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Yoga for headache management
 Headaches
can be caused by eyestrain, indigestion,
allergies,
sinusitis, exhaustion or poor posture. Types of headaches vary according to the
cause and so do the remedies. Migraines and
cluster headaches can be helped with yoga, but you must
have the supervision and approval of your doctor.
Practice the following postures:
 Downward
Facing Dog (Adho Mukha
Svanasana)
Push butt up toward ceiling...fiercely. Push hands and heels of feet into floor
and let head hang downward. Pull belly button up into spine. And breathe deeply.
Avoid pinching shoulders. Push shoulders away from ears.
 Cobra
(Bhujangasana)
Start in a crawl position kneeling on the floor . Rest hands on floor in
vertical alignment with shoulders. Sit butt back into heels of feet... inhale
deeply. Now exhale and push head and torso forward into cobra. Do not push up
with arms. Use chest and middle back muscles. The cobra is a backbend ...
careful not to push in on lower back.
Seated Forward Bend (Paad-Paschimottanasana)
 Sit
on floor and extend legs forward. Lift arms up overhead, bringing hands into
direct vertical alignment with ears, shoulders and hips. Spine is now erect.
Exhale and reach torso forward ... without hunching or rounding middle spine.
Push chest forward toward thighs. Attach hands to calves, ankles or feet. Put a
pillow over legs and rest forehead on pillow to relax mind. Breathe deeply. Keep
neck long ... shoulders pressing away from ears.
Knee Press
Bend knees. Pull feet into groin. Inhale chest and rib cage upward. Exhale and
press down through inner thighs until knees touch floor. Continue to pull feet
in towards groin. directing the chi down into your lower body. Stretch head
upward to lengthen neck and back muscles. Lower chin down into chest and stretch
open the back of neck. Breath deeply.
Reclining Pose
Gently roll torso back to floor... close eyes and breathe deeply. Avoid
exercise if headache is acute or severe. Practice eye movements. Close eyes
tightly...open widely. Roll eyes up and down and to the right and left. Circle
eyes clock-wise and counter clock-wise. Palm eyes and forehead. Rub heels of
palms together until warm, then place gently over eyes and feel the tension melt
away as you visualize your happiest moments.
Alternate nostril breathing and shitali also help to cool the head. For
alternate nostril breathing check out whether your left or right nostril exhales
more forcibly. Close the stronger nostril and breathe through the opposite
nostril until the headache subsides.
Shitali
 Shitali
literally means cooling and hence the name. It can safely be practiced anywhere
and at any time, as and when needed.
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Sit in sukhasana or any other comfortable posture.
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Stick your tongue out about an inch from your mouth, rolled up at the
side like the tube of a funnel.
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Suck in air through this channel (to the count of 5)
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Inhale in such a way that the air flows all over your tongue, from the
tip to the very base. See how cool it feels.
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After a full inhalation, close your mouth and exhale slowly through the
nose.
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This comprises one round. Increase the frequency gradually, as required,
up to 5 or 10 rounds.
Shitali is known to cool the body, mind and nervous system. Subsequently, it has
a pacifying and relieving effect on the mind and
body. It also has shown positive effects on blood circulation and body
temperature, while activating the spleen, liver
and flow of bile. It is also known to improve digestion and relieve thirst,
mouth ulcers and hyperacidity. Shitali
pranayama is also highly
recommended as an immediate remedy for nervousness and panic attacks.
Related Links
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