CERVICAL PROBLEM SOLUTIONS

                         CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS

                          CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS IS THE NAME GIVEN TO LONG-TERM STIFFENING AND DEGENERATION AFFECTING THE SPINAL COLUMN IN THE NECK. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY PAIN AND MUSCULAR SPASM IN THE BACK OF THE NECK AND SHOULDERS. TENSION HEADACHE IS ALSO COMMONLY ASSOCIATED. THE PAIN MAY RADIATE INTO THE SHOULDERS, ARMS AND FOREARMS AND BE ACCOMPANIED BY SENSATIONS OF PINS AND NEEDLES OR TINGLING IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA. MOVEMENT OF THE NECK IS RESTRICTED, AND MUSCULAR WEAKNESS AND EVEN WASTING OF MUSCLES IN THE ARMS, GIDDINESS AND RINGING IN THE EARS ARE NOT UNCOMMON.

THE CAUSE 

OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE VERTEBRAL BONES OF THE NECK MAY BE PRECIPATED BY A PREVIOUS INJURY. THE NECK IS THE MOST DELICATE PART OF THE SPINAL COLUMN AND IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE. EVEN A JERT DUE TO A MOVING VEHICLE STOPPING SUDDENLY CAN CAUSE SUCH AN UNJURY IN THE NECK.

DAMAGE CAN ALSO OCCUR AS A GRADUAL DEGENERATIVE PROCESS, DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR OF THE JOINTS, BONES, MUSCLES AND LIGAMENTS OF THE NECK. HENCE IT IS MORE COMMON AFTER MIDDLE-AGE AND ESPECIALLY IN MIDDLE-AGED SEDENTARY WORKERS WHO SIT WITH THEIR HEADS HELD RIGIDLY FORWARD THE WHOLE DAY.

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

MODERN MEDICINE MAINLY OFFERS PHYSIOTHERAPY AS A REMEDY FOR THIS MALADY, IN ADDITION TO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC (PAIN RELIEVING) DRUGS. INTERVERTEBRAL INJECTIONS OF CORTICOSTEROIDS INTO THE PAINFUL AREAS OFTEN PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PAIN RELIEF BY DAMPING DOWN INFLAMMATION IN THE SHORTERM, BUT MANY RECEIVING A SERIES OF THE INJECTIONS, WITH THE PAIN BECOMING ULTIMATELY WORSE.

YOGIC MANAGEMENT 

THE FOLLOWING PRACTICE PROGRAM IS PRESCRIBED FOR SUFFERERS OF CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS. IT SHOULD BE ADOPTED SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY UNDER SKILLED GUIDANCE, AND THEN PRACTISED EACH MORNING.

THE FOLLOWING PRACTICE PROGRAM IS PRESCRIBED FOR SUFFERERS OF CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS.

• ASANA : PAWANMUKTASANA PART 1, ESPECIALLY POORNA TITALI ASANA (FULL BUTTERFLY), SKANDHA CHAKRA (SHOLDER SOCKET ROTATION) AND GREEVA SANCHALANA (NECK MOVEMENT), THE NECK ROTATION EXERCISES SHOULD BE PERFORMED CAREFULLY . VAJRASANA, SHASHANKASANA, SHASHANK BHUJANGASANA, BHADRASANA, SHAVASANA.
• SITTING STILL IN PADMASANA, OR OTHER MEDITATIVE POSTURES, WITH THE SPINAL CORD STRAIGHT AND THE HEAD SLIGHTLY BACK, FOR INCREASING LENGTHS OF TIME IS VERY HELPFUL. AVOID ALL OTHER ASANA, ESPECIALLY INVERTED ASANA, UNTIL MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONDITION OCCURS.
• PRANAYAMA : NADI SHODHANA STAGES 1 AND 2.
• MEDITATION : KAYA STHAIRYAM IS MOST EFFECTIVE IN SPINAL DISEASES AND DEFORMITIES. THE HEAD SHOULD BE HELD ERECT BUT WITH THE SLIGHTEST TILT BACKWARD, THE SPINE UPRIGHT AND SHOULDERS RELAXED. AN EXPERIENCED YOGA TEACHER WILL DEMONSTRATE THE POSITION.
• RELAXATION : YOGA NIDRA IN SHAVASANA. A NECK SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF A SOFT PILLOW MAY BE NECESSARY.
•  SHATKARMA : NETI KRIYA DAILY.
•  DIET : AS FOR ARTHRITIS.
•  ADDITIONAL AID : A CERVICAL COLLAR IS OFFER HELPFUL.