Yoga For Chronic Pain

By Kathi Duquette

Chronic Pain sufferers deal with pain most of the time with no relief. With awareness, the gentle movements of Yoga can relieve some of that pain. Studies have shown that a Yoga practice can reduce pain in people who have fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic back pain, and many other painful ailments. Chronic pain carries anxiety and frustration because we constrict our breathing when we feel pain.

Tightening Muscles

Constricting the breath can lead to anxiety. Anxiety can make the pain worse. Tightening the muscles when they hurt also increases pain. The frustration of it all can make us not want to do anything. Sedentary lifestyles can be detrimental to the whole body. Your muscles weaken, immunity levels drop, and your state of mind can move from frustrated to depressed. It can be a vicious cycle or a downward spiral.

The Importance of Relaxation

Even with the popularity of Yoga today, some of you may think of a bunch of older adults wearing sheets and sitting in pretzel poses. If you can calm your breathing, you can reduce the anxiety associated with chronic pain (and wear any comfortable clothing you choose – no sheets required). Once you can relax, you can generate some healing properties in painful areas, and the focused energy and blood flow can often reduce some of the pain.

About Breathing

Deep, slow breathing into painful areas can reduce the constriction in the muscles and send a fresh supply of oxygen to body parts that need healing. The breath is a powerful tool everyone possesses, but many people don’t take advantage of it. Can Yoga cure you? We won’t go that far, but wouldn’t it be worth it to try to alleviate some of the pain? Let’s look a little more into some specific analogies.

Fibromyalgia and Fatigue

Fibromyalgia is a condition that gives you widespread chronic pain in your muscles and even in your ligaments and tendons. It is described as a deep ache with trigger point areas that are more painful when touched. Basically ~ everything hurts and you can experience extreme fatigue.

Reducing Pain

Yoga can provide less pain, better sleep, more strength, endurance, and stamina, and increased positivity in everyday life. It is a practice of easy postures that can be adjusted according to your level of activity and pain on any given day. You can practice Yoga to reduce fatigue, strengthen muscles, or simply relax your body.

Arthritis and Movement

Arthritis sufferers also have chronic pain. The sharp intense pain associated with arthritis can make you want to reject all movement. But people who live with this pain know that movement is essential. Unless your arthritis is severe, exercise is recommended for people with arthritis due to decreased strength and endurance. You may not want to practice first thing in the morning when pain is sometimes at its worst, but later in the day, once your joints have warmed up a bit, a gentle Yoga practice could be the best form of exercise for you.

Adjusting Yoga Poses

When you do practice Yoga, adjust your poses so that you feel your stretch. Don’t’ go so far into any pose that you feel a sharp pain in the joints. Some days you might be able to stretch certain muscles and other days the same stretch might be painful. You need to really listen to your body and adjust your poses and the intensity of your stretches accordingly.

Why Use Props

There are studies that recently revealed that Yoga can help with chronic back pain. Practicing restorative types of Yoga, such as Iyengar Yoga, can help with posture, and range of motion, and reduce recovery time from injury. Chronic back pain patients need to focus more on alignment, using props such as blankets and blocks to achieve some of the poses. The muscle strengthening and lengthening should be practiced slowly while focusing on the breathwork. The same benefits previously discussed will provide relief from stress, anxiety, frustration, and depression.

Coping With Constant Pain

Chronic pain is a maddening issue to deal with. Always being in pain, sometimes worse than others, can carry negativity and depression with it. The breathing practice that is incorporated into asanas sends fresh oxygenated blood into areas to warm the muscles. Gently moving through breath-connected poses is stress relieving, immunity building, and mobility promoting.

Practicing Awareness

Even slow strength improvements can make a big difference with chronic pain. If Yoga training can be a comfortable form of exercise why not try it? Awareness of your body and adjustments are important while practicing Yoga, but that awareness can carry into your everyday life. Being aware of breath constriction and adjusting as necessary can ease some discomfort ~ even while you are not practicing.

Final Thoughts

As always, please check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. If he or she thinks Yoga could provide some relief to you, have an open mind and breathe into your Yoga practice.

Namaste,

Peace to you.

By Kathi Duquette

Certified Yoga Instructor

Certified Personal Trainer

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