Tension Headache: Therapy

General measures

• Initial measures for relief are:
  • Rest
  • Sleep
• Massage of the back, shoulders and neck region.
• Relax in the shower or during a soothing tub bath
• Nicotine restriction (refrain from tobacco use).
• Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
• Limited caffeine consumption (max 240 mg of caffeine per day; equivalent to 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 4 to 6 cups of green/black tea).
• Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
• Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
  • Anxiety
  • Conflict
  • Stress

Nutritional medicine

• Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
• Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
  • A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit).
  • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
  • High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
• Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
• See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement.
• Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Sports Medicine

• Endurance training (cardio training) – for prophylaxis of tension-type headache.
• Suitable sports disciplines are jogging, swimming, cycling.
• Preparation of a fitness plan with suitable sports disciplines based on a medical check (health check or athlete check).
• Detailed information on sports medicine you will receive from us.

Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)

• Physiotherapy
• Hydrotherapy – in the form of alternating baths and / or Kneipp’s casts.

Psychotherapy

• Relaxation techniques (Jacobson progressive muscle relaxation; autogenic training).
• Stress management training
• Detailed information on psychosomatic medicine (including stress management) you can get from us.

Complementary treatment methods

• Acupuncture – for the prophylaxis of tension-type headache.
• Biofeedback therapy – relaxation method, in which the body’s own parameters are made visible and thus a voluntary change of those same parameters with the aim of relaxation should be carried out. The influence of the parameters is carried out after a learning process in the sense of operant conditioning.
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) – electromedical stimulation current therapy for pain treatment.

Training

• Psychoeducation: structured education about the causes of tension headaches leads for decrease in the frequency of the same.