A low-quality sleep is a major issue cited by people with fibromyalgia. And, unfortunately, there are many factors that could be contributing to this, including your bed itself.
Sleep is hugely important for everyone, but especially for those with fibro. Sleep is the time when your body relaxes and regenerates — that is if you’re actually able to sleep.
Whatever causes your inability to get a good night’s sleep with fibromyalgia, choosing a good mattress may allow you to finally get comfortable. And with the support of a good mattress, you’ll be better equipped to deal with fibro fatigue during the day.
Anxiety, pain, being too hot or cold, being uncomfortable, and flare-ups can also cause you to lose much-needed deep sleep. And, a lot of the time, a hard, uncomfortable mattress just makes it worse.
It’s much harder to manage your fibro symptoms without proper sleep; in fact, symptoms can actually worsen without the restorative power of a good snooze.
So, aside from practicing good sleep hygiene, what can be done about getting the shut-eye you need?
Yes, investing in a new mattress could be just the thing you need to sleep better. It’s so simple, isn’t it? Just ensure you choose the right kind for fibro.
When choosing a mattress for fibromyalgia, it’s important to keep in mind how much support the mattress will offer. Memory foam tends to be a good option for someone with fibromyalgia because it can mold to the natural curvature of the body, allowing it to provide support where needed.
However, many types of memory foam can cause you to feel hot throughout the night because it changes shape through heat. A way to combat this is to try a gel memory foam mattress; these provide the same support as regular memory foam but have a cooler surface (about five degrees cooler!) to maintain a comfortable body temperature throughout the night.
Let’s look a little closer at some of the best fibromyalgia mattress options for you.
As previously mentioned, memory foam is a great choice due to its support and comfort. And while memory foam cushions your body, it’s not too soft on your joints. Choosing a softer mattress is not a great idea, as it won’t actually offer the support your joints need.
Tempur-Pedic. These mattresses are available in all kinds of densities, from soft to firm. You can really customize your mattress to what works best for you.
Sleep Number. The Sleep Number mattress is similar to the Tempur-Pedic, but you’re able to adjust each side of the bed to different angles, and even temperatures (depending on the model). There’s even an app you can use to track your sleep!
If you’re on a budget, a memory foam topper is a good option as well. They’ll conform to your body and take pressure off tender points, without you having to shell out the money for a new mattress.
Just remember, if your mattress is old and needs replacing, there’s only so much a topper can do to ease the pain — you may just need to bite the bullet and invest in a new one.
Innerspring Mattresses
Innerspring mattresses are the most common mattresses out there; the ones filled with coil springs and other foam materials.
These are of course an option for people with fibromyalgia, but they may not be a great one. The springs provide firmer support than memory foam or gel foam, but they can also cause lumps in the mattress, making it uncomfortable. They may also have too few coils, which could lead to more pain.
To prevent this, memory foam or some other kind of material can be placed atop the mattress to make it more comfortable. As long as it maintains its support in addition to comfort, it will help fibromyalgia patients get a good night’s sleep.
Regardless of the type of mattress chosen for fibromyalgia patients, it is important to remember the balance between softness and support. Having a mattress that is too soft can actually be detrimental to your pain management because it can cause uneven sleeping positions and put more pressure on muscles and joints.
The bottom line is this: if you’re not sleeping well and your mattress is to blame, it’s time to say goodbye to it. Do your research and invest in a really good one — trust us, your body will thank you!
Fibromyalgia is a difficult disease to live with. It affects your entire body and changes your way of life. Its symptoms include muscle pain, fatigue, and exhaustion.
All of those things can make it very difficult to live your life the way you want to. It may prevent you from doing things that you love to do. That can make you feel discouraged or depressed about your chances of living a pain-free life. However, there are options for you.
You should talk to your doctor about which medications you could be taking to help with your symptoms and try to lead a lifestyle that doesn’t worsen your symptoms.
Besides the right medications, a healthy diet, a regular exercise routine, and a well-balanced lifestyle, you may want to look into colon hydrotherapy.
Colon hydrotherapy is a colon cleanse. Colon Hydrotherapy works by using tubes to put water into your colon. The cleaning process is thought to wash away any toxins, dirt, and allergens that have accumulated there.
This is believed to lead to an increase in overall health, as well as give a boost to your immune system. Once your immune system is functioning more efficiently, it will be more able to fight infection and illness that could come your way.
There are many different types of viruses and bacteria out there that can cause infection and illness, and the stronger your immune system is, the better the chances are that you will not get sick.
An infection or illness like a cold or flu can trigger your fibromyalgia symptoms. Someone without fibromyalgia experiences aches and pains due to the cold and flu. If you already suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, then you are probably in a great deal of more pain due to your cold or flu.
Colon hydrotherapy can eliminate your susceptibility to illnesses, and while it does not make you completely immune, it will improve your chances of not getting sick.
Besides making you better able to defend against illnesses, colon hydrotherapy is thought to reduce inflammation. Your digestive tract plays a huge role in the health and wellness of your body. Everything that you eat and drink is processed by your digestive system. Much of your immune system lives in your digestive tract.
