Migraine

Hi Everyone,

I pulled out a "Yoga for Beginners" tape last night because I'm wanting to explore Yoga as a preventative. The only problem, though, is that some of the moves put an awful strain on my neck, which I have some problems with anyway (not really bad, though).

Any suggestions? I wonder if there is a program out there specifically designed for people with those kind of problems.

Any help would be so much appreciated. I REALLY want to be able to get into Yoga.

Blessings,
Sandi

What a timely post. I was thinking about this myself, as exercise. Could you provide me more info on the tape I'd like to explore purchasing it.

My neck bothers me alot. My neuro has ordered (bless her heart) massage twice a month to releive the stress and tightness in my neck. I had my first session last Friday and the massage therapist said it was like breaking up concrete. Well Saturday and Sunday it was so sore, but as the week as progressed it feels much loser, but there is still work to do. My stress all gathers in my neck.

If you have any local studios that give yoga lessons you might want to try a few sessions there for input on how to modify initially the positions to lessen the stress on your neck. Or do you have any friends who do yoga routinly who could assist you?

Take care Sandi,

Cindy

Hi Cindy:

The tape I pulled out is something I've had for like 10 years, or more. Do you still want to know what it is?

I happened to be up earlier than usual this morning and I turned on the t.v. Denise Austin was doing a yoga class and the moves looked easier than the ones in my old tape. Maybe they've made it easier for us newbies in recent years? I'm going to do some research and I'll let you know what I find out. As for going to a class, well... I'm a little leary of that because the last time I tried to take a beginning Yoga class, the instructor was burning sage and it made me very ill. That was a long time ago too, though, and maybe they are less likely to do that now a days.

My neuro had me going to see a physical therapist, which my insurance paid for, but I KNOW that massage would help me so much more. I have the same exact problem that you do. ALL stress collects in my neck and it's like concrete, or so I've been told. Does your insurance cover massage for this?

I hope you're having a great day, Cindy.

Blessings,
Sandi

My insurance does not cover the massage, but since I have a doctor's order I can submit it to my flexible spending account for unreimbursed medical expenses. The spa in town has a neck/shoulder massage that is priced much less than a full body massage, even for 50 minutes. So that's what I do. There is a massage school in Berkeley, but the neuro stress using the same person who gets to know your body and the stress points. I would be concerned at the massage school that I would start to like someone and they would gradudate!!

I have more place to check out that a friend of mine went to in Berkeley that was for therapeutic massage. That might be less as it's not a spa. Though the spa has this incrediable shower that you can use when you're having services there. It's almost worth it for that alone.

I'm going to look into classes for as I'm not good at doing things at home and I would like the social interaction. I'm getting a bit isolated these days.

Cindy

My new specialist recommended I get into a yoga or pilates class, for core exercise. I already have a good walking program I stick to. I'm looking for a yoga or pilates class that looks good. I took yoga about 15 years ago, but I can't find the two teachers I'd like to take from.

My doctor's advice to me, which I will follow, is "If it hurts, don't do it." I couldn't do a Shoulder Stand the regular way. That killed my neck. I used lots of props, including a chair and lots of blankets. There were other poses that hurt, too. If we couldn't modify them with props or otherwise, I just did a comparable pose that didn't hurt.

There are "gentle" yoga classes around, which might be just the thing for you. And for me. If you want, you can progress from there to more advanced classes.

I think it is important to start (or pick up again) with a class, so that you can learn the correct way to do the poses. There are a thousand ways to do a pose incorrectly, and only one way to get it right.

I had props for home practice. My class was Iyengar method, which emphasizes alignment and uses the props to get the proper alignment. For example, my hand didn't touch the floor in the Triangle pose, so I used a wooden block for my hand. Other methods emphasize other things and would be very difficult for me to do.

Do a little research into the different methods, and call around. Some are very athletic, which would be awful for me. Others are more meditative. My class had about 5 minutes of guided relaxation at the end of the class. If you had to leave early, the teacher wanted you to do that pose for a few minutes before you left.

My gym has a "gentle" yoga class once a week, and I'm going to look into it. Sooner would be better than later.

My stress gathers in my neck and shoulders, too. I see a massage therapist once a week. I guess I could run it through the Cafeteria plan -- my Botox doctor prescribed it. But I've got other expenses that I can use. I feel better for several days after a massage, and I can tell if I miss a week.

Do you have a muscle relaxer? I have Skelaxin. I take it every morning to ward off the beginnings of neck spasms. I take another one 6 hours later if I'm having head or neck pain. I'm supposed to take the Skelaxin when the pain is between a 1 and a 3.

Let me know what you find. Maybe we can be Yoga Buddies in the Personal folder.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Gretchen:

I think that my Yoga tape was done using the Lyengar method (at least.. that sounds familiar). It was just the simple poses that included looking up toward the sky as you were standing with feet apart and one arm down at the side of one leg, with the other arm pointing up to the sky. When I tried to look up it hurt my neck. The instructor said that if it hurts you could just face forward, but that kind of hurt too. I guess it was just the strain of my big head pulling on my weak neck.

Gentle Yoga sounds like it might be my cup of tea. I'll do some research on it and I can always purchase another instruction tape. My schedule is such that trying to fit a class in right now would be a bit difficult, so I think I'll start at home.

I have tried a few different muscle relaxers but they either knock me out or they don't really seem to help at all. The doctor's don't like to give those out, either, from my experience. Does Skelaxin go under another name?

I would love to be Yoga buddies. That way I will have someone to be accountable to. How does one use the personal folder?

Namaste'

You may also want to consider tai chi. There's a tai chi studio near me that was developed specifically for those with chronic pain/illness rather than as a self-defense/martial arts school. If you could find one of those by you that may be ideal. I like the idea of tai chi over yoga for me since there are no inverted poses. (Inverted poses do bad things to my head.)

Just another thing for you to look into.

Thanks, MJ. (Funny - those are my younger son's initials and we used to call him that sometimes). There's a wellness site I sometimes visit online that has a beginners tai chi routine on it. I downloaded it but hadn't really looked at it yet. That certainly is another alternative. Thanks for reminding of that. I DID order a set of yoga tapes yesterday, online. A review of them said that the man who put them together focused, some, on people who had neck/back problems and gave alternative poses for them. I hope the series is good.

Do you do tai chi?

Blessings,

Sandi

I also have neck problems and attend yoga class.

Is there any way you can take a class with an instructor? What I like about having an instructor is that she teaches modified versions of the exercises to avoid putting strain on certain problem areas or for those who are less limber (like me!).

Fortunately the positions don't seem to aggravate my neck- I'm supposed to do gentle stretching anyway. However I do see a chiropractor regularly, that has helped me the most with my neck problems. (I have a slipped or herniated disc in my neck due to an old car accident.)

No, I don't do tai chi yet. I've really wanted to start at the studio that I mentioned. I think it could really help me with some of my vertigo and pain issues, but I haven't felt well enough to actually attend the classes. Sort of a catch-22. But I've read a bit on the philosophy of this particular school and I really like it, plus the biofeedback therapist I saw last fall recommended it to me.

I have done yoga in the past and the meditation part of it really helped with the stress management, especially when I was in college.