मानसिक तनाव के बोझ से दबी वर्तमान पीढ़ी
ISBN: 978-93-93166-02-9
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Yogic Management for Vision and Headache

 Dr. Neelima Singh
Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Education
SGTBS Govt Degree College Bilaspur,
Rampur,  U.P., India  

DOI:
Chapter ID: 17956
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Introduction

The oriental India has designed a set of exercise way back 4000 years which is called as yogic practices when practiced under a set of regulation may cure most of the diseases. Asanas are time postured patterns and to be achieved slowly and maintained for some time steadily and released again in a slow and smooth manner to train the body and mind in such a way that necessary equilibrium is established in overall function.

Yogasana not only works to bring fitness and vigour to physical body, but also improve our power of analysis, insight and vision, calm the mind and steady the mind and steady the emotions, still not losing the sharpness of the intellect is the key to human progress. The science of yoga is dedicated to helping people to change their personalities and life styles.

Yoga has the own way of strengthening the weak parts of the body. Research in the field of yoga have established that the yogic asanas, pranayama and kriyas are the best and useful as they help not only to strengthen each organ and develop  every muscle of the body, but also regulate the circulation of blood purify the lungs, inspire the mind and thus achieve a harmonious development of human personality.

Yogasana is a timeless pragmatic science in the sense that it has a well designed technique based on the modern physiological principles and philosophy because it teaches a way of life. Asanas brings about an integrated, harmonious and disciplined functioning of the body as well as mind. So essential to achieve positive health since man in psycho-biological in general.

Positive changes in the life style of the people can be brought through yoga, one can aware regarding the body and further make them realize the need of emotional and physical well being. The behavior can also be molded properly, leading to balanced personalities. Yoga plays an important role by bringing therapeutic effects in Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, respiratory troubles and the like, same yoga has preventive as well as curative values.

Yogic therapy implies the mode of treating disorders with yogic means and contributing to ideal health. The nature of all yogic practices is psycho physiological. Physiological views are that yoga helps to tone-up the entire body. Yoga helps to correct the blood composition yoga tones up glands and visceral muscle.

The eyes

“The eyes are the mirror of the soul and reveal much of our essential nature. At the same time, vision is our most precious sense. We rely on the eyes for a large percentage of our information about the outside world and our understanding of life” The phrase’ Do you see what I mean?’ implies that a large part of our mental functioning relies on the visual sense. At the same time it has been reported by yogis that they do not need the eyes to see, being able to know in detail, through the higher strata of consciousness, of events which take place at great distances from their physical bodies. Vision is indeed a mysterious thing.

Short and long sightedness

The lens is situated in the center of the eye and is responsible for bending rays of light so that they converge on to the retina and thereby stimulate nerve cells to produce a clear and accurate picture of the image being viewed. The process of bending light so called refraction. If the lens fails to focus light exactly onto the retina, the picture is blurred and this is called refractive error. This may also occur because the shape of the eye distorts from a near perfect sphere, either elongating or shortening. The following refractive errors are the most common:

i. Myopia (short sightedness) in which the lens is too thick and the image falls of the retina, resulting in an inability to focus on distant objects. This is most common in young people.

ii. Hypermetropia (Long sightedness) which is the opposite of myopia. So more common in old age.

iii. Astigmatism which is caused by variations and unevenness in the lens.

These distortions of eye function are so common today that we fail even think of them as correctable by means other than glasses. Our hair falls out, teeth have to be removed, the skin wrinkles, eyes need glasses. We take these signs of ageing for granted, never for one moment realizing that there are ways to correct certain forms of refractive error especially those which occur in the young. The experiences of many people disprove the notion that eye problems are inevitable and incurable and yoga is playing a large part in this revolution.

The underlying cause

The lens is controlled by ciliary muscles which accommodate vision too far and near objects. Contraction of these muscles occurs when we look at near objects, causing the lens to thicken, increasing its power. When we look into the distance the normal eye adjusts the ciliary muscles within a fraction of a second. This adjustment proceeds with incredible, precision to give us a constantly clear image of the world.

