By Paul Jerard
The exact cause of back pain can sometimes be a mystery. If your physicians cannot come up with a solid reason for your pain, after a battery of tests, you may want to try an alternative method. Below is a case when Yoga has helped a back pain mystery.
Q: I have been getting pain in the L-4 and L-5 area of the Lumbar spine for the past six years. Sometimes, the pain is in my sacrum, but it is a mystery. My doctors have taken numerous X-rays and MRIs, but nobody has found anything structurally wrong with my spine.
One doctor told me it is all in my head, but the pain is sharp, wincing, and I swear it is real to me. Another doctor offers me all the pain killers I need. My Chiropractor suggested I visit a Yoga class. After listening to her say it ten times, I finally went to a gentle restorative Yoga class, because I was in so much pain that I couldn't think straight.
After the class was over, I was in complete shock. The pain was gone and I slept well that night. After two days, the pain came back. I visit Yoga classes and it goes away again. Do you have any idea what is going on?
A: Chronic spinal pain can be a mystery. It is believed that as many as 85% of patients, who experience lower back pain, cannot be given a precise diagnosis. Hence the reason why we hear terms such as: "sprain" or "strain," when no structural damage is apparent.
There are many approaches to solving back pain, and it seems as if you have experienced many of them. One of my suggestions would be to develop a daily Restorative Yoga practice that you can perform each day. You should base it upon what you do in your classes.
Why change the routine, if you know it works? Ask your Yoga teacher if he or she objects to your taking notes, and explain why you need to gather information. It is the combination of postures which adjust your spine, laterally, forward, backward, and twisting during your session that helps; but the combination of pranayama, meditation, and relaxation techniques could also be of therapeutic value.
Consider this: Through your attendance at Yoga classes, you have learned an effective form of pain management, with no side effects. You may be able to maintain your spine naturally, without spending a fortune. It would be nice to know the exact cause of your pain, but you have found a solution that may work over the long term.
© Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/ He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995.
To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html
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