Yoga is a System of Exercises Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It’s off to Yoga I go!

 Yoga has been a system of practice for thousands of years that has been used to promote control of the body and mind. It has been consistently used to treat and prevent back pain by increasing strength and flexibility. Yoga helps reduce pain by helping the brain regulate the secretion of natural painkillers in the body. A yoga therapist will help you by creating a program that is specific to your needs and limitations, specifically related to your injury and medical condition.

Can we be as harmonious as those seven fictional characters when we have back pain? Can we find relief or do we have to endure days of aches and pains round the clock?

I recently came across an article on the ArgusLeader.com website, which suggests that back pain is the second leading reason people miss work. The constant vibration of the spinal cord behind the wheel causes frequent back pain for truck drivers. The heavy lifting of patients and children puts nurses and parents at great risk. Figures obtained from OccupationalHazards.com show that the U.S. In the U.S., nursing is one of the top 10 occupations for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. And, an estimated 12 to 18 percent of nurses leave their profession because of chronic back pain.

It is now understood that the career we choose can have an adverse effect on our physical health. You can sit behind a desk all day long in the air-conditioning, you can drive a tractor-trailer on Route 66 daily, or work in a hospital emergency room. Plus, you're putting serious strain on your neck and back. Can we take the time to heal ourselves before our issues escalate? Can we do something to ease the pain if it is already there? Is there anything we can do?

what is yoga? It has been a system of practice for thousands of years that has been used to promote control of the body and mind.

Why Yoga? Because it can help. It has been consistently used to treat and prevent back pain by increasing strength and flexibility. As many practitioners can attest, yoga can provide effective treatment that is relatively free of side effects. Slow motion and gentle pressure penetrate deep into the troubled joints. Additionally, easy stretches with deep breathing exercises release tension that binds muscles and tightens joints. Yoga is exercise and relaxation rolled into one.

Who is the candidate? Every year, millions of Americans suffer from debilitating back pain. Both acute and long-term stress can cause muscle tension and exacerbate back problems. Despite the unprecedented advances and powerful technology of Western medicine, two of the most commonly prescribed solutions—pain relievers and surgery—do little to address the underlying cause of the pain and can potentially cause side effects. In truth, a one-size-fits-all solution is impossible, as the causes and manifestations of pain—arthritis, strained ligaments, scoliosis, and herniated discs, to name a few—vary widely.

How does yoga help with pain management? Yoga helps reduce pain by helping the brain regulate the secretion of natural painkillers in the body. breathing

Exercises commonly used in yoga can also help reduce pain. The muscles relax when you exhale, so lengthening your exhalation time can help create relaxation and reduce tension. Maintaining a certain awareness of one's own breathing helps in achieving calm, slow breathing and aids in relaxation and pain management.

What do I do to get started? First, rule out potentially serious causes of back pain. See your primary care doctor and talk to him about your concerns. He'll know how to proceed from there to investigate the cause of your back pain. Then, also ask whether it is safe for you to practice yoga as part of your recovery program.

Treat the injury with extra care. When you are in a lot of pain, usually the tissues are swollen, it is important that you move slowly. If you work too aggressively to improve your strength or flexibility too quickly, it can cause you even more pain.

Your next course of action should be to find an experienced teacher with adequate training and experience. A yoga therapist will help you by creating a program that is specific to your needs and limitations, specifically related to your injury and medical condition. They will observe your form and exercises, and track how you respond to the exercises. He or she will figure out what elements may be helpful and determine if modifications are necessary.

Studies have shown that strict bed rest can do you more harm than good. Go ahead and try breathing exercises and practice a gentle posture as soon as you feel pain.

Abdominal cramps are often recommended by doctors to prevent recurring episodes of back pain. If you look at it from a yogic point of view, it is not right. Doing too many crunches or ab exercises can increase stiffness in the hip flexors, and potentially make back problems worse. With yoga, the approach is to examine which muscles need to be strengthened and which ones need to be stretched, and finally to design a program that will work on those specific needs.

Avoid poses that make your problem worse or worse. If you have problems with lumbar discs, be careful with bending forward, especially those that involve any kind of twist. Also, be careful during the transition, attention tends to get distracted. Abrupt changes of position should be avoided and stepping instead of jumping should be the norm.

Finally, be sure to consult with your doctor before proceeding with any exercise program, including yoga. Also, be sure to get proper training from a qualified yoga instructor if yoga is approved for you.