There are a lot of factors that play into your health, and perhaps the most significant one is the health of your digestive system. If your digestive system is healthy, then you will be healthier and subsequently, feel better.
Colon hydrotherapy can flush out the toxins and impurities that are found in your colon. Allergens, toxins, germs, and impurities in your colon can cause inflammation. This inflammation can lead to pain and stiffness and fatigue, which are all symptoms of fibromyalgia. So, if you cleanse your colon, you can reduce the inflammation, and oftentimes reduce the severity of your fibromyalgia symptoms.
It is thought that people who are suffering from fibromyalgia have high levels of toxins in their bodies, which collect in their muscles, leading to the symptoms that are commonly associated with fibromyalgia. Muscle stiffness, fatigue, and pain can be severely debilitating. If you remove these toxins from your body, many people find that they get significant relief from their fibromyalgia symptoms, which allows them to live their lives pain-free, or at least in less pain than they were previously in before.
The colon and digestive tract are the primary places where toxins accumulate. It is where they all come in, through foot and interaction with the outside world, and they go through your digestive system. Sometimes your body has too many toxins, and they accumulate in other parts of the body, which can lead to the symptoms of fibromyalgia. By removing as many of these toxins as possible, you decrease the number of toxins in the rest of the body, thereby reducing your symptoms.
People who are suffering from fibromyalgia often also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, something that is directly connected to the health and wellness of your digestive tract. Colon hydrotherapy can significantly alleviate this by cleaning out your colon and allowing your body to reset its digestive process. The colon cleanse can act as a helping hand to your body, which is trying hard to flush out toxins and harmful substances. A colon cleanse can get these things out most quickly, and help get your body back on track as quickly as possible.
Once your digestive tract is healthy and working properly, this will permeate through the rest of your body. Your blood vessels will be better able to carry nutrients to all the various parts of your body, including your muscles. As your muscles receive more nutrients from your bloodstream, you will feel relief from your symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is a difficult disease to deal with. The symptoms can be debilitating and difficult to live with. The constant pain and stiffness can keep you from doing things that you love to do. It can affect your happiness and mood. When you are in pain, you don’t feel good. You don’t feel like socializing or doing the things that you love to do.
Try various holistic forms of therapy. Have a healthy lifestyle. Exercise. Exercising might be painful, but it is good for your muscles and will loosen them up a little. Just be sure to keep within your limits and not go overboard. In conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, colon hydrotherapy can help your body battle fibromyalgia. By trying these therapies until you find the combination that works for you, you will be able to see some relief from your symptoms and regain your way of life. Do your research into the various things that can alleviate your symptoms, understand the disease as much as you can, and have a working relationship with your doctor.
It is quite obvious that for every parent, it is the most wonderful adventure to raise their child and at the same time the toughest job of all. If you add a chronic illness with this toughest job, it will increase the difficulty. But if you have fibromyalgia and bring a parent, it can also bring some blessings and joy.
Being a mother of a 2-year-old son, I have come up with a few things that can make life a little bit easier. Of course, this is all got with some trial and error but this is how parenting ill all about.
A lot of things are covered in this. You will have a perfect family, a perfect child, a perfect house, perfect outfits for babies, and yours as well. What you will eat and feed your baby will not be that perfect.
You have this image in your mind of how your life will let go and what kind of parent you will be while you are pregnant if you are like me. But you will get to know that things aren’t going the way you have planned them to go. This is true in case if you are having some chronic illness because your condition changes day by day and even hour to next hour.
There are days when you can’t even get out of bed and be able to play with your children. So, I make sure that whenever I am feeling better and having a good day, I try to spend some quality time with my son, having fun and making it memorable, even if it is for a few minutes.
If I am feeling better, I prefer to go out for a walk or play on the lawn. If it is hot outside, we prefer to play inside with toys, or we prefer to dance. We run to chase each other.
On the days in which I feel that I can’t do some heavy activities, I prefer to spend time with him reading storybooks or doing coloring or any activity that I can handle at that time. Sometimes, I throw the ball and ask him to chase it.
Today, children are even smarter than we think. They get things easily. So try to explain to them why you can’t get out of bed and play with them or why you can’t play as long as they want you to play. It depends on the age of the kid.
In my case, I prefer to say to my son, “I am not feeling good. I want to sit down. I will play with you while sitting. So, let’s do something that can be done on couch or bed.”
Most of the time, he understands and feels alright with it.
Sometimes, there are days when you can’t even stand for more than a few minutes. You don’t have that strength. You should decide what is important for you and your child.
Food, supplements, medications, and rest are the things that seem to be their need. Your needs are also important as your child’s needs are. Being a parent, your first priority is to give everything your child needs and wants, but due to this, you will burn out without anything left to give them. It will not be good for you.
Every child possesses some strengths and weaknesses. I looked that what are the strengths of my child and I found that he likes to be independent. He likes it if he has a word of say in anything. He likes to help me and he feels happy when I praise him for his work.
So when I want to let things go smoothly when I feel sick, I try to give him a measure of independence where it is possible. I give him choices of what he wants to wear, eat, play. Which cartoons does he want to watch, which plate, glass, or spoon does he wants. These all are little things that will make him happy and satisfied.
