How To Cure Back Pain With Yoga

Once an injury to the spine has occurred, regular, often persistent back pain can follow; medical science is still some way from discovering a back pain relief remedy that will work for everyone. Although some medication may be effective and bring pain relief, it doesn’t really help with the underlying problem of the condition causing the distress. As far as the sufferer is concerned, this medication should only be taken whilst under supervision by a medical expert.

Back pain is often caused by muscle strain and repeated strenuous exercises; spinal injury is one of the most common conditions around the world and even sitting incorrectly can create a long term problem. However, back pain is usually caused by a lifting accident or from lifting incorrectly and it is normally the lower back that suffers. However, a number of back pain relief treatments can be used without the need for drugs.

One of the simplest but also underused remedies is just the act of stretching which can bring relief to tense muscles as well. On the other hand reflexology is an alternative medical practice where pressure is applied to the feet to relieve pain in different parts of the body; some people are now discovering its benefits as a back pain remedy. Another benefit to reflexology is how it can improve the circulation which helps to ease tense muscles.

The Chinese medical art of acupuncture can also be used to help bring back pain relief, something which has only been recognized a short while in the West. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the theory that all people have this energy which flows through them called ‘chi’ or ‘qi’. Although the chi can become blocked, it can be released by using thin needles inserted into various points on the body. Like reflexology, acupuncture seems to be used by people who suffer with chronic conditions like back pain which requires relief.

Another ancient oriental discipline, Tai Chi is similar to many types of Yoga but the movements are much slower and deliberate. This method uses breathing control as the main source of relief with some stretching involved. It is so easy to learn by the young and old alike. Regular exercise is also one of the best preventative medicines available and can help with back pain relief; by exercising regularly there is less chance of a back pain attack.

Weight Loss With Yoga

Yoga deals with a number of easy to do exercises which can be very helpful in keeping the body fit both physically and mentally. Yoga can be practised on a regular basis, as it has easy to do exercises which can be done indoors. Also the time required to do these exercises is much less than the routine exercises. A person can easily take out time from the busy schedule to do these yoga exercises in the morning.

Like the regular exercises that a person usually does to reduce the weight or to keep the body fit, yoga comprises of exercises which are specifically intended to attack the extra fat a person carries around him. These exercises are to be done regularly so as to keep away from obesity. A person must understand the importance of a good health for a good living. A good health is very essential to lead a happy and trouble free life. In today’s hectic work schedule most people do not get time to think about their health and the food that they consume. This ignorance can eventually lead to obesity, and bad health. Not only does a person carry extra weight around him, but also there are several other disorders that come along with obesity. Some of these disease that are related to obesity and overweight include, heart related diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc. Thus a person needs to be careful always about the food that one consumes, and must consume food with the right nutritional content.

Along with a proper diet, regular work out is equally important. One must have a regular exercise routine so as to keep the body fit and stay away from problems such as obesity. Yoga is another set of exercises which employs its own exercising techniques to help reduce the extra fat contained in the body.

There are a number of easy to do yoga exercises that actually boost the metabolism rate. If the metabolism in the body is increased then the extra fats in the body is burned up easily. Moreover a person’s body becomes more flexible and strong. Also the muscles get strong after practising the yoga exercises. Therefore if a person does these yoga exercises on a regular basis, the fats get burned easily and one can lose weight. Also these exercises lend peace to the mind and hence make a person feel relaxed. Doing yoga regularly helps a person to fight stress. To fight stress is also equally important to lead a healthy life. By practicing yoga exercises a person can get rid of stress and hence it’s related problem. Yoga is a great way of revitalising the body and staying fit.

In one of the exercises known as the sun salutation, one has to salute the sun. This salutation exercise is very helpful in reducing the weight around the abdominal area of the body. More details about all the postures in yoga with detailed diagrams can be seen in the many yoga reference guide books easily available in the market.

Yoga Benefits

Does Yoga have any health benefit? Well, to answer in short, Yoga is just great and works in countless number of ways.

Stress is the number one cause, troubling every section of our emotional, endocrinal and physical system. But with the help of yoga, you can easily correct these problems.

At the physical level, Yoga and its cleansing practices has been demonstrated as extremely substantial for various health problems.

