With so many of us suffering from headaches, and more specifically migraine headaches, it's no wonder that we're constantly trying to figure out how to get rid of them. After all, they come without warning, seem to last as long as they'd like, and heavily disrupt our day and productivity. So, exactly what causes migraine headaches?

Drinking alcohol excessively can indeed cause migraine headaches. However, headaches that accompany a hangover (after drinking) are just headaches, not migraines. Migraines tend to be caused by chronic excessive drinking (those prone to migraines are more likely to get one after heavy drinking).

Also, bright lights can trigger migraines, but it is not as common as most think. This is a very understandable misconception however, since almost all migraines are light sensitive, which means that bright lights make them worse. Lastly, muscle tension can't cause migraines. The muscle tension in your neck and shoulders that causes your head to ache is what is known as a tension headache, not a migraine. Believe are not, there is a world of difference and migraines are usually much more painful than a simple tension headache. However, this tension headache can turn into a migraine if the muscles aren't treated & relaxed. So, if you do have tension headaches make sure that you're treating your "basic" headache and not using migraine treatments, which are usually far stronger.

Now onto what causes migraine headaches. One of the biggest and most common causes is extreme stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, for many people this is one of the hardest things to correct. If you've been stressed for the last two years, it's going to be very difficult to avoid being stressed just because you're having migraines now. However, there are things that you can do to help. For example, you can try using aroma therapy or bath salts while in a warm bath in order to relax yourself. OR, you can do something as simple as taking a hot shower when you feel the pain coming on.

The next most common cause of migraine headaches is dehydration. Believe it or not, even with all the water bottles that we lug around today, many people are dehydrated on a daily basis. This is because the caffeine in coffee and soda that we drink acts as a diuretic, which means that we don't absorb as much water as we should. That's why you always feel like you always have to go to the bathroom after you have coffee or soda. Luckily, this is an easy one to fix. Simply cut back on how much caffeine you're taking in daily, and increase the amount of water you are taking in. You should notice a pretty significant difference in the intensity and duration of your migraines.

The last and most complicated cause is a nutrient or mineral deficiency. Unfortunately, migraines are caused by almost every nutrient deficiency there is; so it can be extremely difficult to tell which specific nutrient you're being deprived of. Because of this, I recommend simply finding a suitable multivitamin and begin taking it once daily in the morning. This is kind of a 'cover all the bases' strategy to help ensure that you are getting enough nutrients and minerals to keep your body (and mind) working properly. Now that you know what causes migraine headaches, it should be much easier to avoid them.