Yoga is sometimes described as "new age" because it works both your mind and your body. People participate in yoga as form of physical exercise as well as a time of meditation to escape from hectic daily life. Yoga can also help relieve pain, mostly in the lower back, but also in other parts of your body. Always consult your physician before using yoga to treat a painful health condition.
The Posture Angle
Yoga can relieve pain from poor posture. Slumping when you sit or stand, rather than keeping your back straight, can cause neck pain and tension, tight muscles in your shoulders, lower back pain, sciatica and even carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrists and hands. Yoga poses that improve your posture remind you to keep your back and neck straight and stretch out tight muscles. Useful yoga poses include the cobra and locust poses. Two factors that can create pain, particularly in the lower back, are joint pressure and weak core muscles. The posture used in these and other yoga poses can help alleviate these conditions.
Stress Levels
Practicing yoga regularly can lessen your stress levels, which tend to run high when you experience chronic illness and pain. The meditation and deep breathing aspects of yoga can help both your muscles and your mind to relax. When you are feeling less stressed and more mellow, you may experience less pain. Some of your experience may be perception; when you are tense, everything in your life may seem overblown and exaggerated. When your mind and body relax, your muscles let go of the subconscious tightening that can lead to headaches and muscle spasms.
Studies
Studies reported in the September 2009 issue of the journal "Spine" show that people who did yoga as a pain management tool for chronic lower back pain used fewer pain medications and displayed less depression. Groups of participants were followed after 12 weeks, 24 weeks and 48 weeks of twice-weekly yoga classes. The control group, who did not attend yoga classes, were found to hold steady on pain medication usage, intensity of pain and functional disability, while those who did the exercises showed reductions in all aspects.
Considerations
While it's beneficial for many people, yoga is not appropriate for everyone and is not a cure-all for pain. Check with your doctor to determine whether you are healthy enough to participate in regular exercise and to determine which yoga positions are safe for your condition.
References
- Yoga Journal: Poses: Therapeutic Focus: Back Pain
- Yoga Journal: Yoga for Chronic Pain Part I; Timothy McCall.
- NCCAM: Iyengar Yoga for Chronic Low-Back Pain
- Spine Health: Yoga for Back Problems; Karen P. Barr; 2003
- Spine: Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Efficacy of Iyengar Yoga Therapy on Chronic Low Back Pain; K. Williams et al; September 2009
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