Migraines and headaches:

Through sensitivity to tension to relaxation as therapy

Prof. Dr. H. Göbel

Modern therapy for migraines, headaches, and other pain conditions relies not only on medication but also incorporates behavioral medicine treatment methods. Numerous scientific studies confirm the effectiveness of specific relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, particularly in the prevention of headaches, migraines, back pain, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, stress reactions, and other conditions. The relaxation materials presented here were developed for therapeutic purposes by Prof. Dr. med. Dipl.-Psych. Hartmut Göbel, a specialist in neurology, pain therapy, Master of Migraine and Headache Medicine, psychotherapy, and a certified psychologist. Production was carried out using state-of-the-art, fully digital methods, incorporating professional speech and music technology. Application is very simple. All you need is a PC, tablet, or smartphone with speakers or headphones. Instructions are provided directly through the relaxation materials. This allows anyone to begin training actively and independently immediately. Without appointments or waiting rooms, you can deeply relax anytime and improve your performance and quality of life. Your family members will also be delighted by your newfound balance, which will quickly spread to others. Below, we present four different methods for adults. You will also find a method specifically designed for children. Audio samples will give you an impression of the exceptional quality of the original recordings. A subscription provides unlimited access to all media. Instructions can be found at the bottom of this page.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation. The professional, classic relaxation training. This method is favored among classic relaxation trainings for headaches, especially migraines, because it is the easiest to learn and has also proven to be the most effective. The method is based on the active perception of tension and relaxation in the muscles and enables the practitioner to actively induce the deepest possible relaxation in both body and mind. The practitioner should actively concentrate on the tension and relaxation they themselves create and perceive the differences between these two phases, resulting in a direct experience of tension and allowing for a positive influence on it. This makes it possible to recognize tension early and initiate countermeasures. This relaxation technique provides a form of classic relaxation training specifically adapted for pain management. The method has been extensively clinically tested.

Here you can listen to audio samples:

Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Children: Professional Classical Relaxation Training for Kids. This method is favored over traditional relaxation techniques for headaches, especially migraines, as it is the easiest to learn and has proven to be the most effective. Lead psychologist Anneke Nielson and the head physician of the Kiel Pain Clinic, Prof. Dr. med. Dipl.-Psych. Hartmut Göbel, developed this new, contemporary version for treating children up to approximately 14 years of age. It also includes a guided relaxation exercise. The method is based on actively perceiving tension and relaxation in the muscles and enables participants to actively induce deep relaxation, both physically and emotionally. This is a form of classic relaxation training specifically adapted for use by children and adolescents. The method has undergone extensive clinical testing with the participation of children and adolescents. "Progressive muscle relaxation" is a term that sounds somewhat complicated at first, but it actually describes a very simple method: "Progressive" means "gradual" or "progressive," and "muscle relaxation" is another word for "muscle relaxation," so it's about "gradual muscle relaxation." With this type of relaxation, individual, important muscle groups of the body are progressively, or gradually, relaxed. This is achieved by first tensing these muscle groups strongly for a brief moment and then completely relaxing them again.