This one is quite challenging for me because I have never thought of it in my mind even. I always thought of motherhood be like spending the whole day with my son, teaching him, giving training on every single thing, playing with him. So, it was difficult for me to pass on my child to someone for care. It was not the thing of my perfect life. My husband was having a reasonable job that allows me to remain at home and spend all my time with my son, just like a dream life.
But as I have told you that reality is different. It can never be the way you have thought of it. It is so much difficult to raise your child than you have ever imagined. Sometimes, you get exhausted.
If you are having fibromyalgia, the mom faces extra challenges then. It takes some time to get to know how can you adjust to life while having fibromyalgia, what is best for the family. Try to spend quality time with the children because they grow up too quickly.
How to manage time is difficult for everyone. But, when you are having fibromyalgia, it gets even harder to manage time effectively with certain limitations because of the condition. If you are not a fibromyalgia sufferer, it could be easy for you to maintain a “to-do list” or something like that. However, those people have to be careful and flexible with their scheduling if are fibromyalgia sufferers.
Normal persons can use their time in any way if they want it to be effectively utilized; it is like a product or service for them. But, time is like a luxury for fibromyalgia sufferers. It means they cannot spend their time as if they have a lot of it, and all they need to do is to use it properly. Obviously, you don’t have plenty of time so the time you have should be used effectively and properly. Writing everything down is the very first important step of all.
It feels like you are giving priority to the time if you write everything down so you can get those tasks to be done. Every task that you want to do should be written down. Then after that, prepare a daily task list that contains ten items, which you think you can accomplish in a day.
Make sure that just two tasks out of those ten are difficult and the rest of the tasks should be easy. They should be easy in a way that you think that you will do them easily. Finally, an agenda should be there that you can schedule and maintain a track of every detail of how you will do these things.
This is just something to keep track of and to be organized. It is good for even normal people. Moreover, some people having fibromyalgia also suffer from “brain fog” that affects memory. So when you write a thing, there will be no chance that you will get lost in that brain fog. So if you don’t want to forget something, just write it down.
When you cross the thing off after accomplishing it, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction. You should keep close to your task notebook as you go through the day. When you think of some task that you want to be done, the last thing that you want to do is go and search for it.
Cross the item on your agenda, when you finish it. All those things are also included that you gave to someone else also. You can cross it off when you ask someone to finish something. The things that aren’t done should be moved to the next page for tomorrow’s tasks.
Following are the tips that you need to follow for effective time management besides writing the things down:
Maintain a record and focus on the efforts you can do to accomplish things. Don’t focus too much on the things you are unable to perform. You should remember your boundaries of your condition. You will feel motivated when you make a list of the things that you can do because this will put you in the right direction.
You should be equally aware of the things that you are unable to perform. Surely, there are certain tasks that you want to do and you are very good at it, but if you try to do them by crossing the boundaries, it will lead you towards failure and the feeling of disappointment you get from it. It will be stressful for you if you try to do tasks that are beyond your abilities. You will let yourself down as well as you will feel guilty for letting others down also.
This seems very restricted when you have to decide what you will do and what you will not. People having fibromyalgia have to maintain a well-ordered routine to keep them in the right way. If you have a plan for every day, you will feel like your day isn’t wasted and you have accomplished something.
Your schedule will be definitely affected by it. Wither the person is a “morning person” or a “night owl”. It means that everyone has a time in a day in which one feels more productive. For people who have fibromyalgia will only mean that either they are feeling active or not.
There are times in a day when you are either feeling worse or better. The time will tell you when these better times will come. When you get to know about these times, you can work on those times for better results. There are times when your symptoms make you feel even worse and you can’t do anything at that time.
There are days when you can’t accomplish the tasks that you have planned for. If you are having fibromyalgia or other chronic illness. You have to accept that. When you can’t physically stand up and perform a task, postpone it or skip it. Try to do those tasks that you are able to do, and simply move forward to the next task.
Prepare some rules for yourself. These rules can be for managing your symptoms effectively, maintaining some boundaries for yourself, or being able to deal with certain situations. You should have some rules when you have to rest and when to work. Rules are effective to cope up with the symptoms.
You should not feel guilty about the things you can’t do. It is important to know and accept your boundaries if you are a fibromyalgia sufferer. People who have type A personalities, find it difficult to say “NO”. You should give an excuse or can tell how you are feeling right now. People who are not going through it will never understand what it’s like when you are in pain, but you can’t let them affect your life or your decisions.
It is another thing that can be difficult for you. But you should distribute your work instead of trying to get it done by yourself and getting discouraged. You have to accept that you can’t do everything you want. You can ask for a favor and in return, you can do something for others that you find easy for yourself. For example, if you feel easy in baking things. You can ask the neighbor kid to take out garbage from your kitchen and in return take the baked cookies.
You have to admit that you can’t do everything. You have to take a rest if you are suffering from a chronic illness. Try to do the things first that give you joy and pleasure. So just go back to the list that you have made and look at the capabilities that you want to celebrate. Keep those tasks done at first that have a better chance of getting done with a greater sense of joy and satisfaction.
