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| I know next to nothing about yoga and I would like a little advice. For about the last 6 months I have been waking up with neck and shoulder pain, and it also feels like I have a headache. After I get up I start to feel OK. I even bought one of those foam pillows but it does not seem to do much good. I am 58 years old and in good health. About 10 lbs overweight. I go to the gym 3 days a week and do 30 min on the stair master, and some light weights. In the sauna I rotate my head in a circle and I can really feel it in my neck. I think that stretching would be good. I don't want to go to the Dr. because I feel that he would say take tylenol or something like that. Would yoga help? If so how should I start?
Any thoughts.
Thanks, John |
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| Welcome aboard John. From personal experience, I'd say yoga practice could help--I had shoulder, neck and elbow pains for years that were alleviated after my very first yoga class; made a beliver out of me. Then again, it might not help. Just recently, I pulled a muscle in my back doing a particular yoga posture after having practiced it for 18 months--hurt like hell and kept me out of commission for several days. There are just too many variables to say definitiely what to do. Sounds like your ache is not debilitating--more annoying so I'd give yoga a shot. Check out some local establishnments telling the owner/instructor what you did here and try 'em out. |
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| Hi John, welcome to the board. As much as I personally am moving away from running to western doctors at the first sign of anxiety, I have to recommend a cautious approach. The short answer to your question is, yes, I think that the right yoga done under supervision of a good teacher will probably benefit your neck troubles.
The long answer is yes, but... 
Being someone who has neck issues myself, and therefore, I know first hand how precious the neck is. Everything vitally important is connected directly through that small space...think about it. I would go to a trusted doctor and have him rule out anything serious like bulging or ruptured disc. (And by the way, if you get out of the dr's office with 'just take tylenol' and not "let's do surgery' that is a GREAT thing!). If you can get an idea of what the problem is, then you are leaps and bounds ahead of the game for your teacher to know which postures may help you and which ones could potentially harm you.
Personally, yoga has helped me tremendously with my neck issues (but not as much as my trusty neurosurgeon...sorry)
Good luck and keep us posted!
Amy |
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| Hi John,
I feel like I should chime in here. I'm an acupuncturist and work in a pain clinic. Have lots of experience treating all kinds of pian. I've also done yoga for 10 years. I'm not promoting me or my profession here, don't worry! But, some exercises are not good for the neck, especially neck rolls. Stop doing those.
While you are in the sauna try this approach instead: try touching your chin to your chest. Does it elicit pain or do you feel a nice stretch? Stop if you feel pain. Bring your head back to a neutral position. Next, look up toward the ceiling. Sometimes with a pinched nerve in the neck, that motion can cause pain b/c you're squishing your neck vertebrae. Bring your head back to a neutral position. Next, try to touch your left ear to your left shoulder. Do to the same on the right. Replace the neck rolls with these neck stretches. Much better for the life of your neck.
Also, somtimes nasty trigger points in the trapezius and/or scalene muscles can cause hellish neck, shoulder and headaches in the back of the head. Try massage. I'd recommend shiatsu, something with some "umph" to it. Some chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists (and even acupuncturists) do trigger point therapy with their hands (not with needles...yet). Are you a jaw clencher? Problems with the jaw can cause pain the the upper part of the body. If the range of motion in your neck is compromised or if you have pain radiating down your arm(s) and/or your hand(s) is going numb, please call your primary care doc for a referral. Shoot, nowadays you can probably get your primary doc to write a prescription for the aforementioned instead of the usual, life-altering anti-inflam/pain meds.
FYI - not all yoga is good for certain neck disorders. Whatever you do, please make sure you go to someone really well trained and not a weekend-course-certified yoga teacher. They are dangerous. There, I said it.
Ok, gotta run. Rather long post. Hope it's helpful. Fi |
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| >> I even bought one of those foam pillows but it does not seem to do much good. <<
Well, for how long do you have it in use now? When I bought my orthopedic pillow, the saleswoman told me that one has to sleep on it for at least two weeks before it shows any sign of relieve.
And a beginners class in Iyengar or Anusara should do the trick as well. After roundabout one year of yoga practice I can say that my back and neck pain disappeared completely.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Great replies all and especially fifi. No neck rolls!  Yoga and the accompanying muscle awareness has got rid of a LOT of my neck pain. And chiro and massage. But I still often wake up with a sore neck and shoulders. I hated every foam orthopedic pillow I ever tried. The last one is between the headboard and the wall behind it for ... well, noise reduction. Works a treat there!  Honestly, a new mattress is probably the answer for me. One with the cool memory foam that looks sooo comfy in the ads.
Edited by tourist 2005-01-08 1:28 AM
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| I changed my mattress recently, and also got rid of a pillow which seemed to help no end. My yoga teacher suggested that it was because i have the tendancy to roll my shoulders forward especially when i work at a computer, and when i get stressed, I subconciously hunch them up. So now I try to keep them down and back when possible, and also each night before bed, i spend a few moments lying down on my back (in bed), relaxing all my muscles, paying particular attention to my shoulders and neck so that my body is relaxed and my mind is empty before I go to sleep- otherwise I'm still all tensed up when I'm asleep, which just aggravates the problem come next morning.
Hope this helps! |
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| Pillow talk! Save your money and use a towel:
I recommend rolling up a towel to give the neck support. Try different towel sizes and fluffiness.
Note: it's not so good for your neck to sleep on your stomach. Too much twisting of the neck and shoulders can aggravate everything from neck muscles, to shoulders and the upper back.
Have fun sleeping! Fifi |
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| I find I get post-sleep neck strain if I'm going through a period of stress. I eventually worked out that this was due to having a tendency to arch back in my sleep and clench my teeth together. Any chance someone could watch you sleep or that you could video yourself to see how you sleep? There are a number of support pillows on the market but you have to get the right shape one for the position you most often sleep in.
Some people find lying on their front with arms outstretched above the head (without any pillow) can help. Try this on the floor.
There are also a set of exercises on the beginners Yoga Zone series of tapes designed to release deep tension from the body. They are all done from a seated position and are easy to do. You have to have good body awareness as yoga should never hurt; if it does, you need to move out of the position a little until you are painfree but can still feel the effect of the posture.
If you spend a great deal of time at a computer, make sure you get some training on the optimal seated posture for this work as neck and shoulder strain are very common complaints arising from VDU work and are almost always due to bad working posture. You should also try to spend 5 minutes in every hour away from the computer, e.g. use the loo and drinks machines furthest from your desk if in an office.
Regards,
Fiona
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| Thank you Fifi: I think you are right about the neck rolls. It does hurt a little. I 'll stop the rolls and take your advice on a more gentle approach, until I get it right.
Thanks again.
John |
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| I am getting a lot of good advice, and want to thank you all. I'll try some of your suggestions, and I feel that I will improve.
Thanks again.
John, from cold Massachusetts. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| John - sometimes it helps to do some very simple things. Someone I know had their doctor suggest a few very gentle moves and it made a huge difference. You do each move 10 times several times per day, gently, well within your range of motion.
1 - turn your head from side to side (like saying "no")
2 - nod you head up and down (sayinfg "yes")
3 - tilt your head side to side (ear to shoulder direction)
4 - roll your shoulders forward
5 - roll your shoulders backwards
6 - shrug your shoulders up to your ears
7 - you may roll your head from shoulder to shoulder - the front half of the circle - I think. It is the back part that is bad.
Good luck! |
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Nich and shoulder pain
