If you have been diagnosed with migraines, you probably already know how much these bad headaches can affect your life. An attack of migraine can be so severe that it stops you from getting on with life. An attack can feel like more than just a headache. You may feel odd beforehand, see dots or flashing lights, get pins and needles, or feel queasy or vomit.

There isn't a lot of evidence from the research about what you can do to help yourself if you have a migraine attack. But many people with migraines find that doing the following things can stop or reduce their attacks:

• Learn to recognize the early symptoms of an attack so you can take steps to stop it.
• Keep your painkillers with you. Some people keep a small bottle of water with them so they can easily take or dissolve their tablets as soon as they start having symptoms.
• Keep some food with you if being hungry is a trigger for you.
• Stop working and lie down or sit in a quiet room when you feel an attack coming on.
• Get some fresh air.
• Try to sleep in a quiet, dark room when you have an attack.
• Learn some relaxation techniques.
• Massage the pressure points on your temples on either side of your forehead.
• Do yoga.
• Learn how to meditate.

Keeping a migraine diary

A migraine diary might help you work out what triggers your migraine attacks so that you can avoid these things in the future.

You may find it useful to keep a diary of your migraine attacks. This can help you identify things that may set off your headaches. Try to note what you were doing when an attack came on and what you ate and drank in the previous 24 hours. You should then try to remove these triggers as much as possible. For example, you should stop eating cheese if this seems to be a trigger for you. You may also find that migraine attacks come on with two triggers rather than one. In some women, for example, eating cheese triggers a migraine attack only at certain times in their menstrual cycle.

Try to be faithful about keeping your migraine diary. If you get fewer migraine attacks after removing a trigger, it is worth continuing to avoid the trigger. You may want to collect this type of information in your diary: