| Abstract | | Therapy of migraine and tension type headache includes general measures, psychologic management, physiological treatment modes as well as acute and prophylactic pharmacological treatment of headache attacks. Mild to moderate migraine attacks should be treated by antiemetics followed by analgesics like acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol. Severe migraine attacks are treated by antiemetics followed by ergotamine. Sumatriptan offers an alternative treatment for severe migraine headaches. Migraine prophylaxis with beta blockers, flunarizine, serotonine antagonists, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs or dihydroergotamine should be considered in patients with frequent and severe migraine attacks. In tension type headaches drug treatment should be avoided if possible and prophylactic treatment with tricyclic antidepressants should be contemplated if analgesics are required often. For acute attacks acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, naproxen or paracetamol can be used, but combined preparations should be discouraged.
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