I have known two severe migraine patients, who found permanent relief through the practice of yoga although the root cause in both cases was different. One was a mid-forties woman, who got migraine attacks just before the onset of her periods. It forced her to take three days off from work every month because of a blinding headache, vomiting and nausea. The other was a man, who developed migraines because of an emotional upheaval, resulting from a messy divorce.
Migraine may seem to be an intractable problem but it’s not so. We just need to pay attention to the trigger points. By and large constipation, acidity and hormonal imbalances are the commonest culprits.
A generic yoga package for migraine is given below:
1) Sukshma Vyayam or Body Limbering Up: Whatever may be the cause of migraine in people, its effect is blockages in the joints, muscles and circulatory system of the body. In yogic parlance, this means hindrance to the smooth flow of prana in the body which manifests as health problems. Therefore, body limbering up for no more than 10 minutes is good enough.
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Premium2) Vajrasana: This asana impacts the digestive system, controls hyperacidity and impacts the genito-urinary system by controlling the flow of blood and prana in the area. It is also helpful in menstrual related issues. It is an excellent practice for most back problems. It is the only asana which can be performed anytime even after a meal thus helping in digestion. This asana cannot be practised by people with knee problems. They must first do mild knee joint movements and then keep attempting to sit in Vajrasana with cushions for support under the ankle and the hips.
Practice: Begin with kneeling on your mat, with the knees close together. The big toes too should be touching each other but the heels should be apart. Slowly lower your body so that your hips rest on the separated heels. Neither slump or push back your body. Look straight at eye level and this will ensure that your spine and posture is upright and comfortable. Place your hands flat on the knees with palms facing downward or in chin mudra. Relax your whole body, close your eyes and watch the flow of breath for 5-10 rounds.
3) Shashank asana (Rabbit pose): This is a wonderfully relaxing asana which children assume and rest in naturally. It relaxes and realigns the spine stretching each vertebrae, blood from around the spine rushes to the brain refreshing it, the digestive system is massaged as it presses and moves away from the thigh as you breathe in and out. Thyroid glands are compressed and flooded with blood. Psychologically, it’s a subjugation pose, thus tuning the ego, which is a source of stress.
Practice: For this asana, continue sitting in Vajrasana. Relax your body, close your eyes and centre yourself within by watching a few rounds of your breath. Inhale deep while simultaneously raising your arms straight up over the head. As you exhale, lower your body and arms without lifting your hips such that finally your forehead rests before the knees and arms resting on the floor in front of you. Slightly bend the elbows so that your arms are relaxed. Relax your whole body and breathe in and out a little forcefully so that the stomach is massaged against the thighs.
Here’s how to tackle migraine (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
4) Ushtra asana (Camel pose): This is a good counter pose to any forward-bending asana. Herein the digestive organs, thyroid glands are opened up after the compression in the forward bending asana. It is helpful in constipation. The spine is curved, activating the spinal nerves. It regulates the reproductive organs. It is good for rounded shoulders and hunched back. Like most asanas, it has multiple benefits but its impact on the stomach and opening up of the lungs are helpful in resolving migraine-related problems which emanate due to acidity, indigestion, constipation, poor breathing etc.
Practice: Begin with kneeling down as you did for the starting position for Vajrasana but keep knees and feet apart such that they are aligned with your shoulders. Initially rest your feet on the balls of your toes. Relax, keeping the spine and head in a straight line with hands dangling on the side of your body.
As you inhale, move your left hand towards the left heel so that the hands finally rest on the heels. Then raise your right hand and take it over the head and bend your whole body backwards as far back as possible without losing balance, drawing support from the left hand resting on the left heel. Hold the position as long as possible. Exhale and return to kneeling position with hands dangling at the side. Repeat the same with your right hand resting on the right heel and bending back with your left hand thrown back. This makes one set. Do 5 sets.
After some days of practice, you can rest both hands on the respective heels and throw your whole body back. Then the three rounds will make one set. Do five sets.
Initially, if you are not able to bend back fully, then bend as much as possible without strain or losing your balance. Slowly your back will become flexible for you to do the full backward bend.
5) Supta Udarkarkarshasana (Simple body twisting pose): This asana adds to yet one more pose, manipulating the spine, stomach and neck area by twisting these. This further brings flexibility in the spine and the spinal nerves emanating between each vertebra. It also activates and regulates the thyroid glands, pancreas and the digestive system.
Practice: Lie down on your back. See that the head and spine are in a straight line and the whole body relaxed. Join your feet and knees and place your feet flat nearest to the buttocks. Interlock fingers and place the palms under your head with elbows flat on the floor. Relax, inhale deep, then as you exhale, move your knees to the right towards the floor keeping ankles and knees together as far as possible. At the same time, move your head and upper part of the body to the left. Remain in the full twisted position as long as possible, then inhale and come back to the centre. Do the same to the left side. This makes one round. Do five rounds.
Variation of Supta Udarkarshasana: Lie down on the mat, relax your body with feet and knees together. Inhale deep and lift your right leg till it is perpendicular to your body. With exhalation, drop your right leg across your waist to the left side while simultaneously moving the head and neck to the right side. Remain in this position. Then with inhalation, raise your leg back to 90 degrees to the body, then drop it to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg. This makes one round. Do five rounds. Initially you may not be able to lift it to 90 degrees but with practice, it will happen. Besides activating the pancreas, this also tightens the stomach muscles.
6) Shavasana & Yoga Nidra: These two practices are essential for any migraine problem. Since mental and emotional stress are the triggers of migraine, these two practices slowly train you to keep your body relaxed. Just as a relaxed mind results in a relaxed body, so also a relaxed body helps relax the brain.
Pranayama
A) Kapalbhati: You can start with 11 rounds and build it up to to 50 rounds.
B) Bhastrika: Start with 11 rounds and take it upto 50 rounds
C) Anulom Vilom: Alternate nostril breathing. Do 5 rounds and can go upto 10 rounds.
D) Brahmari: Do five to 10 rounds
(Kamini Bobde is a Kundalini practitioner who follows the Swami Satyananda Saraswati tradition of yoga. She is the author of Kundalini Yoga for All: Unlock the Power of Your Body and Brain. Published by Penguin)
