You can feel a headache coming on, and this time you think it’s a migraine because it’s different. Light bothers you and you feel nauseous. Noise is unbearable and your head begins to pound.

Twice as many women get migraines as compared with men, and women often get migraines associated with their menstrual cycles. Hormonal changes can trigger migraines in women, which is why some women get migraines during pregnancy. Migraines are also a known side effect of oral contraceptives.

Common migraine triggers include the weather, secondhand smoke, lack of sleep, chocolate, monosodium gluconate (often used in Asian foods), aged cheeses, alcohol, caffeine withdrawal, and tobacco use.

Some women can sense when a migraine is about to strike by its warning signs: throbbing pain, nausea, increased yawning, tingling in the arms and legs, changes in vision, or increased sensitivity to light, heat, and sound.

Migraines can last a few hours or several days.

New medications are available that prevent migraines. The most frequently prescribed migraine medications that help at the onset of an attack include Zomig, Amerge, Maxalt, Axert, and Imitrex. There are also medications on the market to prevent migraines, such as the anti-seizure drugs Topamax and Depakote and the beta-blocker Inderal.

Talk with your health care professional to see if any of the medications that prevent migraines might work well for you. You deserve to live pain-free, and together you and your health care professional can create the strategies to do so.

• Eat healthfully: Get a balanced diet, stay hydrated, and limit caffeine, processed sugars, and carbohydrates.
• Get moving: Exercise regularly and include gentle stretching after your muscles have warmed up as part of your regular exercise program. Respect restrictions in your body; ask your health care provider what’s considered “normal” as you age.
• Lift smartly: Always squat or bend your knees to lift—never over-exert your muscles or joints.
• Find your “om”: Combat stress with regular relaxation techniques.
• Sleep well: Make sure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
• Kick bad habits: Don’t smoke or use tobacco, and drink alcohol in moderation—no more than one drink per day.