Suffering in Silence: The Unspoken Impact of Nicotine Headaches

Smoking is Dangerous for Health – Know Why?

Everybody knows smoking is bad for your health. A quick Google search will give you a laundry list of its side effects. From heart attacks, to cancers, and a multitude of organ failures, smoking does it all. But that’s not what this blog is about.

All the aforementioned effects of smoking are gradual. And although they affect your lifespan, you don’t really notice them in your day-to-day life. That’s why the World Health Organization calls tobacco a “gradual killer”.

What we want to discuss today, though, isn’t how smoking will shorten your lifespan by 10 years, or increase your chances of lung cancer by 20x, or even how it’s the #1 preventable cause of early death in the United States. 
Instead, we’ll explore how it impacts your quality of life. And the worst smoking side effect you’ve never heard of: the nicotine headache. And reading this, you may wonder…

Can Nicotine & Smoking Increase Your Headache?

Although the negative side effects of smoking are usually associated with lung diseases and heart problems, there’s actually a link between the consumption of nicotine and headaches, so much so that there’s a name for it: the nicotine headache.

But what is a nicotine headache, exactly? And how are they caused?

Nicotine headaches are the head pain associated with nicotine use, and they can be caused in a number of ways. 

• Nicotine can cause vasoconstriction (narrowing) of the blood vessels in the brain, which can result in headaches

When blood vessels constrict, blood flow to the brain is reduced, leading to oxygen deprivation and an increase in pressure. This has been known to cause headaches that range from mild to severe.

• Nicotine has a negative effect on the brain’s production of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters, resulting in a nicotine headache

Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters that play a crucial role in regulating mood, emotions, and pain perception. Nicotine disrupts the balance of these chemicals in the brain, leading to headaches.

• Nicotine increases the release of adrenaline and other hormones, which can cause a nicotine headache

Adrenaline is a hormone that is released in response to stress and stimulates the body’s “fight or flight” response. This can cause an increase in blood pressure and tension in the muscles, which can lead to headaches.

• Nicotine can increase the sensitivity of nerve endings in the brain, leading to headaches

Nicotine activates certain receptors in the brain that are responsible for pain perception. Over time, this can lead to an increase in the sensitivity of these receptors, making them more likely to trigger nicotine headaches.

• Nicotine can also cause an increase in blood pressure, which can also lead to headaches

Nicotine has been found to induce the release of hormones that can cause blood vessels to constrict and increase blood pressure. In addition to chest pain, dizziness, and other symptoms, high blood pressure can also cause headaches.
As you can see, there are many different ways in which nicotine can cause headaches. But how bad are they? And how is a nicotine headache different from a regular headache?

Different Types of Headache Associated with Nicotine Consumption

Some types of headaches are commonly linked with nicotine consumption, these are:

Trigeminal neuralgia – a rare but extremely painful condition that occurs when a blood vessel presses on the trigeminal nerve. It’s characterized by sudden, intense, and sharp pain that can last for several seconds to a few minutes. Nicotine can trigger the onset of trigeminal neuralgia, as well as worsen existing symptoms.

Migraines – a throbbing pain on one side of the head that can be accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting. Nicotine can trigger migraines by affecting the brain’s production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are important for regulating pain.

Cluster headaches – a piercing pain on one side of the head, often centered around the eye. They can also cause redness and tearing of the eye, as well as congestion in the nasal passage on the affected side. Nicotine can trigger cluster headaches by increasing the release of hormones such as adrenaline, which can cause blood vessels to dilate and become inflamed.

Nicotine not only causes headaches, but can also hinder the relief of non-nicotine related headaches. Let’s say you have a headache caused by stress or another medical condition, and take medication. 

Nicotine actually affects your liver’s ability to break down that medication, making it more difficult to alleviate regular headaches as well. So how do you solve this?

Medical Treatment for Nicotine Headache

Pain medications may temporarily alleviate nicotine headaches, but there’s only one permanent solution: quitting nicotine. While nicotine treatment or replacement therapy is a much healthier alternative to smoking, it won’t help much in terms of reducing the effects of a nicotine headache.

So in search of a quitting solution, smokers often find themselves trying out quit smoking hypnosis. Although technically not a medical treatment, using hypnosis to quit smoking may be a good solution to explore.

Yes, you read that right: using hypnosis to quit smoking. And no, you don’t need a pocket watch, a cape, or a funny accent.

Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis isn’t just someone swinging a pocket watch like a pendulum while saying “You are getting sleepy.” Though, let’s be honest, that does sound pretty entertaining. In reality, stop smoking hypnosis is a powerful tool that has helped countless people overcome their smoking addiction. 

So what is stop smoking hypnosis? 

When you try to quit smoking through willpower alone, your conscious mind may be on board, but your subconscious mind is still craving nicotine. But with quit smoking hypnosis, you can reprogram your subconscious mind to let go of the desire to smoke. By accessing the power of suggestion and visualization, stop smoking hypnosis can help you change your habits and beliefs surrounding nicotine.

Some people believe that quit smoking hypnosis works because when you’re hypnotized, you’re relaxed, can concentrate more, and are more susceptible to suggestions. Quit smoking hypnosis differs from other forms of nicotine treatment by targeting the root cause of the problem and reducing the desire to smoke, rather than just managing the symptoms.

