[Pharmacotherapy of headache apart from self-medication]

The pharmacotherapy of headache differentiates between self-medication and prescribed medication. Furthermore, pharmacotherapy has to consider the different headache disorders. In this article, the evidence-based treatment recommendations of the German Migraine and Headache Society for the different idiopathic headache disorders including trigeminal neuralgia are described. In addition, for most headache disorders acute and preventive medication has to be differentiated. It has to be noted that acute mediation against headache should not be taken too frequently and that in chronic headache disorders most often only a multimodal treatment results in a sufficient pain reduction.