Please provide some do's and don'ts for people who are prone to having headaches and migraines.

Consider: Consider replacing missing teeth if you are forced to chew only on one side.

Don't: Don't give up. Think beyond the box. Consider a dentist for your headaches.

The: The better your diet, sleep habits, and overall healthy lifestyle the less headaches you will get.

Try: Try not to chew food on just the right or left side of mouth- balance is critical!

Try: Try to find your triggers. Don't ignore your headaches. You are less productive and accident prone.

Try: Try not to get overly stressed about things - stress can affect your nervous system & trigger ache.

Avoid: Avoid consuming sugars - sugars can trigger your headaches.

Excessive: Excessive stress can have effects on your hormones & trigger headaches - try to remain calm.

Go: Go to bed each night and get up in the morning at the same time to decrease migraine attacks.

Keep: Keep a log of your migraines. Time of day, site, and duration. This will help with diagnosis.

The: The better your diet, sleeping patterns & overall lifestyle - the less headaches you will have.

Avoid: Avoid "cured meats" - the nitrates & nitrites can make your headaches much worse.

If: If you get more than one migraine per month, you may want to consider a preventive medicine.

Poor: Poor posture, playing a musical instrument, cradling a phone, etc. Can contribute.

There: There are several medications you can take to keep you from getting migraines.

Avoid: Avoid consuming vegetable oils like soy & canola - they can make your headaches much worse.

Be: Be aggressive, quick, and persistent to be rid of your headache within 4 hours.

Botox: Botox injected into the forehead, temples, or brow trigger points can substantially reduce migraines.

Botox: Botox injected into the jaw muscles may improve headaches caused by nighttime grinding or clenching.

Many: Many headaches and migraines are triggered by sinus problems. See an ENT doctor.

Soy: Soy products have estrogen like properties which can effect your hormones & make headaches worse.

Consider: Consider seeing a TMJ specialist (dentist with additional training) who can possibly help.

A new TipTap: Magnesium supplements help prevent migraines.

A new TipTap: Pay attention to the things that trigger your headaches, bright lights, stress, etc and avoid them.

A new TipTap: Some supplements that may be helpful - magnesium, riboflavin (vit b2), feverfew, and coenzyme q10.

A new TipTap: Keep caffeine intake constant. Probably best to avoid it, but if can't, drink the same amount daily.

A new TipTap: Tmj pain is often over looked in the treatment of headaches.

A new TipTap: Acupuncture is a nice way to prevent migraines.

A new TipTap: Myth: taking a pain medicine daily for headaches is ok... Well, it's not.

Find: Find a rhythmic aerobic activity that you enjoy, such as a walking, yoga, swimming, rhythmic breathing.

'I: Myth: I have to just live with them. Instead, find the cause, then find the right treatment.

Some: Some medications are used for the acute attack, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, imitrex-type meds..

Keep: Keep a consistent dose of caffeine magnesium helps headaches acupuncture.

Getting: Getting regular and adequate sleep may help to prevent migraines.

Don't: Don't skip meals. Eating regularly may help to prevent migraines.

Regular: Regular exercise helps to prevent migraines. It also reduces stress which prevents migraines too.

If: If you suffer from frequent migraines, you are better off taking medicine daily to prevent them.

Avoid: Avoid food additives such as nitrites, msg, preservatives, aged cheeses, red wine. Chocolate is ok.

Use: Use a nasal steroid for allergies, see med tx for clinching teeth at night (bruxism) and topimax 50.

Magnesium: Magnesium supplementation 200mg 2-3 x/day has been shown to alleviate migraines.

Do: Do not over-use caffeine. If you are used to caffeine and you skip, you may get a headache.

Bad: It's a myth that: bad headaches are a sign of a brain tumor (almost always not true).

BOTOX,: Botox, biofeedback, and acupuncture may be valuable non-medication approaches.

To: To help prevent migraine stay well hydrated and get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

Many: Many individuals go without recognizing any identifying symptoms. Noise, light pain, eye flashes. .

Botox: Botox can stop migraines for months. Surgery can cure a migraine.

Decrease: Decrease stress levels- qigong, tai chi, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, deep breathing, muscle relax.

Avoid: Avoid food fasts or skipping meals if it provokes your headaches.

Do: Do you get migraine headaches after you drink beer or red wine? If so, stop drinking them.

You: You may wish to stay out of candle or soap shops if the chemical scents trigger your migraines.

Self: Self monitor. Did your migraines worsen after beginning oral contraceptives ? If so, tell your doctor.

