Migraine & Headache Group
For what kind of head pain is inpatient treatment sensible and necessary? Head pain treatment is one of the key treatment areas at the Pain Centre. This includes:
- migraine and migraine-like headaches (if this cannot be treated in the outpatient area)
- tension headache (where outpatient treatment is not possible)
- head pain associated with emotional stress or illness
- medication withdrawal (where outpatient treatment is not possible or unsuccessful)
- drug-induced headache
- head pain in patients with severe concomitant illnesses
Research has shown that headaches have physical causes. However, psychological, social and biographical aspects also play a major role. Based on this, a combination of different therapeutic approaches has been especially designed for our patients suffering from head pain:
- specific medication-based headache therapy
- art therapy
- psychotherapeutic counselling
- physiotherapy
- movement therapy
- respiratory training
- patient education
Our objective is to provide patients with a new and broader understanding of their head pain through creativity, enjoyment, movement and the careful management of their own bodies and the world around them in addition to medical support. This results in an altered way of dealing with head pain in terms of a self-therapeutic process. The principle of ‘self-care’ is practiced both within the therapy units as well as in daily activities, culminating as an inner attitude towards everyday life.
The inpatient treatment of head pain patients is done in small groups of about six. Each patient is examined on an individual basis. After the induction interview, the necessary therapeutic measures are determined together.
During the two-week stay in hospital, in addition to drug therapy, a wide range of therapy modules is applied. Psychotherapy, art therapy, movement therapy and patient education all play a central role. The patient education is interdisciplinary: Both doctors as well as psychologists and therapists are involved here. The entire therapeutic process is accompanied by doctors – not just the medical treatment component.
It is our objective that patients carry the methods, experiences and findings from the therapies such as ‘mindfulness exercises’, relaxation and ‘serenity in everyday life’ into daily life and reflect on this through mutual discussion.
After hospitalisation, there is also the possibility to take part in further ‘patient seminars’. This instills longer-term incentives to help maintain motivation and keep to the path embarked upon.
Meetings take place approximately six times a year and occur in the rooms familiar to patients of the Community Hospital. Here patients and the group leader reflect on what has passed. Patients should participate in at least one meeting (about three – six months after discharge), but may take part in a total of up to three meetings if required. This also allows the treatment team to identify particularly effective approaches and evaluate the treatment concept.
Prior to admission to the inpatient pain therapy, we recommend a telephone call to jointly plan the provision of treatment and determine its urgency. It has often proven useful to receive a checkup on an outpatient basis on referral from a doctor before inpatient admission. A cost acceptance declaration from your health insurance is required at any induction interview for the (multimodal) inpatient pain therapy.
Before discharge, we will contact you to discuss the results of treatment as well as the post-treatment measures.
You should then continue the pain therapy yourself. If needed, outpatient co-supervision can be performed in our outpatient area.
Doctors at the Havelhöhe Pain Centre will gladly assist you with pain therapy problems.
