Yoga Therapy

Taking yoga classes or doing simple yoga techniques at home twice a week will help anyone significantly increase their overall strength and flexibility. Though many individuals suffering from the pains listed below agree that yoga has been a great healing component, these recommendations should not replace the advice of your physician.

Back Pain

Catherine Guthrie, a yoga teacher from Indiana, has suffered from scoliosis for years. Guthrie wrote in the April 2005 issue of Health “Within weeks , I was able for the first time to sit through a matinee. A few months later, I demoted my bottle of pain relievers from purse to medicine cabinet. Last fall, at my wedding, I wore heels without grief for the first time. Yoga isn’t a quick fix. But it has undeniably set me on a path of pain-free existence.”

Poses that build upper body strength and lengthen back muscles are ideal for those suffering from scoliosis. Other back ailments like rounded shoulders and lower back problems can benefit as well. Poses to focus on include standing mountain, triangle and warrior I. The reason these poses are so effective is that they balance the activity between opposing muscle groups throughout an entire yoga workout – a key to building overall strength.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Tendon pain sufferers like those with CTS have seen improvement when using yoga to develop grip strength and improve their range of motion. Poses such as mountain pose, seated twist and standing mountain with hands in prayer help ease these pains.

Arthritis

Arthritis in its various forms is known to affect over 43 million Americans. Brought about by age, obesity and in some cases simple overuse, Arthritis can be painful and debilitating. The most common form is osteoarthritis which affects the knee, spine, hip, hands and wrists joints. It is the decrease in tissue that protects the joints causing friction that creates pain and stiffness.

The relaxation techniques fundamental to a yoga session can relieve the anxiety many arthritis suffers feel as they deal with the pain. The strength building portion of a yoga session will help loosen joints and aid in weight loss, a contributing factor to some arthritic conditions.

The following poses are specifically helpful for those with Arthritis: Single Leg Raise, Shoulder Stretch, Neck Exercise, and Standing Side Stretch.

Digestion

Those that suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome experience some of the worse discomfort. An extremely enigmatic disease, it can be triggered by a number of things: Stress (one of the most common triggers), food (milk products, chocolate, caffeine, carbonated drinks, alcohol, high fat content foods) and hormones. Treatment is equally undefined. Medicine can help sometimes as can a change in diet. But identifying the triggers is often a difficult task.

For these reasons, yoga can sometimes be one of the best options for relieving the pain associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Since the disease is hard to treat, an overall health benefit activity like yoga can provide the relief needed to curb the discomfort felt by sufferers. It provides the relaxation and breathing techniques needed to relax the core muscles where much stress is bottled up. It also incorporates excellent abdominal stretching exercises that provide just the right amount of strength building.

The following poses are ideal for IBS pain relief: Cat Pose, Dog Pose, Wind Relieving Pose, Half Spinal Twist, the Bow, Cobra Pose, and Fish Pose.

Stress

Work have you stressed out? Does the big presentation to the Board have you sweating profusely and clamoring for water? Do you get knots in your stomach thinking of all the tasks you have to complete today?

Take a deep breath and stop suffering from stressful days. By applying some basic yoga techniques to your morning ritual, you will improve your performance, your mood and set out on a path for a calmer day.

Mia Taylor, a certified yoga instructor and president and founder of the Yoga Learning Center has been quoted as saying that certain strategies used in yoga can help job seekers find peace before an interview. I have incorporated these same techniques into my daily routine to help with the day-to-day work stress I experience and have noted the same great results. Taylor focuses on three main yoga strategies for relieving stress:

Concentrating on breathing

Practicing visualization techniques

Stretching.

Now that your head is in a stress free environment, do the same for your body. Stretching is a great way to relive the tension that builds up when feeling under pressure, especially in the shoulder and lower back areas. Take a minute before you get dressed to do simple stretches to ease your muscles. Or take a brief walk around your building, stretching your arms out to the side, before walking in the door. Once again, remember to breath deeply.

Focus on your Breathing

"Your breath will dictate how you feel at any given moment," Taylor says. Anxiety can be minimized simply by altering the way you breath. Practice deep breathing through your nose; bring the air all the way in to your belly and than exhaling through your nose. The rhythm created by your breathing will push out worries and stressful thoughts.

Practice Meditation or Visualization

Taylor recommends closing your eyes and thinking of an image that calms you before you even leave your house or get out of your car. You can be as creative as you want --images of people that relax you, calming environments you have been in, trinkets in your home that bring you comfort. Whatever puts you in a happy, content frame of mind. Couple this with the breathing exercise discussed above and you will be ready to walk into that meeting with confidence.