Wear: Wear sunglasses when you go out in bright day light. Bright light triggers migraines in some.

Avoid: Avoid smoking & second hand smoke as they may trigger migraines in some.

Avoid: Avoid physical over-exertion as it can be a trigger for migraines.

Maintain: Maintain a headache diary/journal & discuss your findings with your physician.

Relax: Relax - find time for enjoyable relaxation every day. It helps to keep migraines at bay.

Untreated: Untreated anxiety? This may contribute to development of tension headaches. Have it assessed.

Hot: Hot shower - a hot shower can help relax muscles of neck, head & back (before you get a tension ha).

Heating: Heating pad - if you feel tension growing in your neck - try a heating pad to prevent tension headaches.

Tension: Tension headaches? Try acupuncture (5 gates or kaufman's cocktail) to become relaxed and centered.

If: If you suffer from tension headaches - biofeedback could be very beneficial it reduce your tension.

Massage: Massage -not only heavenly but may help reduce tension/ stress that contribute to tension headaches.

Chronic: Chronic headaches? Check with your doctor if pain medication overuse is the problem.

DON'T: Don't oversleep as it can contribute to migraines in some.

DO: Do get adequate sleep every night. Lack of sleep can be a trigger for migraines.

DO: Do - see a sleep specialist if you have chronic headaches & suffer from snoring & insomnia.

DO: Do - maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can be a factor in developing chronic headaches.

DO: Do - seek medical evaluation promptly if you experience the worst headache of your life.

DON'T: Don't - overuse pain medications. It can lead to chronic rebound headaches.

DON'T: Don't ignore depression or anxiety disorders. They can contribute to chronic headaches.

DO: Do - join a chronic headache support group - it will provide education, coping skills & support.

You: You know your usual symptoms if you have migraines. See your doctor if there's a notable change.

Exercise: Exercise regularly, avoid caffeine, get enough sleep, meditate, take magnesium, coq10, boswellia.

Don't: Don't get hooked on pain meds. Do know that "rebound headaches" can occur when analgesics wear off.

You: You cannot prevent a headache with trigger avoidance. B-blockers, calcium channel or topomax helps.

Identify: Identify triggers such as smoke, alcohol, or certain foods that might cause migraine and avoid them!

For: For frequent migraines, take a daily controller medication like inderal, amitriptylene, or topamax (topiramate).

If: If one triptan (imitrex, maxalt, (rizatriptan) frova) doesn't work, give a 2nd or 3rd one a good 3-headache trial!

Once: Once you know for sure this is a migraine, take a triptan. Don't fool around with advil (ibuprofen) for these!

If: If all you want to do is close the door, close the window, and go to sleep; it's probably a migraine.

For: For migraine, triptan pills work in 45 minutes. Nasal sprays in 30 minutes. Shots in 15 minutes.

Migraines: Migraines have successfully been cured with minimally invasive surgery.

Keeping: Keeping a diary of headaches often helps find the trigger and thus may help prevent them., .

A: It's a myth that: a "bad" headache is just a migraine headache.

Don't: Don't drink alcohol if you feel a headache coming on!

Treat: Treat sinus congestion before you get on a plane. Use decongestant before you fly to avoid headache.

Calcium: Calcium channel blockers used for hypertension work as migraine preventive agents! check with doctor!

Botox: Botox has been shown to alleviate migraine headaches. Ask your doctor if you are a candidate.

Maintaining: Maintaining a regular sleep schedule may decrease the frequency of migraine headaches.

If: If multiple medications have failed you may be a candidate for Botox injection therapy.

Some: Some patients describe that their headaches disappear after having cosmetic Botox injection.

Since: Since 10-15% of migraines may be provoked by foods, perhaps examine diet.

Caffeine: Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, so if you are quitting do so slowly.

Taking: Taking too much over the counter headache medications can worsen your headache.

Do: Do see your doctor if you have the worst headache of your life.

Keeping: Keeping regular sleep hours, even on the weekends, can help alleviate recurrent headaches.

Compression: Compression of the fleshy area between the thumb and forefinger may relieve headache.

Depression: Depression can worsen when one feels helpless, so get proactive in spite of emotional block.

Aerobic: Aerobic exercises and periods of relaxation such as meditation may stabilize headaches.

Magnesium: Magnesium can reduce frequency and severity of migraines. Use mag glycinate form to avoid diarrhea.

True: True migraines often occur after stress has finished, so best to maintain preventative approaches.

The: The best way to prevent migraine is to reduce stress--relaxation exercises, meditation, or yoga.

