Migraine Headache Treatment With Yoga

Migraine, a primary headache disorder characterized by recurrent headaches that are moderate to severe, can be controlled with the help of yoga, feel a group of medical professionals. The doctors pointed out that around 20 to 30 percent people suffer from migraines in the country.

What is Migraine? 

Typically a person with migraine will experience pain on one side of his head, which can last between two hours to two days. During a migraine attack a person usually becomes extremely sensitive to light and noise, apart from showing other common symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and pain (that is aggravated during physical activity) to name a few.

Effect of Yoga

From the medical perspective it is important to understand that yoga impacts our brain’s GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) levels, which helps in suppressing neural activity, and produces a calming effect on the entire body and mind.

Studies in the past have also revealed that yoga improves memory, concentration, and mood to a greater degree as compared to those who perform conventional brain training. By canceling stress-related imbalance in the central nervous system, yoga can even prevent cognitive decline and migraine to an extent.

Causes of migraine headaches may be categorized under two heads 

1) Physical cause and

2) Psychological cause   

1) Yoga for migraine headaches due to physical cause:

Yoga is a multifaceted holistic discipline involving mindfulness and relaxation techniques, besides physical exercises. In addition to this, it also complements the standard therapies in patients of neurological diseases like migraine, radiculopathies, spondylosis, or sleep disorders.

Some of the asanas that can help in curbing migraine is Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose), Hastapadasana (standing forward bend), Balasana (child pose) and Marjariasana (cat stretch).

Yoga helps ease tension headaches by relaxing muscles in your head, back, and neck, boosting circulation to your brain and upper body, and improving your posture. The best time to treat a headache is at the first sign of the pain before the muscles go into spasm.

* For detailed posture of Setu Bandhasana (bridge pose) please click the link

2) Yoga for migraine headaches due to psychological cause:

Yoga also has a good supplemental role in psychiatric, psychological and stress or lifestyle-related disorders like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, et al.

Stress is one of the commonest factors that trigger a migraine. Relaxation exercises, yoga, meditation are few non-pharmacological methods which help in the treatment of migraine. ‘Vinyasa’, for example, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, tends to slow heartbeat, and lowers blood pressure.

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