Millions of Americans suffer from persistent migraine headaches every year, and many get little relief from pain killers or can become dependent on pain medication.

But there are some ways sufferers can try to prevent their headaches without relying on medication, according to Joel Saper, founder and director of the Institute and the Inpatient Head and Pain Treatment Unit at Chelsea Community Hospital. In a recent piece from ABC News, Saper offered a number of tips for migraine sufferers.

Here is a collection of five of those tips:

1. Keep it consistent: A consistent schedule when it comes to sleeping, waking up and eating is important for migraine sufferers.

2. Watch what you eat: Avoid foods that are more likely to provoke headaches. To learn what those trigger foods are, go to organization websites like the American Council on Headache Education.

3. Get moving: Moderate exercise within individual health parameters can help.

4. Get a breath of fresh air: Stop smoking and avoid breathing ambient smoke.

5. Take action: As soon as a headache begins developing, apply ice to the top of the head or temples and apply heat to the neck.

Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.