Fibromyalgia is a chronic health problem with no definitive cause. People with fibromyalgia often are exhausted and in frequent pain. Yoga is a complementary health practice that can help you to manage some of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Consult a health care practitioner or a yoga professional before starting a program of yoga routines for fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia
According to the Mayo Clinic website, fibromyalgia affects approximately 2 percent of people living in the United States. More women than men are affected by fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, dull pain that affects many parts of the body. In addition, people with fibromyalgia often wake up exhausted, despite regular sleep. Fibromyalgia is often difficult to diagnose but it frequently occurs with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome. Genetics, post-traumatic stress disorder and infections are believed to be the main triggers for fibromyalgia.
Yoga
Yoga is based on breathing, exercises and meditation. Simple yoga routines for fibromyalgia patients include Hatha and Viniyoga. Hatha yoga predominately focuses on physical exercises, although it also can incorporate breathing and meditation exercises. Viniyoga adapts the yoga practice to specific needs and condition of the patient.
Routines
The Fibromyalgia Symptoms website advises a simple yoga routine for fibromyalgia patients. The Fibromyalgia Hope website recommends practicing yoga for five or 10 minutes a day. Specific yoga poses that help to improve posture and increase flexibility include the mountain pose, forward bend, standing twist, abdominal lift and the lion. Always perform warm-up and relaxation exercises at the start and end of your yoga routine to help relax the body and focus the mind.
Benefits
The Fibromyalgia Symptoms website states that the benefits of yoga routines for fibromyalgia patients include improved sleep, increased concentration, lesser muscle pain, greater muscle strength, improved stamina and increased mood levels.
Cautions
Yoga can help fibromyalgia patients manage pain and improve sleep patterns. However, when starting a yoga routine for fibromyalgia, remember to keep it simple and minimize the time that you practice yoga. Do not carry on with a yoga routine if you experience pain. Timothy McCall in "Yoga Journal" advises to keep a journal to establish which yoga routines are helping your condition. Consult a yoga professional for guidance on specific yoga routines for fibromyalgia.
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