Why you should try yoga for pain relief.
You wouldn’t think our government would concern itself with pain management, but when something impacts a large segment of our population, the government pays attention. Opioid addiction is another national concern. It makes sense to study chronic pain remedies.
Yoga for pain management is hands-down one of the best solutions.
Yoga for Pain Relief: Centuries-Old Practice Now Trending in Yoga Classes
Over 5,000 years ago, yoga was developed by the Indus-Sarasvatis in India. No one seems to know when yoga for pain management was introduced, but it is here to stay.
Last year, the government funded the Yoga for People with Chronic Pain in a Community-Based Setting study. The results were conclusive. Yoga for pain management is a viable solution to chronic pain management without the use of perscription drugs.
Today, yoga studios offer yoga for pain relief management for every level of physical mobility. The practice itself reduces the likelihood of “pain interference.” If pain interrupts or changes your normal activity level, yoga can help.
Stop Hurting . . . Start Living!
Chronic pain sufferers seem to “get sick” more often. That’s a reminder that everything – mind, body, spirit – is connected. Yoga for pain gives you whole-body strength and boosts your immune system’s response to disease.
If there was a universal mantra for yoga, it might be, “No rules. Just right.” Other exercises and activities have rules or regulations that define them. Yoga can be modified for your body and level of movement.
No matter how many students are in a yoga class – properly spaced to prevent cross-contamination – there’s just one right way to perform yoga exercises.
Each movement must be carefully positioned to afford your body maximum relief, the potential for better mobility, and safety. That’s why yoga instructors are so important to yoga classes: They ensure you are not risking injury by exercising incorrectly.
If your brain had a wellness spectrum, chronic pain and its negative physiological/psychological effects would be at one end. Yoga and its stress-relieving, movement-beneficial advantages would be at the opposite end.
Some of the chronic afflictions that can be relieved through yoga for pain management include:
- Alzheimer’s/dementia
- Anger
- Anxiety/stress
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Backaches
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Endometriosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Heart disease
- Imbalance
- Insomnia
- Menopause
- Nerve damage
- Obesity
- Osteoporosis
- Sciatica
- Thyroid
Consult your doctor before enrolling in classes at a yoga studio if you have a history of or have been treated for:
- Blood clots
- Eye conditions/glaucoma
- Herniated disk
- Severe balance problems
- Severe osteoporosis
- Uncontrolled blood pressure
Yoga is beneficial during pregnancy but ask your yoga instructor which poses should be avoided.
What Are the Ins and Outs of Yoga?
The most fundamental feature of yoga for pain relief is controlled breathing:
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe in deeply, through the nose, to a count of five.
- Exhale, again to a count of 5, through your mouth.
- You will complete about five cycles then slowly return to normal breathing.
- Take one, last deep inhale then open your eyes as you exhale.
You will pay attention to your breathing as you progress through a series of seated and standing poses. (These are called “asanas.”) Never push your body beyond your comfort zone and stop immediately if you feel any pain.
CoVID Risks and Responsibilities
East West Healing Solutions yoga classes are returning in July! You are invited to join us!
We are making every effort to be a safe zone for all students and patients. Please do not come to class if you feel even slightly unwell. “It’s probably nothing” is a risk we can’t afford these days.
You will discover yoga for pain management gives you empowering, uplifting freedom from chronic illness. It feels great to feel good!
Call or contact us today.