Yoga helps in increasing flexibility. It has positions that build up particular joints of your body. Yoga helps to work on those joints, which aren’t stimulated with the help of everyday exercise methods.

Yoga likewise increases the lubrication of tendons, ligament and joints. The carefully studied yoga positions develop the various ligaments and tendons in the body.

It has likewise proven to be true that the body which may have started doing yoga as a rigid one can produce a quite astonishing flexibility all things considered - even in locations of the body which have not been intentionally put effort into.

Yoga contributes to a perfect detoxification of your body. It gently stretches the muscles and joints while massaging the various organs at the same time. It also makes sure of optimal blood flow to the different parts of the body.

This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every little crevice of your body as well as offering nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as slowed down ageing, higher levels of energy and a formidable appetite for life.

The benefit of yoga in terms of health acts in a variety of methods on the various parts of the body. The revitalization and manipulation of the organs for example, in turn helps us by repelling sickness and providing a forewarning at the first conceivable instance of a most likely outbreak of disease or health problem.

An example of the complex benefits of Yoga is the uncanny sense of mindfulness of an imminent infection or ailment that it develops in the practitioner. This as a result makes feasible for the individual to take preventative curative measures.

The Art Of Yoga

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused.

Hatha Yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This kind of Yoga is somewhat gentle and slow paced, and is the right yoga to start with if you are totally new to Yoga and do not know any of the poses or asanas. Just like all the different forms of Yoga, Hatha Yoga intends to unite the spirit, body and mind.

Ashtanga Yoga - this kind of Yoga means “8 limbs” in Sanskrit. It is an intense and fast moving type of Yoga practice and is derived from a progressive sequence of poses, coordinated with the breath. This Yoga can be pretty physically demanding since you move constantly from one asana to the next in a sequence, thus you will find that it will develop your stamina in addition to your strength and flexibility.

Power Yoga - this is some kind of western version of Yoga and is derived from Ashtanga Yoga. Power Yoga might not essentially follow the exact order of asanas like Ashtanga Yoga, but it surely involves practicing a sequence of asanas without stopping and starting.

Iyengar Yoga - This kind of Yoga is founded on the teachings of B.K.S Igengar and works on the correct form and alignment of the body. Contrasting to Ashtanga Yoga, this yoga emphasizes on continuing with each pose for a longer time instead of moving continuously from one asana to the next. Iyengar Yoga makes use of props for instance straps and blocks to help support the body into the various poses.

Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa means synchronized movement of breath and is a differen and fast paced kind of Yoga, with a stress on breathing. A yoga practice usually begins with sun salutations and followed by excessive stretching. All through the yoga practice every pose balances with a counter pose.

Yoga Exercise For Beginners

There’s no need to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of yoga poses. Hopefully, your yoga practice will be a lifelong pursuit, giving you plenty of time to learn scores of poses. As your yoga practice advances, you will be at ease when working on increasingly challenging poses, however when you are just starting, it is a good thought to keep it uncomplicated.

In a typical yoga class, the students place their mats facing the front of the room in a loose grid. It’s best not to line up your mat exactly with the one next to it because you and your neighbor will need some space in certain poses. The students usually sit in a cross-leg position waiting for the class to begin or do a few gentle stretching.

The teacher might begin the class by asking the class to chant ‘Om’ 3 times. It depends on the teacher to start with short meditation or some sort of breathing exercise, at the beginning of the class.

After that there are some warm-up asanas, then more of brisk asanas, then stretches and finally relaxation. At any time, take Child’s Pose if you need some rest.

Sometimes the teacher will go around to each student during final relaxation and give him or her a little massage. Most of the teachers end the class with one more round of ‘Om’.

Congratulate yourself! You just had the first yoga class! You might be a bit sore the next day.

Dos and Don’ts

1. DON’T have a big meal right before class. Try eating a light meal a few hours prior to the class.


2. DON’T drink water for the duration of class, but have some after and before.


3. DON’T wear socks or shoes during class.


4. DO let the teacher know that it is your first class.


5. DO ask you teacher for help when you need it.


6. DO glance around and notice what other students are doing, particularly if the teacher doesn’t demonstrate each pose. On the other hand, remember that you might be looking at students of more advanced class, so don’t measure yourself up to them.