Yoga For Cervical Spondylitis

(February 20, 2009)

I have cervical spondylitis,having a lot of pain on left shoulder neck and left side of scalp feel tenderness in scalp. Which yoga can help to get relief. please help. Thanks, If you can suggest some yoga classes in Newyork

Cervical spondylitis is the caused by irregular wear and tear of the bones and cartilage of the neck, besides degeneration and mineral deposits in the pads between the spinal vertebrae. A lot of people suffer from cervical spondylitis, a condition which is quite common and painful. Diathermy traction and cervical collars are, usually, the commonest solutions prescribed by doctors. These are devices that immobilize the cervical vertebrae and neck muscles, put them out of action temporarily. This gives them a chance to heal.

Yoga for cervical spondylitis

Yoga, practised regularly and in totality with a balanced diet, is the best therapy for all cervical spondylitis problems. This is achieved through strengthening the muscles and managing pain by relieving tension, largely through relaxation practices. The strategy for cervical spondylitis is as follows:

Round the clock postural awareness and control.

Exercises for stretching out the neck and shoulder girdle and muscles. Exercises that will help include; gentle movements, stretches and movements of the arms, neck and shoulders.

Mild heat application for a period of 10 minutes 2 – 3 times a day. Please avoid application of excessive heat.

Stretching the whole body once every 2 – 3 hours in order to reverse and even avoid the effects of stress.

Yoga relaxation with Shavasana (Corpse pose), Nispanda Bhava (Unmoving Observation) and Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep) will help relax the muscles of the neck and back. Asanas (poses) that are known to help include: Sukhasana, Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose), Vakrasana (Twist pose), Parvatasana (mountain pose), Bhujangasana (cobra pose), Tadasana (palm tree pose), Vrikshasana (tree pose), Pawanmuktasana (air releasing pose), Makarasana (crocodile pose) and Dhanurasana (bow pose), Ushtrasana (camel pose) and Matsyasana (fish pose), followed by Shavasana (Corpse pose). Backward bends and asanas (poses) such as Shalabhasana (locust pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog pose), and Chakrasana (wheel pose). These involve a lot of spinal backward bending movements which your dull flexed spine needs.

The Pranayamas (breathing exercises) done in Yoga also help immensely. These include Kapalabhatti (skull cleansing) and Anuloma-Viloma (alternate nostril breathing). They help provide strength and energy to worn out muscle tissues and help them rejuvenate and carry on the activities of life.

While compresses help open up the spine and strengthen the lower, mid and upper spine, they also create greater elasticity in the entire spine. These compresses increase the tone of the muscle fibers, thereby accelerating circulation of spinovial fluid. This greatly helps relieve cervical spondylitis.

Submitted by A on February 20, 2009 at 04:23