Headache and Migraine Control
Headaches are a common symptom experienced by most the population at some time in their lives. Headaches can range in severity from a dull thudding in the temples to a frightening, intense pain. Often people know the cause - such as having too much to drink the night before. Other headaches, such as tension headaches, where the cause is not so obvious, are more frightening. Tension headaches - a sensation of tightness, pressure or constriction - are caused by a tightening of muscles in the face, neck, and scalp as a result of stress or posture. The tension can cause muscles to contract and put pressures on arteries supplying the head, causing them to constrict and thus leading to pain.
Migraines
There is a considerable overlap between migraines and tension headaches, but if you experience two or more of the following symptoms together, it is likely that you are suffering from migraines:
· Visual disturbances, such as blind spots or flashing lights
· Intense throbbing headaches, often on one side of the head
· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Diarrhoea
· Increased sensitivity to light
Around one in ten people suffer from migraine. Migraines are thought to result from spasm and dilation of the arteries and blood vessels supplying the brain. The cause of this remains unclear.
In one study, patients with migraine headaches had a group hypnosis session and then were given pre-recorded self-hypnosis tapes to take home. On the self-hypnosis tapes, they were given imagery of wearing a helmet that was very cold because it had freezer coils inside it. They were also taught how to relax themselves using hypnosis. Before joining this research study all the patients agreed to keep written records for three months. During those three months they listed every migraine they had and how long it lasted, how severe it was, and how much medication they needed.
For three months the patients listened to their hypnosis tapes, which put them into a hypnotic state. At the end of three months the data from the first three months was compared to the data of the three months during which they used self-hypnosis.
During those last three months:
· The headaches occurred less often
· When the headaches did occur, they went away quicker
· The headaches were less severe
· Medication use was reduced by half
More information about this study can be obtained from:
Dr. Gordon Emmerson,
Psychology Department
Victoria University of Technology
PO Box 14428 MCMC
Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia
For Hypnotherapy Birmingham to help treat Migraine and Tension Headaches, call me on 0121 707 3588.