Cramps – Those awfully painful and throbbing contractions in the body, which often make life difficult to live – interfering with our daily schedules and often making us bed-ridden! These sharp pains can occur in any part of the body and can often be very severe as well.
So what’s the remedy for these agonizing pains? Should we simply pop some pain relief pills or apply pain-relief balms to check these disturbing sensations? The answer is NO! Sharp pains in the body are an indication of certain underlying problems in the body which need to be redressed fast.
Types of Body Cramps
1. Dysmenorrhea
For many women, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps) are the biggest fear factor. Apart from the ugly pain that it spreads through the lower back and buttock region, these are an indication of serious underlying problems such as fibroids, blocked fallopian tubes, infection or emotional stress. The concern is that these cramps often come with nausea, vomiting, back aches and leg discomfort and can make the person incapable of any activity for a couple of days.
2. Lower Back Aches
Lower back aches and spasms are associated with a series of sensitive nerve endings, roots, soft tissues, muscles and joints in the area, and any discomfort in this region requires urgent attention and care.
3. Leg Cramps
Cramps in the leg are sudden and can be very painful because the muscle contracts and tightens the entire area. While such cramps can be brought on because of over exercising or injury, in a number of cases, these cramps occur due to ailments like poor blood flow or problems related to thyroid, heart and kidneys.
Yoga to Ease Cramps
That’s right! If cramps in any form are bothering you, its time you took to yoga. The techniques and postures of yoga will not only strengthen your muscles and improve blood circulation, but will also address all underlying diseases whose symptoms show up as cramps. So, let’s find out which yoga postures can get rid of cramps:
- Ustrasana (Camel pose) – This back stretching posture with the head tilted back and the abdomen raised forward is an ideal ‘asana’ for massaging the abdomen and lower back. The stretch provides improved strength to the hips, thighs and uterus region for women.
- Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big-Toe pose) – This posture effectively relaxes the calf and thigh muscles and brings more freedom to the pelvis and spine region. This pose also strengthens the knees and relieves back pain.
- Janu Shirasana (One-Legged Forward bend) – This forward bend, with a gentle press of the foot, is an ideal asana for menstrual discomforts such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, anxiety etc.
- Dhanurasana (Bow pose) – This is a very good posture for relieving pain in the neck, lumbar and back regions. It also strengthens muscles in the hip, thigh and waist region.
- Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle pose) – This pose is ideal for stretching and strengthening the back, thighs and knees.
- Marjariasana (Cat stretch) – This posture is excellent in relieving back problems such as stiffness and muscle spasms.
- Ardha Shalabhasana (Locust pose) – An excellent blood circulation booster, this posture also strengthens the leg muscles.
It is very important to rethink your diet plan. Include more green leafy vegetables to ensure that the body receives its daily dose of essential nutrients. An ayurvedic lifestyle is also highly recommended to help you live a healthier life. Yoga works even better when the body is attuned to an ayurvedic diet.
Practice yoga on a regular basis to improve blood circulation in the body and keep all the muscles cramp-free. Instead of turning to medicines every time, adopt yoga to relieve your body of muscle cramps once and for all.
Yoga practice helps develop the body and mind bringing a lot of health benefits yet is not a substitute for medicine. It is important to learn and practice yoga postures under the supervision of a trained Art of Living Yoga teacher. In case of any medical condition, practice yoga postures after consulting a doctor and a Art of Living Yoga teacher. Find a Art of Living Yoga program at an Art of Living Center near you. Do you need information on programs or share feedback? Write to us [email protected]
[“source-Artofliving”]
