Hypnotherapy for a problem

Hypnosis for Tension Headaches and Migraines

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Relaxation-based approaches have a recognized place in headache care: the NHS lists relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy among the ways to prevent migraine attacks. Hypnosis is one way to practice relaxation, but the direct evidence for it in headache is thin. A related approach, biofeedback, has a clearer evidence base. Whichever you try, rule out the warning signs first.

When is a headache an emergency?

Most headaches are not serious. The NHS page on headaches lists signs that need emergency care, including a headache that:

  • Started suddenly and is extremely painful.
  • Comes with numbness or weakness in the body or face, a seizure, loss of vision, confusion or drowsiness, or difficulty speaking, balancing, walking or remembering things.
  • Follows a head injury within the last three months.
  • Comes with a very high temperature, a stiff neck, light bothering your eyes, or a rash that does not fade under a glass.

It also advises urgent medical advice for a headache with vision problems, one triggered by coughing, sneezing, bending or exercise, one with vomiting, or one with jaw pain when eating or a tender scalp. In the United States, use emergency services for the first group and see a doctor promptly for the second.

What is the difference between the two?

The NHS page on migraine describes a migraine attack as a throbbing headache, often on one side, that can be worse with movement, along with nausea or vomiting and strong sensitivity to light and sound. Some people get warning signs called aura, such as zigzag lines or tingling, which should not last longer than an hour. Attacks usually last from 4 hours to 3 days.

Stress is listed among the common causes of headaches in general, and the NHS headache page notes that stress can make headaches worse.

What helps prevent them?

For migraine, the NHS describes preventive medicines, acupuncture, vitamin B2, and “relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).” It also recommends regular meals, sleep and exercise, staying hydrated, and trying to manage stress.

One warning matters for both kinds of headache: taking too many painkillers is itself a cause of headaches. The NHS advises not taking painkillers for migraine on more than two days a week, because this can cause more headaches and make migraine harder to treat.

What is the evidence for hypnosis?

Limited. The NCCIH page on hypnosis lists headaches among the conditions hypnosis has been studied for, without saying how well it works. A 2024 overview of 49 meta-analyses of hypnosis covered areas such as medical procedures, clinical pain, cancer and childbirth. None of its reviews was on headache.

Biofeedback has a clearer evidence base. A 2019 evidence map of biofeedback describes it as using instruments to measure and give real-time feedback on physiological responses, so you can learn to change them, and found “high-confidence evidence that biofeedback is effective for reducing the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraine and tension-type headaches.”

What can hypnosis do for headaches?

As one way of doing the relaxation the NHS recommends. A session can help you practice releasing tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders, and give you a short routine to use when you notice stress building. If you want an approach with clearer evidence, ask about biofeedback, and use hypnosis alongside it if it helps you relax.

Keep a headache diary

For a month, note each headache: when it started, what came before it (stress, a skipped meal, poor sleep, alcohol, screen time), how long it lasted, and whether you took painkillers that day. Count the painkiller days each week. Take the diary to your doctor; the NHS suggests a diary can help you work out what triggers your headaches.

This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice; talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation.

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