contributed to the problems we endured. Self-talk and talking is always helpful when we are dealing with anger. Try to find the source of the anger by talking through the problem. Some recommend the angered person counts to 10 or 15, however if there is an underlying cause then this does not always work. The best solution is finding what works for you. It is also recommended that the child play a game, such as PlayStation, Nintendo or other game console and play until your anger ceases. Again, this works for some of us, but not all of us. A great technique I found valuable was drawing the source of your anger if possible. Writing, self-talk, talk, art, and music has proven in my experience to be more effective verses the other types of techniques offered. Exercise is also great. Running around the block, riding a bike, or going for a walk has proven helpful for eliminating anger for some individuals. Dance is great for relieving anger. Dance is a natural source of getting in touch with your feeling. If you ever wondered what the term she’s got soul means, well when you dance, feel the music and adhere to the steps of the beat then you got soul. There is nothing like the boogie fever since it relieves stress, tension, anxiety and makes your body and mind feel good since you did something constructive. If you must vent your frustration on something, get a punching bad, or else beat the heck out of your pillow. Some great advice came from health fitness experts when they advice me to enlist my child in Kick Boxing, Boxing, or Wrestling. This is said to teach the person control. Karate is another recommended source for helping a person deal with anger. The problem is when we are dealing with anger; we must get the other person to cooperate. Since most persons angered will find an excuse why the techniques provided to them does not work, it is important to get them to understand their anger, the problems and how the techniques can benefit them if they apply them selves. Crying is good for relieving stress and anger also; however, this is not always suitable for everyone. My children were raised understanding that it is ok to cry regardless of gender. Therefore, we need to teach our children regardless of gender that it is ok to express your emotions and feelings. That is not a disgrace; rather it is a developing of character strategy that works best for us all. Emotions when suppressed will create more problems for the people in society; therefore, it is important to address your feelings and emotions when they arise. Dealing with the problems when they arise is the best solution for dealing with emotions. Controlling your anger is not always easy, but it is possible.