While stress is not a cause of migraine, it can be a trigger for some people. In the course of a hypnotherapy session, a hypnotherapist encourages patterns of thinking that diminish pain and anxiety or the desire to continue an undesirable habit. The precise mechanism by which hypnosis works is unknown. It may reduce distressing sensory input. Generally speaking, hypnosis involves inducing a very relaxed state and then introducing beneficial suggestions.
Practitioners employ various techniques when training their patients.
One may suggest you focus on a place or activity that calms you, asking you to describe the associated feelings. Another may suggest you imagine your head feeling cold, in the hopes that this image will reduce the pain associated with migraine. Self-hypnosis is the goal in hypnotherapy training. Your instructor should be a qualified psychologist, dentist or physician who has had special training in clinical hypnosis and has a specialized knowledge of migraine as a disorder. Check if hypnotherapy is covered under your provincial health plan.