We have already pondered upon the fact that time is a luxury for FMSsufferers. So, you have to carefully think about how you can utilize it. You need to prioritize the tasks so that you can manage your time effectively.
Fibromyalgia is a mystery that consists of a lot of symptoms and it seems like it is impossible to solve this mystery, especially when researchers haven’t found the root cause and cure of this illness.
There are a lot of doctors who do not admit this syndrome existence. It is true that people who are having this syndrome have to live their life with this syndrome. We cannot stop the occurrence of fibromyalgia till now.
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome whose main symptom is widespread pain. Along with this pain, people with fibromyalgia suffer from many other symptoms as well.
Some other symptoms include nausea, lack of focus, memory loss, arthritis and joint pain, depression, vomiting, sensitivity to light, odors, medication and noise, sensitivity to certain kinds of food, stiffness, numbness, tingling sensation, sleep problems, jaw sensitivity, food sensitivities, digestive issues, irritable bladder and reduced tolerance to exercising.
The major question that still doesn’t have an answer is what actually causes fibromyalgia. Although we have reached a very high level in research and technology the truth is still we don’t know about the actual root cause of fibromyalgia.
Some researchers believe that fibromyalgia can be caused by genetics, as many people have this disease in the family and doctors have detected certain polymorph genes in the bodies of fibromyalgia patients. But also, it cannot be the only cause of fibromyalgia because the same gene can be responsible for many other diseases as well. Some diseases can be similar to fibromyalgia.
Some other explanations are also there for fibromyalgia-like stress, low quality sleep, and dysfunction of nerve cells that worsen the pain in the brain. And yet, there is no explanation which is for sure a cause. Until we find the cause and cure it, all we have is to treat every symptom separately and manage the condition while never losing hope.
Fibromyalgia patients have to suffer a lot because sometimes it is difficult for them to even perform routine activities. There are some people who have openly told us the stories of how they are living a dreadful life with this illness.
Even, there are some celebrities like Morgan Freeman, who accepted openly that he is suffering from this condition. Life feels like a long string of devastating days with fibromyalgia. Sometimes people lose hope and get into an endless string from which they cannot come out.
Fibromyalgia is not something that you can treat without any concern from doctors. If you feel like you are having chronic pain for a very long time, or you have some severe symptoms; you should consult a doctor to check whether you have fibromyalgia or not.
Various forms of pain have been treated effectively from laser therapy including fibromyalgia. Although chronic pain is not cured of its studies have shown that pain due to fibromyalgia can be alleviated by this laser therapy.
Eve, this deep tissue laser therapy has been approved as a complementary therapy by FDA in the US of America. This therapy can help in managing various chronic pain conditions.
Laser therapy is effective for those who want some alternative prescription therapies. You will feel a relaxing type of warmness and will feel no pain during this treatment. This treatment lasts for a maximum of 10 minutes and you will feel an immediate difference in your first results.
However, make sure that you are choosing a facility where equipment has more efficiency and where well-trained people are available if you want to go for this therapy.
There are several types of medications approved by the FDA. 3 drugs have been approved by FDA i.e. Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella. Since the beginning, Savella is the only drug that is approved for fibromyalgia treatment. The rest of the drugs were used to treat other conditions previously.
Moreover, fibromyalgia symptoms can be lessened by physical therapies and exercising also. It is proved that more endorphins are released in the body and due to this pain is alleviated.
Naltrexone is a medication that is used to help former narcotics, those who stopped using narcotics to remain drug-free. Naltrexone is also used by people addicted to alcohol to stay alcohol-free. Recent studies have shown that it also works with endorphin levels and has the power to release pain, fatigue, and stress in fibromyalgia patients.
There are some other alternative therapies for fibromyalgia patients like meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, acupuncture, etc. all these therapies help in alleviating pain and making the person relaxed.
Fibromyalgia affected women who want to have a baby and enjoy motherhood should be well aware of the intensified condition associated with fibromyalgia during pregnancy.
It is not life-threatening and they can surely get through pregnancy but they should be prepared for intensified pain and symptoms. This is manageable in a number of ways but people should be aware of any severity of pain or symptoms that they are likely to experience during pregnancy.
Some symptoms of fatigue, pain, and depression are common in both fibromyalgia and pregnancy. So there are possibilities of intensified conditions when a fibromyalgia patient is going through pregnancy.
Fibromyalgia normally causes fatigue, along with pain and depression. While in pregnancy, there is an increased number of hormones that circulate through a woman’s body, and moreover, weight has gained that leads to intensified symptoms.
Studies have shown that symptoms of fibromyalgia get intensify during pregnancy. The reason behind this lies in the fact that pregnancy can easily exaggerate the pains of fibromyalgia.
The first three months of pregnancy can be critical due to a high level of fatigue and nausea and due to fibromyalgia, the condition can become more devastating. However, the pain usually gets better after the first trimester.
Stress is a well-known symptom of fibromyalgia and high-stress levels can intensify the pains associated with it. Pregnancy is generally considered a high-stress period in a woman’s life, as the woman is now so much concerned about their baby. It is not safe to take painkillers or antidepressants during pregnancy.
