Yoga Therapy and Pain

Lyn Russell, RYT-500, RCYT, B.Ed., Dip.T., ACOA Dip. (M.Nat.Th) • September 13, 2022

Everybody experiences pain at some time in their lives. Pain is a very general term that can describe physical or emotional pain. According to the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain) "Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential damage or described in terms of such damage." It is the bodies way of letting us know something is wrong, or that it perceives that something is wrong in the body. It is associated with the activation of the nervous system.

Pain varies in intensity and can range anywhere from annoying to completely debilitating. Pain can also feel different - it may be described as numb, dull, sharp, stabbing, throbbing, achy, burning, stinging, shooting or radiating, or loss of sensation. It may be isolated to one area, spread or radiate out to other areas, or may be felt whole body such as the aches associated with the flu. Pain may vary in length and frequency. It may be consistent, it may come and go, or it may only occur under certain conditions. It may be acute (short term) or chronic or persistent (long term). According to Adriaan Louw and Emilio Puentedura in Therapeutic Neuroscience Education 2013, persistent pain is "Pain that remains present past what is considered normal or average healing time, typically believed to be between 3-6 months."

What causes pain?

Pain can commonly be caused by:

headaches
migraines
muscular issues (strains, sprains)
toothache
abdominal aches and cramps
sore throats
surgery
broken bones

Pain may also be caused by illness or disease such as:

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Sjogren's Syndrome and other autoimmune disease
Cancer
Arthritis and joint inflammation
Endometriosis
Neuropathic pain

Yoga Therapy and Pain

You may be wondering if Yoga Therapy can help with pain, and how? Yoga Therapy is all about the individual, so we do not use a one size fits all approach. We look at the client in front of us. Each client will present with different causes and they will experience pain differently. Their pain will affect their physical, emotional and mental bodies differently. Not only is it the physical pain that is experienced, but many other issues occur from pain conditions, such as inflammation, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, weakness and digestive issues to name a few. All this needs to be taken into account before a yoga therapy plan can be created together.

Using information we have collected from the Health Intake Form, discussions with the client and observation, we will work with the client to meet their individual needs.

How can Yoga Therapy be used to treat pain?

Yoga therapy can be used to treat pain by:

Soothing the system
Mindfulness movement and meditation
Checking reactions and thought patterns
Changing beliefs about pain
Breath work - when everything hurts, just breathe
Choosing to be comfortable in the uncomfortable
Learning to let go - what can be controlled / what can't
Relaxing the nervous system - activating the parasympathetic nervous system
When possible slow gentle movements that are, at least initially, held for short duration
Repetition - to allow observation of reactions and practice to change those reactions
Increasing blood flow
Dietary and Lifestyle considerations

Yoga Therapy is not just coming to a session and learning how to practice yoga postures (asanas). Depending on the goals of the client, their health conditions, mobility, age, fitness level and lifestyle, the Yoga Therapist will use a variety of yoga tools to workshop with the client, to create a treatment plan that is accessible and practical for the individual client. Drawing from breathwork, asanas, relaxation, meditation, sound, diet, Ayurveda (the sister science of yoga) and more, a plan is created together to help empower the client to heal themselves. Yoga Therapy is tailored to the individual and will develop and change over time.

I know firsthand how well all aspects of Yoga can help support those with pain conditions. I personally have a couple of Chronic Pain conditions and have felt and seen the benefits of many aspects of yoga and yoga philosophy. Some days I can draw on gentle Yin or restorative asanas. Some days just breathing is all I can do. Other days I work on my diet and lifestyle and a consistent meditation practice. But no matter what kind of day I am having, good or bad, I try and draw on the many aspects of yoga philosophy that help to re-frame my mindset and coping skills, allowing me to accept what is happening in my life and be grateful for the good and the not so good. Personally living with chronic pain each and every day provides me with an amazing insight into what my clients experience daily in their lives - the ups and the downs. This insight allows me to better help my clients with their experiences.

If you would like to find out more about Yoga Therapy, or how your pain conditions can be supported, please contact me. I am currently looking for clients experiencing chronic pain to complete practicum hours for the Graduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy I am completing. I would love to hear from you if you would like to be involved in these free Yoga Therapy practicum sessions.

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Yin Yoga is a slow-paced, gentle style of yoga that focuses on holding passive poses for an extended period, typically ranging from 3 to 5 minutes or even longer. The practice primarily targets the connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons, and fascia, rather than the muscles. Find out more about yin yoga below.

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Yoga for Older Students

By Lyn Russell, RYT-500, RCYT, B.Ed., Dip.T., ACOA Dip. (M.Nat.Th) • October 14, 2022

Why is yoga and yoga therapy for older students so beneficial and why do they require special attention? When discussing the needs of older students, we are referring to those aged over 50. You may be surprised that we class 50 and over older, however these students present with a more unique history than our younger students. Therefore it is important to provide yoga sessions or yoga therapy that is suited to their special needs. Along with the usual intake steps that apply to all students, when looking at older students we need to pay particular attention to things such as: injury history and medical conditions lifestyle factors medications aims and expectations Injury history and medical conditions Injury history and medical conditions are important details that your yoga teacher should know regardless of your age. You may not know what is relevant to your yoga practice, so it is important to inform your yoga teacher or yoga therapist of your medical history, medical conditions and injury history. This allows us to provide practices that can support certain body or organ systems Lifestyle factors Lifestyle factors are extremely important to consider when planning a yoga practice for older students. Things to pay attention to include sleep quality, energy level and nutrition Medication Medication can have a huge impact on the type of yoga practice older students should be doing. Certain medications can change your balance, coordination and pain perception. Informing your yoga teacher or yoga therapist can allow them to provide a safe practice for your individual circumstances. Key Areas For Focus in Yoga We aim to maintain a healthy range of motion: Moving the body in different directions - forwards, backwards, side bending and rotation all encourage tissue elasticity, lubrication and circulation. Improve posture: As we age we tend towards flexion, which can create flow-on effects on bone loading, breathing, digestion, energy, and mood. Building the back body and posterior shoulder strength, as well as allowing time in 'neutral' positions of the spine is important. Postures such as chest openers and shoulder stretches as well as deep breathing is very beneficial. Working and strengthening under-utilised areas such as the back and posterior shoulders, the glutes, core and upper body Improving stability and preventing falls with poses that coordinate opposite sides of the body, standing and kneeling poses, foot awareness work and moving from pose to pose are key areas to work on as we age. Down-regulating the nervous system by emphasising the parasympathetic nervous system through mindful movement, Yoga Nidra, body scans, yin and restorative poses, Savasana, breath work and meditation. Cultivating acceptance of the stage of life we find ourselves in is extremely important. This may involve a gradual withdrawal from family and worldly life, to prepare for life as we age. Concepts from yoga philosophy can be helpful here - svadhyaya (self-study), vairagya (non-attachment) and santosha (contentment) There are many tools of yoga that can support the body, mind and emotions as we age. Why not give yoga or yoga therapy a try and see what it can do for you.