We get up in the morning with the neck immobilized, a continuous and intense pain that starts from the head and also reaches the arm, a sense of nausea accompanied by dizziness of greater or lesser intensity: we have cervicalgia.
Let's see how to defend ourselves through simple yoga exercises for the cervical.
Yoga exercises for the cervical
The exercises to do daily to loosen the cervical tensions are indispensable. And yogic practice has a lot to teach. For this reason it is enough to have a quiet room, a mattress or mat, comfortable clothes and a few minutes to dedicate to oneself.
Yoga invites you to massage the cervical through some specific exercises. It is a series of movements that relax localized tensions and improve cervical osteoarthritis giving flexibility to the neck, muscles and attached vertebrae.
Here below we propose two "gestures" to do in a sitting position. They are called Brahma Mudra, the gesture of the god Brahma, and Sasha Mudra, the gesture of the hare.
Brahma Mudra
Sit in a comfortable position, with your legs crossed, in the lotus position, placing your hands on your knees.
First exercise : exhale and slowly turn the head to the right; while breathing in, return to the center and exhale, turning your head to the left. Inhale, return to the center and repeat the twists five times on each side.
Second exercise : from the center, while inhaling, slowly rotate the head backwards, then lower it forward with the chin towards the chest. Repeat ten times.
Third exercise : exhaling, bring the right ear towards the right shoulder, inhaling, go back up; exhale, bring the left ear towards the left shoulder, inhale, go back up. Repeat five times on each side.
Fourth exercise : from the center, inhaling, slowly rotate the head from right to left and then from left to right. Repeat five times in each direction.
Sasha Mudra
First exercise : on your knees, sitting on your heels. Bring your upper body forward, resting your forearms on the ground, head forward. Stand still, bringing the chin forward, repeat five times, breathing in when the movement is forward.
Second exercise : stretch the arms and, in this position with arms extended and head straight, repeat the same exercise as before, five more times, bringing the chin forward.
Third exercise : now, always from this kneeling position, bring the top of the head to the ground, extending the vertebrae of the cervical area well. Extend your arms back, palms up, bringing them to your feet. The pelvis rises from the heels to allow a good distension of the cervical area. Repeat with breathing seven times.
Discover the benefits of yoga for back pain
Conclusion, vertebrae massage
Seated, legs crossed in lotus, hands on knees. Bend the restless head, gently and slowly rotate the head, left and right, without turning the head completely. Adjust yourself by observing the nose that moves to the right and left for a few centimeters, like when you say "no", you will feel the vertebrae massaging. An ayurvedic massage can also be useful to further alleviate neck pain and tension.
The causes of neck pain
Statistically we have seen that many people suffer from neck pain, a localized pain in the part of the neck due to the inflammation of the first two vertebrae, but which also extends to the shoulders and arms, also affecting nerves and muscles.
It also manifests itself with headaches, dizziness and hearing difficulties, numbness and squeaks in the torsion of the neck, tingling in the arms or lack of strength in the upper limbs and vertigo, all symptoms linked to the fact that the nerve roots pass through the cervical area; sometimes there is also tachycardia.
Why this trouble? The causes are disparate. The cervical can be given by accidents, humidity and cold, as well as by sudden movements or incorrect posture. But also stress and emotional tension, psychological problems, can trigger it. In the most serious cases we speak of dorsal hypercyphosis, cervical hernias and other traumas.