The techniques recommended to deal with pain in pregnancy may include light physical exercise and massage, including yoga, rest, and meditation. It is also suggested to exercise in a warm pool, doing gentle aerobics or swimming. This will help to alleviate muscle pain and loosen the sore muscles and joints. Mild warm water should be used as high-temperature water immersion is not recommended during pregnancy.
Exercise is important for the flexibility and strength of muscles. It also helps to improve mood and can increase the release of endorphins. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that transmits signals between cells is likely to get affected by fibromyalgia.
Stress can lower the levels of serotonin leading to the state of anxiety and depression. In this situation, exercise can be helpful as it increases serotonin levels and wards off depression and moodiness giving positive effects and enhanced energy levels.
The fluctuation in hormones results in mood swings during pregnancy or even the menstruation cycle. Exercise, sunbath, or certain carbohydrates help to increase serotonin levels.
Rest can help a woman to have an easy and healthy pregnancy time. Women should have a proper schedule planned for work and rest to manage fatigue and pain. A warm bath or shower can also be taken to ease the sore muscles and release pain.
People with fibromyalgia often suffer from chronic pain that can be disappointing in the condition of pregnancy. Pregnancy becomes a tiresome period due to the effects of fibromyalgia but it can be overcome in a number of ways. There are various things that should be taken seriously in pregnancy to improve or avoid pain.
Medications should be avoided for the good health of the baby. A small dose of Tylenol or other acetaminophen pain relievers is recommended in case of severity. It is best to avoid medications and manage exercise routines to ease pain and increase serotonin levels.
Yoga, tai chi, and swimming are considered safe for pregnant women. These low-impact activities can arouse serotonin and other positive mood hormones that help them to relax.
A routine with light work and proper rest time is very important for pregnant women. A proper sleeping schedule and working on breaks and little naps can be helpful. Even a 20-minute nap can help a lot to release pain and fatigue. Warm showers have also proved to be helpful in losing tight muscles and can ease the pain.
There are a number of ways for pregnant women to manage fibromyalgia pain; however, developing a proper schedule is the best way to be prepared for the experience.
Going to a spa helps people with fibromyalgia to find a lot of relief. There are a lot of services that have the potential to help reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia, so similarly spa could also be much more than a relaxing place. If you do for regular visits, even those visits can help you in easing your symptoms. There are different benefits of massages, facials and saunas that should be tried out if you are suffering from fibromyalgia. Following are some few services that prove to help fibromyalgia patients.
You should have a good communication with your therapist because each person with fibromyalgia has a different level of pain. so, you need to have some communication in order to tell the therapist how much pain do you have and how much pressure can you tolerate. Some people can only tolerate light massage, while other people can tolerate much more pressure and rub.
Moreover, some people may find it useful to have hot stimuli, while others to cold. The blood flow and flexibility in the muscles increases by the massage that is otherwise slowed down in people with fibromyalgia. Moreover, individuals also find it effective to have aromatherapy along with the massage, as it helps in relaxing inside and out. Listening to music during the massage can also help in relaxing inside and out. Talk to your professional about your symptoms before taking a massage, so that he can help you in a better way to relieve most of your symptoms.
Some fibromyalgia sufferers find it helpful to have hydrotherapy, but they have to make sure that they stay hydrated throughout the duration of the session. Moreover, some services like steam rooms and saunas can also be effective, as muscles get relaxed and immunity increases by it. Painful symptoms get helped out by natural substances like water, depending upon the severity of pain.
Facials can also help in giving benefits to the clients. People who take medications might see the differences in their skin, so those negative side effects from the medication can be treated by a facial treatment. Moreover, having a gentle massage may give you some relief, as the muscles in the face might have some kind of pain. So usually, facials are considered to be a source of transformation and it feels good to have them. Having a little confidence boost doesn’t hurt anyone.
When experiencing lower back pain, exercise is often the number one prescription for both treatment and prevention. While some lower back pain exercises focus on stretching and lengthening, others look at strengthening the muscles of the spine and abdomen for better support. Here are our favorite stretches for lower back pain, for both stretching and strengthening key muscles of the back. If you have a small quiet space at work, you can do many of these in just a few minutes. We’ve also included suggestions when you can modify for your chair. As always, talk with your doctor before attempting any of these stretches for lower back pain as some could aggravate your condition. If you’re not sure how to go through these stretches, it may be best to have a session with a physical therapist or highly-qualified personal trainer to show you how to do the motions correctly.
One of the best ways to encourage a healthier, pain-free back long term is by strengthening the muscles that support your core. Here’s where to get started.
Many people perform a million crunches to increase strength in their abdomen to support a healthy lower back, but crunches are ineffective for strengthening deep core muscles at best and can increase lower back pain at worst. Try un-crunches instead.
Lie on your back with knees bent. On an exhale, press your navel to your spine as you reach your arms towards the ceiling, raising only your head and shoulders off the floor. Hold for one or two breaths and lower down. Keep your head in line with your shoulders (don’t strain forward). Repeat until feeling fatigued, at least once a day.
