CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS – YOGA ASANAS

Yoga asanas can do wonders for cervical spondylosis.  Yoga ensure that body receive required amount of movement on daily basis. It helps to improve bad posture thus providing relief from cervical pain.

WHAT IS CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS?

The natural wearing down of disks, ligaments, cartilage and bones in neck is called as Cervical spondylosis. It is a age related condition that affects the discs and joints in cervical spine.

It is a common condition in today’s world that tends to get worst with age.

WHAT  ARE THE CAUSES OF CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS ?

Some of the causes for cervical spondylosis are :

• Bone spurs : To compensate for the age related degeneration of discs body try  to grow extra bone to make spine strong. The bone spurs can press on delicate area like spinal cord or nerve causing pain.
• Dehydrated discs : Discs between vertebras act like cushions. With age discs began to dry out causing bone to bone contact between vertebras.
• Stiff ligaments : Ligaments in spine can become stiff with age making  neck less flexible.
• Herniated discs : Leakage of internal cushioning material due to cracks developed in spinal discs . The leaked material press on spinal cord and nerves causing symptoms like numbness, radiating pain in arms.

WHAT  ARE THE RISK FACTORS ?

Some common risk factors that contribute in development of cervical spondylosis are :

• Cigarette smoking
• Family history
• Being over weight
• Age
• Straining neck often for job.
• neck injury
• Heavy weight lifting

WHAT  ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS ?

• Neck stiffness or pain
• Nagging soreness in neck
• Muscle spasms
• Dizziness
• Popping, Grinding or clicking sound with movement of neck
• Numbness or Tingling which mainly affect arms and shoulder .

Some rare symptoms if spinal cord or nerve is pressed are :

• Loss of balance
• Loss of bowel movement control
• Loss of bladder movement control

AYURVEDIC APPROACH :

In ayurveda it can be correlated with Greeva graham. Greeva means neck while Graham means stiffness. Due to nidan sevan the vata dosha of the body get aggravated . The increased vata cause degeneration and dryness that leads to dcrease of kapha . Sleshaka kapha is responsible for cushioning between joints. So, the disc degeneration leads to cervical spondylosis.

YOGA ASANAS :

1. MATSYASANA ( FISH POSE ) : It helps to strengthen the spine . It also helps to improve spine flexibility and get rid of back and neck soreness.

STEPS :

• Lie down on your back keeping your feet together.
• Place hands on floor with palms facing downward. Slowly move hands beneath thighs closer to buttocks
• Keeping forearms firmly on ground slowly lift your chest up by putting weight on your elbows.
• Lower the head back until it touches the ground with elbow bearing the whole weight not head.
• Take even breaths as your body is now an arch.
• Hold the posture for few minutes and then gradually return to resting position.

PRECAUTIONS :

• High or low blood pressures
• Neck injury
• Lower back injury
• Migraine
• Insomnia

2. MAKAR ASANA ( CROCODILE POSE ) : It is helpful pose to release the stress and relax the spine.

STEPS :

• Lie down on your stomach and your hands folded under head with feet 40cm apart
• Place the head over your folded arms in relaxed way with eyes closed.
• Slowly stretch the legs as far as possible with toes pointing outwards
• Relax all body muscles while taking slow and steady breaths.
• Hold the posture for 2-5 minutes.
• Slowly return from posture bringing feet together and unfold the arms .Come to prone position.

PRECAUTIONS :

• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy
• Lower back injury
• Inflated lumber curves
• High blood pressure
• Neck injury

3. DHANAUR ASANA ( BOW POSE) : It helps to stretch and stimulate the neck providing relief from stiffness and pain.

STEPS :

• Lie down on your stomach and keep feet apart with arms at side of the body.
• Steadily fold your knees and take both hands backward to grab your ankles.
• Inhale deeply and lift your chest off the floor along with pulling your leg toward the back.
• Keep your gaze ahead and hold the posture for 15-20 seconds
• Exhale deeply and gradually return to resting position.

PRECAUTIONS :

• Heart ailment
• Peptic ulcers
• Hernia
• High blood pressure
• Colitis

4.BHUJANG ASANA ( COBRA POSE ) : The backward bending in this pose helps to improve spine flexibility and strengthens it. It helps remove stiffness of neck and shoulder region.

STEPS :

• Lie down on your stomach and toes flat with sole facing upward.
• Rest your forehead on ground and keep your legs together with heels and feet touching each other .
• Extent your toes backward.
• Taking deep breath press both hands down on ground and start lifting head and chest off the ground while keeping naval on ground.
• Keep your arms straight and stretch the neck
• Hold the posture for some time and then slowly bring down head and chest to floor while exhaling.

PRECAUTIONS :

• Recant abdominal surgery
• Hernia
• Ulcers
• Asthma
• Back pain
• Pregnancy
• Headache