Dr. TIJI MATHEW THOMAS

To improve cervical spondylitis start with physiotherapy treatment and cervical exercises.

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice. A research group from Boston University School of Medicine tested yoga's effects on lower-back pain. Over twelve weeks, one group of volunteers practiced yoga while the control group continued with standard treatment for back pain. The reported pain for yoga participants decreased by one-third while the standard treatment group had only a five percent drop. Yoga participants also had a drop of 80% in the use of pain medication.

Sciatica is probably one of those things which is vaguely familiar but a person is not fully aware of it. The sciatic nerve is one which is part of the spine and then spreads out over the legs. When this nerve gets pinched, it leads to sciatica, or pain of the sciatic nerve, which is tremendous! But, then, what exactly is a person to do in order to reduce the pain caused on account of sciatica?

The best answer for this is not medication, though it does have its uses, but rather, exercises which help the situation improve and reduce the risk of the person going mad due to the pain! One of the simplest exercises that a person can start with is known quite commonly as the knee to shoulder exercise. All that one needs to do is to lie down on the back and then, raise one knee and pull it across the body, with hands wrapped around it, so that it touches the opposite shoulder. This position of the knee touching the shoulder is to be held for about half a minute. About 3 repetitions need to be done and the same with the other side.

While it is important in the effort to relieve pain due to sciatica, it is equally important not to push oneself beyond natural limits, especially initially as this can cause injury. After all, more pain is the last thing which a person with sciatica is likely to want!

Since it is important to keep in mind the fact that consistency is one of the key secrets to reducing the sciatic pain, it is worth keeping in mind the standing hamstring stretch. What this exercise can boast of is the fact that it is one which can be done nearly anywhere. Also, it is pretty simple, too!

To do the standing hamstring stretch, one leg needs to be kept on an elevated surface which is not as high as the level of the hip. It is important to keep in mind that the leg is to be kept straight. The torso needs to then be bent towards the elevated leg. This process should be done slowly and again, maintained for about half a minute.

The sitting pose is useful to remember, as well. Sitting on the floor, one leg’s ankle should rest on the other’s knee. Like the standing hamstring stretch, the upper torso is to be bent towards the extended leg. With all these exercises, relief is not far away!