Physiotherapy for migraine is a good supplement or alternative to drug therapy. The aim is to relieve the pain, reduce and alleviate the number of migraine attacks and thus improve the patient’s general quality of life. In the field of physiotherapy, the therapists have various techniques in the areas of relaxation, massage and manual therapy at their disposal to help the patients in the best possible way.
Migraine treatment/what helps?
The first measure of treatment is to avoid the so-called triggers. This can mean, for example, ensuring a sufficient fluid intake or avoiding an increased stress level. In case of an acute migraine attack it is important to act as early as possible.
For the patients this means that at the first signs of the attack, they should retire to a darkened, quiet room if possible and take the appropriate medication for migraine. In the long term, the medicinal treatment of migraine thus consists of remedies for acute use in a migraine attack and medication for prophylaxis to reduce the number of migraine attacks. Furthermore, there are different therapeutic methods that can be used either for prophylaxis or as an acute treatment method for a migraine attack. These include alternative healing methods, phytopharma, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, regular sports, acupuncture, physiotherapy, Schüssler salts, migraine therapy according to Kern and an adjustment of the diet.
Therapy for migraine
The exact therapy plan for a migraine patient is always created individually. This includes a detailed physical and neurological examination as well as a migraine diary in which the duration, severity, side effects and accompanying circumstances are recorded. The next step is to develop a therapy plan tailored to the patient’s needs, which, in addition to drug treatment for acute attacks and prophylaxis, is primarily aimed at a change in behaviour.
This includes, for example: Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy has various options for providing relief in migraine treatment due to the wide range of therapeutic approaches. These include relaxation techniques to reduce tension and improve mental stability, physiotherapy exercises to relieve tension and relax, lymphatic drainage to support the nervous system, manual therapy, heat applications… Biofeedback: Here patients learn to gain control over their autonomic nervous system in order to counteract acute migraine attacks, for example. Acupuncture is often used prophylactically to reduce migraine attacks and to alleviate pain.
Migraine therapy according to Kern: This is a concept of how migraine attacks can be controlled by the patient in the best possible way. This includes mental training, manual treatment of migraine and movement school.
- Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy has various options for alleviating migraine due to the wide range of therapeutic approaches. These include relaxation techniques to reduce tension and improve mental stability, physiotherapy exercises to relieve tension and relax, lymphatic drainage to support the nervous system, manual therapy, heat applications…
- Biofeedback: Here patients learn to gain control over their autonomic nervous system in order to counteract acute migraine attacks, for example.
- Acupuncture is often used prophylactically to reduce migraine attacks and alleviate pain
- Migraine therapy according to Kern: This is a concept of how migraine attacks can be controlled in the best possible way. This includes mental training, manual treatment of migraine and movement school.
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