Even if the brain itself is insensitive to pain, several areas of the head such as the scalp, face, mouth and throat have pain-sensitive nerve fibers, which can hurt. Headache - or cephalgia - commonly refers to any type of pain that would appear in these sensitive regions of the head.

Cephalgia can be divided into two categories: Primary headaches, such as stress headache, cluster headache and migraine headache, which are not associated with any disease; And Secondary headaches which are associated with disease.

Headaches are the most common disorder of the nervous system. Everybody suffers from headache at one point in their life, but for 55 million Americans, it is a chronic experience. According to the World Health Organization, one adult in 20 suffers from frequent headaches, with females being more exposed than males.

Headaches can be extremely disabling and may very negatively affect the lives of people who suffer from them. Work capacity is reduced for such people, which can negatively affect their financial situation.

Social capacity is also diminished as the pain, or the fear thereof, may make people more irritable. Some people with migraine may even have to constantly pay attention to what they eat, what they see, and even what they smell, as some strong or unpleasant sensations may trigger pain.

Because headaches are seen as such a common, benign disease, people who suffer from them on a regular basis also have to face the incomprehension of their peers. This social barrier may also prevent people from seeking medical attention and looking for an appropriate treatment. However before being treated, a headache needs to be "identified".

We have already seen that there are two main categories of headache: Primary and Secondary, each subdivided into many different subtypes. Their symptoms may vary as well as their causes and, obviously, the way they can be cured. This is why they need to be effectively identified by a doctor in order to receive appropriate treatment.

Stress headache, also known as tension headache, is the most common type of primary headache and accounts for nearly 90% of all headaches. It is traditionally seen as stress-related or relating to musculoskeletal problems in the neck.

Tension headache is mostly episodic and may last from a few minutes to a few hours, but may persist for several days in the most severe cases. It is usually described as a constant pressure, usually on both sides of the head, or spreading around it, occasionally also affecting the neck.

Migraine is slightly different and is thought to most certainly have a genetic basis. Migraines are caused when the brain releases pain causing inflammatory substances, which spread around the nerves and vessels of the head. Migraine usually happens on a monthly basis and last for a few hours, with accompanying symptoms such as nausea and intolerance of normal levels of light and sound.

Cluster headaches are generally frequent, short lasting and extremely painful. They occur in clusters of 6 to 12 weeks every one or two years, usually at the same period of the year. The pain is extremely severe and affects the whole head, usually starting with the eye, and then affecting the forehead, nose and mouth. It is much less common than other types of headache and primarily affects men.

Headaches are usually treated with over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol. A doctor may also advise to avoid some common triggers such as noise or certain foods.

Caffeine, Magnesium and Vitamin B2 have also proven effective in the treatment of migraine. Drugs however are costly and may have undesired side effects, especially for people who must take them on a regular basis. This is why you might want to consider another way of preventing and fighting the various types of headache.

Hypnosis and NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) have indeed proven to be effective and can help you to eliminate pain in any part of your body, including the head, as well as becoming more relaxed at the same time. Stress is a very common cause of headache, and specific hypnotic techniques exist to eliminate both stress and headaches within seconds.

People who suffer from migraine or cluster headache can usually feel the first symptoms before the migraine actually occurs, and may learn self-hypnosis techniques to abort them before they become too painful. Therapists who understand how disabling a headache can be have developed these methods.

Hypnosis treatment is a drug free modality that will help you find the relief you have been looking for. Headache is a serious condition with various forms affecting millions of people worldwide. Learn to fight it and to relax with the soothing method of self hypnosis.

Alan B. Densky, CH is an NGH certified consulting hypnotist and NLP Practitioner. He has developed a very effective headache and migraine relief hypnotherapy program. His site also offers a free video self-hypnosis blog, MP3 downloads, a comprehensive hypnosis research library and video hypnosis library.

Headache And Migraine Relief Through Hypnosis

Headache And Migraine Relief
Through Hypnosis