Many of you, may have been diagnosed with a condition, called Migraine. It is a sort of headache, in which you feel or experience a throbbing pain or pulsating sensation. And, it tends to happen on one side of the head. You may also develop nausea and light sensitivity, as a result. Some of you may even show signs of vomiting. Sounds also affect patients. Many patients get the symptoms at a specific time of the day. On the contrary, few may also get attacks at all hours, which may disrupt normal working and lifestyle. You may also get some solace, if you manage to go to a yoga retreat in Rishikesh, for therapy and possible recuperation.
Now, all those who get affected by Migraine, pass through different stages of attacks. You should know about the same.
Symptoms and Stages of Migraine
Migraine can affect one and all. The symptoms may or may not be the same for all. Children, teenagers, and adults suffer from Migraine, but the stages also differ. The various stages of Migraine are prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome. However, not everybody goes through all the four stages. In the first one, you may notice certain changes in your body like constipation, mood changes, cravings, excessive urination, and yawning.
For some people, the aura stage is more predominant, and the symptoms are seeing bright flashes of lights, pins and needles sensation in the legs, loss of sight, and weakness in either side of the body. The attack stage mainly lasts for 4-72 hours. You may experience pain on both sides of the head, or on one side. Additionally, the pain may be of the throbbing type or a pulsating one. Nausea and vomiting may follow.
As a part of the 200 hour yoga teacher training course, you will learn about the diseases and their management through yoga. Post-drome is the period, after the attack. You may feel confused and washed out at this stage. Yoga can help you handle the Migraine headaches. Although, it is not a substitute for western treatment, you can add it for management and prevention.
The Best Yoga Poses to Prevent and Relieve Migraine
Yoga poses and therapy can help prevent and relieve migraines by reducing stress, improving blood circulation, and promoting relaxation. Specific poses like child’s pose and forward bends can provide instant relief by releasing tension and soothing the nervous system.
You should rely on yoga forms that include more meditation and breathing activities. Hatha Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra are the possible options for you.
⦁ In yoga, there is a full series of Sukshma Vyama, or light exercises, which you can practice. If you practice these exercises on a daily basis, you can loosen up the joints in your body. You can practice wrist rotation, by stretching the arms outwards in the front side of the body. You have to keep them parallel to the ground, and rotate the wrists.
Additionally, you can also try elbow bends. You have to make fists in either of the cases. In this, you have to stretch the hands, by maintaining their stance at the side of the body. Thereafter, you have got to move them up and down, from the elbow region.
Shoulder rotations should also be included in your regime.
After you are done with such light exercises, which can increase the range of motion, you can try proper yoga.
⦁ Shashankasana – It is also called the Hare pose. You have to start in kneel down position. The hands should be on the thighs. As you take in air, raise both the hands above the head. As you let out air, fold the torso forward, until the arms and the forehead come in contact with the mat or floor. You can stay in that position for some time, and inhale again while coming up. This pose increases the flow of blood to the brain, without exerting too much pressure on the body. Learn about such asana practices in the 200 hour yoga TTC.
⦁ Paschimottasana – This is another pose, which you can practice. You have to start in the Dandasana, with the legs stretched in front of you. The spine should be straight. While you inhale, you can raise both the hands upwards. While breathing out, you can bend the upper body from the waist, and try to hold the toes. You can breathe in while lifting the body, to elongate the spine. Then breathe out and again resume the toe touching position. Exhale and come back to the original position. Lower the arms, and relax.
Meditation To Prevent and Relieve Migraine
You can also rely on meditation, to prevent migraine attacks. There are various forms of meditation, which you can try. Mindfulness meditation and concentrated meditation are two common types. However, anyone can work for you. You must ensure to find a quiet place to meditate from. Make sure that lights are dim. You can just focus on your breath to start with. Slowly, you will feel calm. Being stressed also leads to Migraine.
So, this is how meditation can help, by slowing you down. You can also try Hari Om meditation, under the guidance of a teacher at the ashram. It can bring the fluctuating hormones to rest. You will also get instant relief, if the attack was coming. It also increases your pain tolerance limit. Eating right is also crucial, if you want to avoid Migraine. Avoid fast food altogether, to see the results.
