Migraines occur in approximately one in ten people, with women three times more likely to suffer than men. Even children are affected, and there is sometimes a family connection.Common symptoms are a severe headache, sometimes accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances, and perhaps increased sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. Migraines can range in intensity from minor to completely debilitating, and their economic and social cost is immense. They occur in about one in ten people, with women three times more likely to suffer than men. Even children are affected, and this sometimes runs in families. Common symptoms are a severe headache, sometimes accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances, and perhaps increased sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. Migraines can range in intensity from minor to completely debilitating, and their economic and social cost is immense.
Migraine or even less serious headaches can be triggered off by a variety of different factors including:
· Lack of sleep or food
· Alcohol –either over-indulgence or sensitivity to histamines –eg. in red wine
· Caffeine – such as too much strong coffee
· Food intolerance
· Being in a smoky environment
· Hormonal changes at menstruation, during pregnancy or menopause, when taking the pill or HRT
· Strong smells, noise, changes in the weather
· Stress and tension
Therapies argued as  preventing or minimising the impact of migraine
1. Acupuncture
According to Chinese thinking, headaches are caused by an imbalance in the flow of the body's life force or chi in the yang channel in the head. Treatment is aimed at freeing the flow of chi by inserting needles at acupoints linked to the gall bladder, large intestine, stomach, small intestine governor and bladder. 
Some people have obviously been helped by Acupuncture, though I could find no double-blind research evidence for any effect better than placebo effect. I would like to her other people’s views of this.
2. Homeopathy
Constitutional treatment is usually recommended especially for chronic headaches and migraine. Specific remedies may be suggested for certain types of headache depending on symptoms. These may include aconite, for tight band headaches , or belladonna for a throbbing headache , ruta for a headache with a feeling of pressure and fatigue that is eased by resting.
Similar to Acupuncture, there is no research evidence that gives an effect better than placebo effect – but tell me if you have any such evidence, please. Or any personal views.
3. Chiropractic and/or Spinal Manipulation
Structural imbalances in the neck and spine can cause chronic tension.  Research studies have failed to confirm that manipulation techniques are generally helpful for headaches, though if you have obvious sore points in your neck and suspect that they may be contributing to tension headaches, it may be worth being checked by an osteopath or chiropractor.

4. Biofeedback and relaxation
Learning to relax at will and monitoring your response using a biofeedback machine (or even a simple pulse monitor, I have found)  has been shown to help ease migraine and may be effective in other types of headaches. I argue this as  only  a minor palliative at best.

5. Nutritional therapies
A nutritional therapist may use an exclusion diet to see if your headaches or migraine may be triggered by food intolerance. A practitioner will probably advise you to keep a food diary to identify the culprits so you can leave out any trigger foods. S/he may prescribe supplements such as magnesium and vitamin B2 which have been found in some studies to help ease migraine.
None of the complimentary therapies have any body of research evidence to suggest an impact on headache or the prevention of migraine better than a placebo – herbal remedies (part two) are much more likely to be effective.