Your doctor may suggest one or more of the following therapies for either your tension-type or migraine headache. Benefitting from them will require patience and dedication; but these therapies can potentially minimize the causes of your headaches and significantly decrease the frequency and/or severity of your attacks.

Counseling/Pyschotherapy
Although chronic headaches may not be psychosomatic, they can be caused by depression or anxiety. Thus, counseling can help you identify and address emotional concerns and should be considered as part of your treatment.

Relaxation Training
Your headache treatment may include relaxation therapy in addition to medication. This does not mean playing golf, going to a movie, or just "chilling out," although all of these can be relaxing breaks. Instead, relaxation training teaches you, first, to recognize your body’s involuntary responses to stress (all of which can be measured) and, second, to modify your responses and reduce your body’s stress level.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation
By contracting and relaxing the different muscle groups of the body in succession, you may feel a sense of deep relaxation.

Guided Imagery
When you draw upon your "mind’s eye" through guided imagery, you see and take control of your body’s stress points and visualize yourself in a relaxed setting in which you let go of tension. Some people have been able to use this technique to stop a migraine early on or to reduce its pain.

Diaphragmatic Breathing
This approach would be used at the first sign of a prodrome, the first phase of a migraine that occurs days or hours before an attack. During diaphragmatic breathing, you breathe slowly and steadily, inhaling deeply and concentrating on the abdominal muscles. This technique prevents the rapid and shallow breathing that typically follows the onset of migraine and which actually increases head and neck pain.

Biofeedback
By monitoring your body’s involuntary physical responses - such as breathing, pulse, heart rate, temperature, muscle tension and brain activity - biofeedback equipment helps you refine and perfect your relaxation exercises. Most people who use biofeedback have found it effective in managing stress and their headaches; once you are experienced with biofeedback, you will not need the equipment.

Acupuncture
This is an ancient Chinese procedure that blocks pain by stimulating nerves. Needles are inserted into the skin at specific points and left in position for different lengths of time. A recent study indicates that this 5,000-year-old practice, which has an excellent safety record, offers from 50 to 80 percent relief to people with acute or chronic pain. Although it does not affect the cause of chronic headaches, nor is it believed to prevent or cure a headache, acupuncture may offer relief to some headache sufferers.

Physical and Massage Therapy
Physical therapy, which stretches and strengthens the muscles, can relieve muscle tension resulting from stress or physical habits. Massages - to the neck, temples, lower skull and shoulders - may also alleviate tension and tightness associated with headaches.