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:
1. Lockett
DM, Campbell JF. The effects of aerobic exercise on migraine. Headache. 1992;32:50–4
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BC, Stavel RV. Effects of exercise training on anxiety: A meta-analysis. J
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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.
5. Selvamurthy
W, Nayar HS, Joseph NT, Joseph S. Physiological effects of yogic practice. NIMHANS
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and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011;
4:49–54.
7. Latha D, Kaliappan KV. Efficacy of yoga therapy in the
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9.
https://mhmc.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/A-Case-Stdy-Of-Migraine.
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