It’s important to note that the media often portrays hypnosis in a misleading way. The truth is, when you’re hypnotized, you’re still in full control of your body and mind. A therapist cannot make you do anything against your will. 

Stop smoking hypnosis simply puts your body in a meditative state, where your therapist might suggest affirmations such as:

• “My body is a temple, and I honor it by not smoking.”
• “My lungs are healing with every breath I take.”
• “I choose to breathe clean, fresh air instead of smoke.”

While these affirmations might sound cliché, their effects can be powerful when reinforced by your mental state. They tend to resurface when you get the urge to smoke, and can help you resist temptation.

In fact, a study found that using hypnosis to quit smoking results in a 20 to 35% success rate, compared to the 10% when smokers try to quit cold turkey without it.
So we know that hypnosis is effective in helping you quit, and doing so can alleviate your nicotine headache. But is it the best solution?

Will you be Satisfied with Hypnosis to Quit Smoking?

While quit smoking hypnosis is known to be effective, it’s important to note that it’s not an approved form of therapy by the American Medical Association (AMA). In fact, they rescinded their positional statement on hypnotherapy as an orthodox medical treatment in 1987 due to lack of evidence.

Since then, studies have found no clear evidence that stop smoking hypnosis is better than other approaches in helping people to quit.

On top of that, a single session costs approximately $100, and most therapists suggest starting with 4-5 sessions. That’s over $500 spent with no guarantee that you’ll actually kick the habit.

Some people find a middle ground by practicing self-hypnosis, which doesn’t require a therapist. And as long as it’s done correctly and with proper guidance, this method of quit smoking hypnosis is relatively safe. So just because the AMA doesn’t recognize it as an orthodox medical treatment, doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. 

However, it’s worth noting that since you’re in a trance-like state and become highly suggestible during hypnosis, this may be dangerous for people with anxiety or certain mental health conditions, such as dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. The hypnotic state can trigger a dissociative episode or induce delusions, leading to further mental health issues.

In some cases, hypnosis can also trigger panic attacks in people with anxiety. They may become overwhelmed by the sensations they are experiencing during the hypnosis, leading to panic and anxiety.

Some may find the best solution is combining it with other forms of nicotine treatment. For example, you may choose to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches or gum, along with hypnosis. In this case, the nicotine treatment can help reduce the physical withdrawal symptoms, while hypnosis helps with the psychological aspects of addiction.
But given that stop smoking hypnosis isn’t very effective on its own, and using regular nicotine treatment (replacement therapy) doesn’t solve the problem of nicotine headaches, there must be another way to successfully quit smoking.

Find the Best Nicotine Treatment – QuitterCheck

The QuitterCheck program is based on the latest science and proven positive psychology. Unlike other forms of nicotine treatment, you won’t be consuming nicotine in any form with Quittercheck. 

How QuitterCheck Works

Here’s a gist of how it works:

• First, you pledge a certain amount of money as a deterrent from using nicotine.

• You then participate in weekly saliva tests with our nicotine-detection swab kits.

• If you pass the test, i.e don’t consume nicotine in any form, you’re rewarded with cold hard cash. If you fail, you’ll lose your pledged amount.

The program uses a combination of loss aversion bias and positive psychology to help you quit. But how effective is it?

As we said earlier, when trying to quit on their own, the average smoker has a 10% chance of quitting successfully. Although mostly inconclusive, some studies found that using hypnosis to quit smoking, that can be increased to 20-35%.

With Quittercheck, early trials have found a whopping 83% success rate. There’s a reason the programs are touted as ‘the most effective way to quit smoking’. 

I mean think about it, would you pay $100 for a single cigarette? And on top of that, you get paid to live a healthier life. It’s truly a win-win.

In addition to the accountability, Quittercheck also provides you with a library of resources and useful guides to help you quit. And since it doesn’t involve nicotine treatment in the form of replacement therapy, quitting with QuitterCheck is a sure way to get rid of your nicotine headache for good!

For a limited time, we’re offering a special promotion for all plans that includes 50% off and free shipping when you use the code C-J477-HA8M. Plus, if you act now, you’ll also receive our early bird offer, which includes a free phone stand to help you easily record your weekly saliva test videos. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your health and become smoke-free, download the Quittercheck app today!

Takeaways

Quit smoking hypnosis is a useful cessation tool to keep in your arsenal, and has proven to be effective anecdotally. Despite the AMA not classifying stop smoking hypnosis as an orthodox medical treatment, it definitely has its benefits. Since it puts you in a calm and relaxed state, you will start being more comfortable in that frame of mind outside sessions as well.

For some smokers, boredom can be a trigger to smoke. However, with quit smoking hypnosis, or just hypnosis in a broader sense, you can learn to be more at ease with moments of idleness, and won’t feel the need to smoke just for the sake of having something to do.

One thing you could do is use stop smoking hypnosis in conjunction with a QuitterCheck program. Since it doesn’t require you to consume any nicotine, you’ll still be able to get rid of your nicotine headache. 

Quitting smoking is the best decision you can make as far as your health is concerned. You’re not only getting rid of your nicotine headache, but also reducing the risks of severe health issues (though I’m sure you know that!) If you’re ready to take a step towards a better life, sign up for a QuitterCheck Plan and get started on your nicotine-free journey today!