Lie on your stomach with legs stretched out long and arms resting comfortably at your sides, palms facing down. Lengthen your tailbone down towards your heels. Inhale deeply, and on the exhale, tighten the muscles of your left buttock to raise your left leg.
Hold for two or three breaths, then lower down. Make your movements slow, and repeat until fatigued, once a day.
Start on hands and knees, with wrists directly below shoulders and knees directly below hips. On an inhale, extend your right hand in front of you as you lift and extend your left leg out behind you. Keep toes of both feet flexed, tailbone extending down to engage the lower belly. Crown of the head should extend forward with a long neck.
Stay here, or add some abdominal work. Inhale and extend fully, then on an exhale, bring your right elbow and left knee to touch. As you exhale, press your navel all the way back to your spine. Complete five touches and then repeat on the opposite side.
Plank pose is a simple pose that can completely change the front of your body. While it may seem strange to focus on abdominals for a strong back, weak abdominal muscles force the back muscles to do all of the heavy lifting. Stronger abs will help keep the spine aligned and ease the strain on the muscles of the lower back.
Come to a high push-up position with hands directly below shoulders. Take some time to press down into the knuckles of the hands to minimize strain on the wrists. Legs extend back, about hip’s width distance apart. Press back through the heels (which should be perpendicular to the floor). Keep hips raised so they are in line with the shoulders.
Bring shoulder blades onto the back and lengthen your tailbone down to engage the lower belly. Hold, starting with as many seconds as you can properly hold this form and gradually adding on time in the pose.
If wrists become painful, this pose can be performed with forearms on the ground. Practice this pose daily, working up to three minutes of plank every day.
Just as plank pose revolutionizes the front of your body, side planks can help reactivate and strengthen dormant muscles along the sides of the body. These muscles are great stabilizers for balance and strength.
Start by lying on your left side with your forearm resting on the floor, elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Right leg should be stacked directly on top of the left leg. If balance is tricky to begin with, you can rest your right foot on the floor slightly in front of the left foot. Lengthen your tailbone down towards the feet to engage the lower abs.
On an inhale, press into your forearm and engage the muscles of your abdomen to slowly lift your hips off the floor as high as possible. Lower on an exhale. Repeat as many times as you can maintain proper form. Repeat on the opposite side.
Bridge pose is a great way to strengthen the entire length of the back while giving the abs and hip flexors a good stretch. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Feet should be hip’s width distance apart with toes facing straight forward and close enough to the body that you can graze your heels with your fingertips. Hands can be resting at your sides.
Lengthen your tailbone down towards your heels. On an inhale, raise your hips. Try to distribute the effort across the entire lower back, not just in the buttocks. Press the back of your head into the mat or the floor, maintaining a curve in the neck (so it is not flat on the floor). Hold for five breaths, then lower slowly. Repeat as many times as you can maintain proper form.
Come into bridge pose as above. On an inhale, lift one leg and raise it to the ceiling. Continue to lengthen your tailbone down to engage the abs and keep the back body firm. Replace that foot on an exhale and raise the other leg.
Lie on your stomach with forearms on the ground, elbows in line with shoulders and hands pointing forward. Lengthen tailbone down towards heels. Lift the left leg slightly and spin the inseam up and toward the sky. Lengthen out through the toes of that foot and place it down. Repeat with the other foot.
Inhale and feel the crown of your head reaching towards to sky, lengthening out through the crown and extending through the feet evenly. Exhale and let your heart press forward. If you feel any pain in your lower back, engage the tailbone, lengthening down so much that you feel your hips lift slightly.
Come into sphinx as above. On an exhale, press into the tops of the feet and lengthen the tailbone down to raise your hips, thighs, and knees off the ground. Hold for an inhale, then exhale and lower. Repeat as often as you can maintain proper form.
In this video, personal trainer Lindsey takes a weightlifter through a back-strengthening workout to help him correct training errors and strengthen lower back muscles.
While strength is absolutely necessary to maintain a healthy lower back, lower back pain exercises that include stretching are also a must. Muscles of the lower back need to be lengthened while they are strengthened to build a strong, long, and healthy spine. Here are six stretches for lower back pain.
Child’s pose is one of the very first lower back pain exercises to try that gently stretches tight or contracted muscles. Gravity and breath does most of the work in this pose. Come to all fours. Bring your big toes to touch and open your knees a little wider. Sink back onto your heels and let your abdomen rest on or between your thighs. Arms can stretch out on the floor in front of you or come down along your sides. If your forehead does not quite reach the ground, use a book or a yoga block to rest it on.
If you find that this hurts your knees, you can support your knees with a rolled up blanket or a pillow behind them before sitting back. You can also place a yoga block between your feet to sit on. Breathe deeply and evenly, imagining the breath traveling into your back and releasing tight muscles. Stay here for as long as it feels good.
For people who finding standing to be too painful, a figure 4 stretch can be a great way to find relief from pain in the lower back and hip. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Feet should be hip’s width distance apart and close enough to the body so that you can graze your heels with your fingertips.