In shortsightedness the ciliary muscles are constantly contracted, in spasm, precenting the lens from accommodating to distant objects. Spasm is caused by straining to see. For example shortsightedness is very common in young students who are constantly straining while reading thereby forcing the ciliary muscles to contract for abnormally long periods of time. It is not reading which is the problem but the straining to read and understand, long hours, fatigue and an unhealthy, imbalanced lifestyle. Many students live in a world of near objects and their eyes ‘forget’ how to adjust to long distances. This may be one of the reasing myopia is so common in the young.

Straining, to see or read, or in any other use of the eyes, is often accompanied by straining of the other facial muscles, forehead, temples, and jaw muscles and also of the neck and shoulders. Myopia and other eye defects then fall into the category of general mental and emotional tensions and can be regarded as psychosomatic diseases.

Another interesting facet of facial tension and refractive errors is the fact that we forget to blink and this emphasizes straining. Blinking is vital in maintaining moist, healthy eyes and for protecting the eyes from foreign objects, such as dust, fingers, etc. At the same time blinking momentarily rests the eyes. When we interesting exercise to sit and blink consciously a few times in order to experience its effect on the state of tension within the eyes.

By far the most common refractive error of the elderly is hypermetropia. As age creeps up many muscles weaken and so it is difficult for the ciliary muscles to contract sufficiently to allow the lens to accommodate for near objects. It is also quite common for myopic eyes to become normal for some time before hypermetropia takes over. Many people find themselves in the situation where they are unable to focus on either far or near objects and require bi-focal lenses, the upper lens for distance and the lower for reading. It goes without saying that a medical examination is essential toexclude such conditions as diabetes, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis or nephritis, which are also common causes of poor eyesight.

Correcting the error

The obvious means of correcting the tension and weakness of the refracting muscles of the eye is to institute a series of exercise to initially relax and then to strengthen, not only the muscles themselves, but also our control over these muscles. At the same time we must work on our general body tensions. This is a much more sensible method of approaching the situation than glass lenses which tend to splint the eye defect and prevent its returning to a normal state.

Along with exercises for the eyes a health promoting lifestyle is necessary. Diet should be simple, light and free form artificial refinement and processing, and chemicals. Vitamin A, form yellow carotene containing substances, such as carrots and apricots, vitamin B2 and the essential amino acid tryptophan, from milk, and food containing Vitamin C should be incorporated into the diet, especially for young children.

Asanas

Shambhavi mudra which is incorporated into the above series, is by itself a powerful redirector of pranic and psychic energies. It stimulates ajna chakra, the third eye, and by stimulating this center of higher intuitive awareness it allows us insight into the very potent factors at the mental and psychic levels which are causing refractive errors in the first place. It relaxes tension by stimulating the optic center which is a powerful generator of alpha brainwaves, those waves which are associated with relaxation. By just crossing the eyes alpha waves are generated. Shambhavi mudra leads us into meditative states and awakens inner vision, awareness of the spiritual dimension.

Palming is also a relaxing, alpha producing exercise in which heat produced by rubbing the palms of the hands is used to sooth the eyes. At the same time we gaze into the infinite dark space of chidakasa, feeling that our eyes are melting and releasing all their tensions. The same relaxing effect can be obtained by sitting with eyes closed while facing the rising or setting sun. The rays of the sun will he felt to penetrate deep into the eyes, associated with a very pleasant sensation. In both exercises avoid any concentration. Simply gaze and allow all tensions to melt away.

While performing the palming exercise it is useful to place a card one or two feet in front of the face with a number of some symbol inscribed on it. While palming, mentally visualize the symbol clarity and minus any fuzziness. After a few minutes remove the hands, open the eyes and gaze gently at the symbol which should appear quite clearly for a few seconds before the old muscular habits reassert themselves. This will retrain the muscles over a period of time. Sirshasana any sarvangasana are useful promote circulation to the eyes. Surya namaskara and surya bheda pranayama remove physical tensions, stimulate pin gala nadi, supplyus with extra physical energy and so help promote healing of the whole physical body. Headache is one of the most common symptoms a doctor I asked to treat. There are several types of headache, and the origin of pain is slightly different for each one. The brain itself is insensitive to pain, but many other structures both inside and outside of the bony skull have sensitive pain fibers. These include the arteries amn venous sinuses of the brain, the dura mater or membrane surrounding the brain and the external scalp muscles.