Every: Every 20 minutes rest your eyes to prevent eye strain headaches.

Nasal: Nasal saline sinus rinse twice a day can prevent sinus headaches.

Stretching: Stretching the neck, chest and shoulder muscles daily can prevent tension headaches.

Drinking: Drinking at least 5 cups of water daily can prevent dehydration which can trigger headaches.

Most: Most migraine patients' headaches are triggered by certain foods. The most common trigger is wheat.

Many: Many foods can trigger migraines.The most common are wheat, oranges, eggs, coffee, milk & chocolate.

Magnesium: Magnesium can reduce freq and severity of migraines. Use mag glycinate form to avoid diarrhea.

If: If a certain food triggers your migraines, avoid it.

OTC: Otc preparations such as riboflavin, butterbur, and co-q10 may prevent as well as prescription agent.

A: A headache diary is the first step in migraine treatment. You can't change what you don't measure.

Some: Some milder migraines may respond well to excedrin migraine.

Migraine:: Migraine: best treatment is a 'triptan' medication like Imitrex (sumatriptan). Repeat in 1 hour.

Treating: Treating a migraine at the first onset is better than waiting for it to go away.

Tension: Tension headache: Ibuprofen (200 mg 3-4 tabs), warm compresses, relaxation.

Essential: Essential oils like peppermint oil can be very effective in some people in alleviating headaches.

Check: Check with you dentist if you have not already done so. Many dental conditions are misdiagnosed.

Calcium: Calcium channel blockers are among the best preventative treatments. Underused! verapamil and diltiazem!

Watch: Watch out for these red flags: fever, vomiting, seizure, passing out, weakness, stiff neck, visual blurring.

Occipital: Occipital neuralgia can cause headaches and is overlooked. If having occipital pain-see neurologist!

Some: Some beta-blockers work well to prevent migraines. I like atenolol & metoprolol!

Keep: Keep yourself well hydrated to keep headaches away. Dehydration is a common trigger of migraines.

Tylenol (acetaminophen): Tylenol (acetaminophen) has some mild anti-anxiety effects in addition to pain relief. It is centrally acting!

Tylenol (acetaminophen): Tylenol (acetaminophen) 1000 mg + Reglan 10 mg is as effective as much more expensive tryptans and extremely safe!

Regular: Regular use of caffeine and pain relievers can lead to withdrawal headaches when you try to stop.

Keep: Keep a headache diary. Write down the details of your headaches.

Watch: Watch what you eat. Food often gets the blame for triggering migraine headaches.

Get: Get enough magnesium. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels and reduces the likelihood of headache.

Eat: Eat regular meals. Avoid foods that may trigger headaches. Make sure you eat a healthy diet.

Be: Be careful with caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco.

Exercise: Exercise regularly. This will improve the production of endorphins, the brain's natural painkillers.

Manage: Manage stress. You can try all kinds of techniques, from massage to yoga to biofeedback.

Try: Try acupressure. When you feel a headache coming on, you can take Ibuprofen and do acupressure.

Apply: Apply a cold pack. Place a cold pack on your forehead.

Do: Do keep a headache diary that tries to identify triggers. Don't take nsaids more than twice weekly.

Make: Make sure you get your blood pressure checked, high blood pressure may cause headaches.

Get: Get regular sleep, three meals daily, moderately exercise, drink water, no caffeine, de-stress.

Amazing: Amazing what a good night sleep means to decreasing fatigue and stress and headaches.

Occipital: Occipital nerve blocks work like a charm. See your local pain management doctor for relief.

Have: Have medicine in each car you use. That way, if a headache warning signs occur, take medicine fast.

Meditation: Meditation reduces muscle tension, and can reduce severity and frequency of migraine headaches.

Do: Do not wait to take your medicine. Take it at the first sign of headache.

Consider: Consider injections by headache or pain management specialist. It works.

If: If you are having "the worst headache of my life", don't take any aspirin, in case you are bleeding.

Maybe: Maybe you have a headache because you didn't eat and now you are hypoglycemic. Your sugar is low.

Riboflavin: Riboflavin at 400mg per day has been shown to help prevent migraine headaches.

Keep: Keep a headache diary to help you figure out what your migraine triggers are so you can avoid them.

Treat: Treat headaches right away, in the beginning. Do not wait for it to go away. Show them the door!

Pay: Pay attention to see if you are stressed, tired or hungry just prior to onset of migraine.

High: High percentage of people have headaches and don't know they can be related to their teeth, bruxism.