Pick up your right foot and place your right ankle on your left knee. Thread your right hand between your thighs to clasp behind the hamstring. Inhale here, then on an exhale, press your navel to your spine and lift the bottom foot, bringing the shape to you. Keep both feet flexed to keep the legs active and engaged, and lengthen your tailbone down towards where your feet were on the floor. Breathe into the stretch, holding for five to ten long, steady breaths. Repeat on the other side.
To get in some stretches for lower back pain at work, you can also do this one while sitting in your office chair.
Another lower back pain exercise that you can complete while lying down is one of the simplest. Lie on your back. Inhale deeply, and on an exhale bring both knees into your chest, holding them with your arms. You can stay here if this feels good, or you can give yourself a spinal massage by making circles with your knees or rocking from side to side.
The piriformis is a muscle that runs deep within the buttocks. If this muscle is injured or contracted, sciatica pain can result. Stretches for lower back pain should include this stretch even if the pain is not in this muscle, as a healthy piriformis makes for a happy and supported back.
Lie on the back with both legs extended and arms out in a “T.” Inhale, and on the exhale, move your navel towards your spine and draw your right leg into your chest. Inhale here, then on the exhale extend the leg up to the sky and release it across the body (to the left).
Keep both hips on the ground and use a strap looped around the ball of the right foot. Let the leg cross the body only as far as you can keep both hips on the ground. If you have a tight piriformis, this may not be a big movement, but doing this daily will yield big results.
Treat this stretch more like a twist and let the hips stack as the right leg reaches towards the ground. Use pillows or yoga blocks to prop the leg up if it doesn’t quite reach the ground.
Whichever method you choose, breathe deeply into what is opening. Hold for five to ten deep, even breaths, then repeat on the other side.
A lunge may seem counterintuitive when working on stretches for lower back pain, but a lunge releases the hip flexors at the front of the leg. Some lower back pain is caused by poor posture with the pelvis tucked under. This shortens the hip flexors in the front and does not allow a person to restore their natural, healthy lumbar curve.
Stand with feet hip’s width distance apart. Take a big step forward with the right leg, bending into the front knee and coming onto the balls of the foot of the left leg. To protect your knees, make sure that the front knee is directly over the front ankle (and not bending in front of it).
Drop the back knee to the floor, and bring your hands to your front knee. Push evenly out through the front shin and the heel of the back foot. To protect your lower back, lengthen your tailbone down towards the ground as you reach with the front shin and back heel. Inhale, coming out of the lunge a little, then exhale and settle back in. Repeat this action for five to ten breaths, then switch legs.
This is another easy supine lower back pain exercise that stretches and relaxes all of the muscles of the body. Scoot yourself as close as you can to the wall, with one hip touching and knees bent. Lean back onto your forearms to swing your legs up and onto the wall. Your buttocks should be as close to touching the wall as possible, so pull yourself closer if possible and you are flexible in your hamstrings. If it’s not comfortable, feel free to move back and bend your knees.
Another variation of this pose is supported legs up the wall, a restorative and deeply relaxing variation that feels great after a long day. This also promotes restful sleep and can help you deal with stress. Check out this video from Yoga International to learn how to do this pose correctly.
Whichever version you choose, breathe deeply and relax here for five to ten minutes.
If you are suffering from hip pain and want to try exercise for relief, yoga for hip pain may be the answer. Here are 12 simple poses to get you started!
The short answer to whether or not yoga can help relieve hip pain is yes, but knowing some hip anatomy can help you better understand why.
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket type joint that consists of the thighbone (the top of your femur bone, the trochanter, is the “ball” of the joint) nestled into the three bones that combine to make the “socket” portion (the ilium, the ischium, and the pubis).
Inside the joint itself, smooth white cartilage covers the head of the femur and lines the acetabulum (the cup that receives the femur). Synovial fluid created in the joint lining cushions and lubricates movement in the joint. This helps bones move without pain or irritation. Outside of the bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles work together to further stabilize the joint and prevent dislocation.
Yoga for hip pain helps to strengthen and stabilize your entire hip joint while gently stretching and lengthening tendons and ligaments to increase the hip’s range of motion. It is low impact and easy to adjust for beginners and more experienced practitioners. Yoga also relieves the stress that comes with a pain condition, balancing the body and mind.
Keep reading for some good poses to help you get started!
These yoga poses for hip pain can be done at any level of fitness, from chair yoga to more complicated and intense stretches. It is important to talk to your doctor before beginning any new fitness program. A qualified yoga teacher can also help you modify poses to your level of experience. As always, if something does not feel right in your body, back out of the pose and try something else.
Here are 12 of our favorite yoga poses for hip pain.
Legs up the wall is a restorative pose that can release the lower back. Lower back tension often leads to hip pain, and this simple posture is a great way to relax and unwind at the end of the day.
Sit so that your right hip is touching the wall. Lean back onto your forearms, and as you do so, swing your legs up the wall. Your sitting bones may make contact with the wall, but if that is too intense on your hamstrings, move them away as far as you need to. Allow your arms to relax at your sides and your eyes to close. Stay here for several minutes.
Variations include:
Bending your knees and bringing the soles of the feet to touch, allowing knees to open
This posture is great for people who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor (and those who need yoga for hip arthritis).
