[Non pharmacological treatment of migraine]

Actual recommendations for treatment of migraine consist both of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. The latter enables the patient higher responsibility and self-efficacy in coping with migraine. Therefore, the active involvement in the treatment of the patients is obligatory in all psychological pain therapy methods. Focus of therapy are emotional, cognitive, behavioural and social factors of migraine illness, with the aim to modify unfavourable habits and migraine attack-inducing factors. As non-pharmacological methods counselling, relaxation training, biofeedback and cognitive-behavioural treatments are employed. The long-term effects are comparable with those of pharmacological treatment, combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment lead to even higher efficacy and is often indicated. In case of headache in children, behavioural therapy should be the method of first choice. In the text, empirically proven methods of psychological pain therapy in migraine will be explained.