Migraine

Migraine usually starts after suberty and continues until late middle life. Acute attacks are often related to emotional stress, occasionally occurring during the period of relaxation when the stress appears to be over. Attacks occur at intervals varying from a few days to several months. The first symptom of an attack is commonly a sensation of white or colored lights, moving sports, wavy lines defects. Loss of sensation or weakness of one half of the body may be experienced or there may be numbness of both hands and around the mouth. These symptoms may last up to half and hour. This period is known as the ‘migrainous aura’. It is followed by the actual pain of the headache which usually begins in one spot and subsequently involves the whole of one or occasionally both sides of the head. The pain is usually severe and throbbing in character, and is associated with vomiting, photophobia (aversion to light), pallor, sweating and prostration which may cause severe loss of muscle tone and necessitate the patient taking to his bed in a darkened room. The attack may last from a few hours to several days, leaving the patient weak and exhausted.

Similarly, there are many phases of migraine. Some people have migraine with the rising sun, and it gets better as the sun falls towards the horizon. They may be completely free of attack when conditions are cloudy. In other people, incidence of migraine appears to be related to the lunar cycle. The site of migraine attack also varies. Some sufferers will experience the attack in only half of the head while other sufferers experience the pain at the top or at the region at the back of the head.

Tension headaches

Tension headaches are related to migraine, but manifest through the somatic nervous system instead of through the autonomic nervous system. These headaches are produced by sustained contractions of the external scalp muscles. These headaches are usually constant and non-pulsatile and may be unilateral or bilateral. The sufferer often describes a tight, band-like feeling about the head, or a feeling of the head being in a vice or under great pressure. They usually last for a few hours, but may become tender and tight and movement may become tender and tight and movement may be limited. In addition, hardened, localized, painful areas in the scalp muscles commonly arise. Generally poor posture is a major factor.

Tension headaches commonly follow emotional stress, but sustained muscle contraction many also be a factor in the pain associated with vascular headaches, and with diseases of the eyes, ears none teeth and sinuses. Similarly, the type of headache which is found to be associated with cervical arthritis (spondylitis) or disc degeneration generally stems from muscular spasm.

Yogic management

Yogic practices fill the gap in managing those forms of headache which up till now, medical science has found difficult to treat. Psychogenic headache, vascular headaches including migraine, and muscle tension headache can often be eradicated completely through yogic practices alone.

Fundamental practices for migraine and tension headaches are the hath yoga kriyas, neti and kunjal. If they are performed at the beginning of an attack of migraine the sufferer gains immediate relief. These kriyas release the build-up of psycho-emotional tension which is precipitating the attack. In eradicating headaches these kriyas should be practiced daily each morning, in conjunction with the following program for two or three months.

1. Hatha yoga:         Kunjal daily

Neti daily

Shankha prakashalana once.

Laghoo shankha prakshalana once a week.

2. Asana: Pawanmuktasana part I. Surya Namaskara.

3. Pranayama: Bhramari, nadi, shodhana, mild bhastrika.

4. Yoga nidra

5. Dietary recommendations:

A simple vegetarian diet is recommended. Avoid rich foods, especially cheese, chocolate and wine. Avoid overeating.

Skipping a meal and relaxing for ten minutes in shavasana will often avert an impending headache due to mental stress.

References:

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3. Nicholson RA, Houle TT, Rhudy JL, Norton PJ. Psychological risk factors in headache. Headache. 2007; 47:413–26.

4. Büssing A, Michalsen A, Khalsa SB, Telles S, Sherman KJ. Effects of yoga on mental and physical health: A short summary of reviews. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012:165410. 

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4:49–54.

7. Latha D, Kaliappan KV. Efficacy of yoga therapy in the management of headaches. J Indian Psychol. 1992; 10:41–7.
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