Yoga Therapy for Headache Relief: Healing Therapies - Hardcover

Houten M.D., Peter Van; McCord, Rich

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565891694 ISBN 13: 9781565891692

Publisher: Crystal Clarity Publishers, 2004

Synopsis

Headaches are one of the most common and aggravating health problems we experience. Morethan 40 million Americans suffer from serious or chronic headaches sometime in their lives andconsume over 30,000 TONS of over-the counter painkillers each year.Topics covered include the different types of headaches and how to tell them apart how yoga canhelp them two safe, effective routinesone short, the other longerdetailing whichyoga postures to use for best results additional alternative techniques that may be helpful otherprescription and non-prescription medical therapies worth considering and a bibliographyfor further reading.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Van Houten, M.D. is the founder of the Sierra Family Medical Clinic, a practicing Primary Care Physician and a graduate of UCSF medical school, widely recognized as one of the top medical schools in the US. He has been practicing medicine for more than 20 years.

Rich McCord, Ph.D. is the worldwide director of Ananda Yoga, one of the largest and best-known schools of yoga in the United States, and has been practicing yoga for over twenty-three years.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

YOGA HEADACHE-PREVENTION ROUTINES
Yoga Perspective on Headache-Relief Poses
Tension Headaches
A tension headache develops in response to a perceived threat, either actual or imagined, that triggers the mind to send a signal to the nerves and muscles as a call to action. When the perception of threat endures, energy remains trapped in the muscles. We call this tension. It is especially common in the neck and shoulders. As the threat perception becomes habitual, so does the tension. The stretches and other yoga exercises help to release that trapped energy and restore the free flow of energy through the neck and shoulders, helping to relieve the associated headache.

Migraine Headaches
A migraine headache is an energy imbalance, rather than blocked energy, that appears to be caused by a physical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Yoga techniques have a potential for migraine relief, not only because they relieve stress, but also because the inverted poses turn the spine upside down and the head lower than the heart to increase the flow of harmonizing energy to the brain. Yogis say that this intelligent life force helps to restore balance and harmony to any part of the body in which it is concentrated and free flowing. The inverted poses may help balance the brain's production of neurotransmitters, thereby decreasing the likelihood of developing migraines.

Remember, however, that inverted poses are not good to practice while actually experiencing a migraine headache because the inverted movements may make a headache in progress worse. The inverted poses are better suited as a day-to-day method of prevention.

Yoga Techniques for Headaches
There are two sets of building blocks that form the basis of yoga techniques for headache treatment.
Main Routine--a basic sequence for stretching muscles and improving posture to prevent tension headaches, gentle inverted poses (asanas) to help counter the tendency to develop migraines. The entire routine of five basic exercises takes less than 20 minutes. The Main Routine should be avoided when a migraine headache is in progress because exercise may aggravate it. Instead, use the Intervention Routine outlined in the next chapter.
Intervention Routine--a short sequence that can help relieve the discomfort of a tension headache or combination migraine-tension headache in progress.

How to Use the Routines
For some of the exercises, you may need a yoga strap. A long sock, small blanket, or an old necktie works just as well. Even a straight-backed chair will serve. Use the exercises in progression, each week, changing and adding as the instructions describe.

Week 1: Practice the Basic Five exercises described in detail on page at least twice each day--4 to 5 times daily for severe cases--with one of those times being just before going to bed at night. Each practice takes 6 or 7 minutes.
Weeks 2-3: Practice as in week 1, but on three days of weeks two and three, substitute the Main Routine for one practice of the Basic Five.
Weeks 4-5: Practice as in weeks 2-3, but begin to hold some of the positions for longer periods. Exercises 1, 8, 11 and 13 of the Main Routine are particularly good to practice longer than the suggested guidelines.
After Week 5: Practice as in weeks 4-5, but add to the Main Routine one or more of the postures described under Additional Postures. The Ear-Closing Pose is especially beneficial.

Edition details

• Publisher: Crystal Clarity Publishers
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1565891694
• ISBN 13: 9781565891692
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 158