Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

In this era chronic neck pain is an important global public health problem. The prevalence of this pain has been reported to be up to 20% in the working population worldwide. With increasing economic development, the prevalence of chronic pain rises. In turn, the negative socio-economic effects associated with this condition also increase.

Yoga has been increasingly used for neck pain relief by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system. Physical posture corrections, breathing exercises, meditation, and relaxation are mainly used to cure and relieve all neck pain-related problems.

What is Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck. As the disks dehydrate and shrink, signs of osteoarthritis develop, including bony projections along the edges of bones (bone spurs).

Cervical spondylosis is very common and worsens with age. More than 85 percent of people older than age 60 are affected by cervical spondylosis. Most people experience no symptoms from these problems.

Symptoms

For most people, cervical spondylosis causes no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they typically include pain and stiffness in the neck.

Sometimes, cervical spondylosis results in a narrowing of the space needed by the spinal cord and the nerve roots that pass through the spine to the rest of your body. If the spinal cord or nerve roots become pinched, you might experience:

• Tingling, numbness, and weakness in your arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Lack of coordination and difficulty walking
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

What is Yoga?

According to Bhagwad Gita Equanimity, Stability, Balance, Harmony, Equipoise is yoga i.e. Samatvam Yoga Ucchyate.

According to Sage Vashistha yoga is the skill to calm down the mind i.e. Manah prasamana upayah yogah.

And according to Great Sage Maharishi Patanjali yoga is the cessation of mental modifications i.e. Yoga is to gain mastery over modifications of Mind.

According to Guruji Shubham Barwala Ji, yoga is the recognition of Mental Modifications the moment they arise in our consciousness.

According to Guruji Neeraj Medharthi, Ji Yoga is the state of perfect balance.

Evidence-based yoga therapy or Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

At Vedamrita our purpose is to bring the best and scientific research and evidence-based yoga therapy to our beloved readers and our students likewise and thereby increasing the general acceptability of Yoga therapy amidst the field of various treatments available. Below are a few research papers we find out related to yoga and Cervical Spondylosis.

Research Papers: –

Effect Of Naturopathy Treatments And Yogic Practices On Cervical Spondylosis–A Case Report

Rastogi R, Bender P. Effect Of Naturopathy Treatments And Yogic Practices On Cervical Spondylosis–A Case Report. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2015 Oct-Dec;59(4):442-5. PMID: 27530013.

Effect of a selected group of asana when used as an adjunct in the management of cervical spondylosis of mild to moderate severity: An observational study

Jain M, Sahoo DP, Sahoo J, Kumar DS, Manik R. Effect of a selected group of asana when used as an adjunct in the management of cervical spondylosis of mild to moderate severity: An observational study. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2021 Mar 8:S0975-9476(21)00014-0. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2021.01.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33707125.

Panch Kosha Based Yoga Therapy or Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

 Yogic Diet – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Eat on time. Chew food properly.
• Sattvic home-cooked meals.
• Increase the intake of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. Include high-fiber foods such as vegetables, cooked peas and beans (legumes), whole-grain foods, cereals, rice, and fresh fruit in your diet. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
• Keep the body well hydrated.
• Avoid processed and refined foods. Try to avoid nerve stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol, dark chocolate.

Asanas – 5 Yoga Poses for Cervical Spondylosis

• Avoid forward bending asanas
• Savasana with legs bent
• Makarasana
• Pavanamuktasana kriya
• lumbar stretch – folded leg, cross-legged, pavanamuktasana, setubandhasana
• Front – abdominals – dorsal stretch, straight leg raising
• Back – Setubandhasana, Ardha chakrasana, AKC, VK mudra with wall support, matsyasana, ustrasana, vakrasana sitting in a chair
  • Relax spinal muscles – Prayatna Shaithilya!
  • Stretch safely and relax
  • Increase flexibility
  • Repeat the movements many times

Kriyas – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Avoid sutra neti, Vamana dhoti, kapalabhati
• Do LSP, enema, jala neti

Pranayama – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Sectional breathing
• Nadi shuddhi
• Shithkari
• Bhramari
• Avoid bhastrika

Manomaya Kosha – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Yoga Nindra
• Bhajan
• Chanting
• Emotional Counselling
• Prayer
• Mind Sound Resonance technique (M.S.R.T.)

Vijnanamaya Kosha – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Counseling about the disease, triggering factors, diet

Anandamaya Kosha – Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis

• Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Spend time with family and loved ones.

Explore this Health Topic to learn more about Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis, the role of yoga and yoga therapy for various diseases, and where to find more information regarding it.

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