Pain in the Neck

Neck pain can be caused by poor posture, muscle strain originating in the upper back, lack of exercise or even too much exercise. These few simple yoga poses can relieve pain and tension in the neck:   

• Cat/cows: the neck is slowly extended and flexed as you move between the cat pose and the cow pose.
• Child’s pose: by resting the forehead on the floor or your fists, the neck is supported to provide relief.
• Corpse pose: relaxes the neck by allowing it to decompress.
• Puppy pose: stretches the shoulders and the spine.
• Standing forward bend: the neck is naturally elongated by allowing it to dangle upside-down as you bend forward.
• Triangle: there is a gentle rotation in the neck as the gaze is turned up to the ceiling.
• Twist: the gentle rotation from the waist twists the spine and the neck will begin to turn to the side as you move into the pose.
• Wide-legged standing forward bend: the neck hangs down in this pose resulting in a lengthening in the back of the neck.

Until your neck pain subsides, it is best to avoid practicing headstand and shoulderstand or any other poses that put pressure on the neck. Also avoid excessive neck flexion and extension.

With daily practice of these key poses, you should find that your neck pain begins to lessen, and in many cases will be completely alleviated.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For yoga in Dunellen, NJ or yoga in Piscataway, NJ and yoga in other Central New Jersey areas, get in touch with me at Yoga Destiny.