Tension Headaches: Can hypnosis help lessen the headache pain?

Tension Headaches: Can hypnosis help lessen the headache pain?

What are tension headaches?

Tension headaches (aka muscle contraction headaches) are types of headaches with one distinctive feature. In fact, they are bilateral. That is, a tension headache causes pain at two places at once. Usually, at the front and the sides near the temples.

Unlike other types of headaches, most people do not describe them as throbbing or pulsating. Instead, it is like having a rubber band around your head. You can also imagine having a vice grip wrapped around your skull.

Sadly, such a tightening sensation can last for more than half an hour up to a week. But generally speaking, the common duration is between four and six hours. This type of headache also presents itself without any signs of illness or vomiting.

Sometimes, people experience tension in adjacent muscles as well, like the neck or the jaws. It is a widespread issue that can strike at any age.

What causes a tension-type headache?

Tension headaches have particular triggers. But the most common denominator in all of them is stress. For example, here is a short list of causes:

  • bad posture
  • emotional or physical stress
  • lack of sleep
  • not drinking enough water during the day
  • tight muscles

As the muscles around the neck and head become tight, stiff, and tender, the brain receives signals and turns them into pain. If you do not act fast, the tension headaches may continue to persist. Over time, worsening headaches may follow. Mainly because each time, the brain remembers that sensation as way more painful than usual.

In brief, the basic mechanism behind tension-type headaches revolves around stress. A tension headache starts because of physical tension or emotional stress. So, we could look at them as bad habits we picked up at some point in our lives.

How do you relieve tension headaches?

Breathing techniques and relaxation can help to relieve both physical tension and emotional stress.

Sometimes, a planned family meeting can trigger tension headaches because a sibling you do not like confirmed attendance. Whenever you are aware of a potentially stressful situation, strategy is key. Especially if you have frequent tension-types headaches.

Your physician may suggest a course of treatment and medications. For anyone who already tried that route, drug-free alternatives like hypnotism are available to calm your mind and help you relax automatically. Of course, anyone can try out hypnosis first because the self-hypnotic state lets you relax and achieve self-control.

Often, the muscles tense up in response to negative emotions or difficult people. For example, when coworkers shout at you and blame you for their mistakes. Maybe, you have a new boss with whom you do not get along well. Hypnosis is the type of solution that helps you relax during these moments without thinking about it.

Lastly, other approaches may require special training. But since tension-type headaches demand immediate relief, they are less popular.

How can hypnotism help to ease tension and headaches?

Through hypnosis, you learn how to relax your body entirely and focus your mind at will. So, you can ease muscle contraction headaches by controlling how you react. At the same time, the hypnotist can also teach you helpful strategies and techniques to deal with related issues.

Hypnotism allows you to achieve pain relief by reaching a deep mental state of relaxed concentration. First, you talk with the hypnotist about any problem that might be bothering you. After that, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the session.

The goal of each session is to guide you. In this way, you can release muscle contraction naturally. To give you an example, here is what you might expect during a hypnotic session:

  1. First, you start to breathe deeply and focus on your chest.
  2. The hypnotist’s words lead you to shift your attention to all the muscles between your chest and scalp.
  3. At one point, you follow the instructions to enter a state of self-hypnosis.
  4. Through a tailor-made hypnotic technique such as guided imagery, you release tension in your chest, neck, and shoulders.
  5. You keep enjoying all the pleasant feelings as your mind unwinds and deals with any other issue, thanks to the hypnotist’s aid.

When the session ends, the result can vary from stress relief to happiness and calmness. You usually focus on releasing muscle tension, but you end up gaining clarity of mind and a more positive outlook.

How many hypnotic sessions are necessary to overcome muscle tension headaches?

If the hidden cause of the tension took roots decades ago, you might benefit from one or more extra sessions. But in general, six sessions are more than enough. Sometimes, you can even regain self-control over minor issues with just a couple of sessions. It all depends on several factors.

As a consulting hypnotist, what I like to do is to find out your ultimate goal. For example, you might want to restore the mind-body connection because of chronic pain. Or deal with trapped emotions. In all these cases, I gently introduce you to the world of hypnosis for the relief and control of pain.

Six sessions will help you loosen up more than tight body parts. Above all, you regain the positive mental attitude that years of chronic pain stole from you. You change your life and perspective on what the future holds. By the same token, you resolve the problems that hinder the path to self-development and inner peace.

Your first hypnotic session can help you:

  • calm the overactive mind before bed
  • ease the sense of pressure
  • learn self-help strategies to better deal with daily stressors and triggers
  • relieve neck pain through progressive relaxation

Depending on how well you respond and follow the instructions, you can achieve even more control over tension headaches. Thanks to self-hypnotic techniques, you will learn new ways to deal with momentary and lasting stress. All sorts of colorful days await you beyond the persistent streaks of pain and sorrow!


Online Hypnosis for Tension Headache Pain Management: Affordable, Effective and Digitally Optimised to meet the demands for the Modern Era using Zoom and SKYPE technologies.

Hypnosis is a medically and scientifically recognized technique that uses the mind’s natural abilities to effectively reduce physical pain and promote wellbeing. Learn how it can help you.


Legal Disclaimer

As a consulting hypnotist, Luis’ role is help you resolve ordinary, everyday problems using hypnosis. He is not a medically trained doctor or a licensed mental health practitioner that can diagnose, prescribe, treat, cure, or heal any physical, mental, or emotional illness. The hypnosis services rendered are not to be considered in any way, a form of health care, psychotherapy, or counseling.