Sit on a chair with both of your feet on the floor, directly beneath your knees. Pick up your right foot and place the right ankle on the left knee. Using your breath, place gentle pressure on the right knee to keep moving it towards the floor (but don’t press hard and back out if it hurts your knee).
Stay here for at least ten breaths, then switch sides.
If you can get up and down from the floor with ease, reclined figure 4 is a great hip opening practice for you.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left knee, allowing your right knee to press away from your face. You can stay here, or, on an inhale, lift your left foot off the floor, moving your left thigh towards you. Interlace your hands around your left thigh and pull the thigh towards you as you press the thigh into your hands.
This can get intense, so go slowly. Stay here for at least ten breaths, then switch sides.
Baby cradle is a good warm up stretch as you increase your hip flexibility. Sitting on the floor, bend your right knee and lift your right leg up so that you can wrap your right arm around your knee and your left arm around your right foot (cradling your lower leg like you would a baby).
You can move gently from side to side or in circles, exploring motion in the hip joint. Hold for several breaths, then switch sides.
Lie on your back and draw your knees to your chest. Open your knees wider than your body, and reach between them to grab the outside of your feet (or your ankles or calves). Open your feet to “stand” on the ceiling, flexing the toes toward you.
Keep your lower back on the earth and your head and shoulders relaxed. With each exhale, allow your knees to soften towards the ground. You can also apply traction by pressing your feet into your hands as your hands pull gently down on your feet. Rocking side to side can help relieve tension in the lower back, too. Stay here for at least ten breaths.
A seated twist releases lower back tension that may cause hip pain.
Start with both legs extended out in front of you. Sit tall with a long spine. Bend your right knee and stack it on top of your left knee. You can keep your left leg extended forward with the toes flexed, but if your hips are feeling open and you can keep both sitting bones on the ground, bend the left knee and bring the left foot towards your right hip. Hug your body towards your right knee with both arms.
Inhale and lift your right arm up and overhead, placing the palm on the ground behind you. You can keep hugging your right knee with your left arm if this twist is enough, or you can hook your left elbow on the outside of your right knee for a deeper twist. As you inhale, lengthen your spine until you feel the crown of your head lifting towards the sky.
As you exhale, pull your navel to your spine to deepen the twist. Stay here for five to ten breaths, then unwind on an inhale and shake out your legs before moving to the other side.
Lie on your back with knees folded into your chest. Open arms into the shape of a “T.” Cross your right leg over your left, twining them around each other (like a twisted root). Inhale deeply, and on an exhale, drop your legs over to the right. You can look left if your neck feels good.
With each breath, relax your left shoulder closer to the earth, and allow your legs to get heavy. Stay here for at least ten deep, even breaths, then switch sides.
Sit on the floor with legs crossed. If your knees are very high off the ground, you can support them with yoga blocks. Inhale and lengthen the spine, then exhale and fold forward, arms outstretched in front of you.
Stay here for at least ten breaths, then inhale to rise up, switch the cross of your legs, and fold forward again.
Sit on the floor. Bring the soles of your feet to touch and allow your knees to open to the sides. Hands can be wrapped around the feet or ankles. If your knees are very high off the ground, you can sit on a blanket or a bolster and place yoga blocks under your knees to support them.
Lengthen your spine, and on an inhale begin to hinge at the hips to fold forward. Do not round the spine, especially if you have lower back pain. This fold may be very slight, but that’s okay. Tuck your chin to your chest, close your eyes, and take ten deep, even breaths.
From a seated position, bend your right leg and bring your shin parallel to the top of your yoga mat. Bend your left knee and place the left shin on top of the right so that knee stacks on ankle and ankle stacks on knee (like logs for a fire). If there is a gap between your left knee and your right ankle, use a yoga block or a blanket for support.
This can be quite intense, just like this, but if you would like a deeper stretch, inhale deeply and begin to fold forward. Hold either variation (upright or folded) for at least 90 seconds (but up to five minutes) before switching to the other side.
Start on all fours. Bring your right knee to the outside of your right wrist and extend your left leg long behind you. Try to keep your hips level. Adjust the intensity of the stretch by moving your right foot closer to your left hip (less intense) or more towards parallel with the top of your wat (more intense). You can also place a yoga block or a blanket underneath your right hip if it need support.
Stay lifted for a few breaths, then, on an exhale, slowly begin to fold forward over your right leg. You can come to forearms on the mat, onto blocks, or all the way to your forehead. Take your time and go slowly, following your deep, even breath. Stay here for at least 90 seconds (and up to five minutes).
Press into your hands to lift your torso slowly, then take any stretches or movements you need before moving to the other side.
Wall figure 4 can be extremely intense, even more so than pigeon. This is a directed opening of the hip that some practitioners find too intense.
To come into the pose, sit with your back against a wall and bend your knees, placing both feet on the ground. Pick your right foot up and place your right ankle on your left knee. Move your left foot out as far as you need to get your ankle placed, then gradually move your left foot toward your sitting bones.
You will feel an intense stretch of the muscles of the hip, including the piriformis. Hold for at least five breaths but up to five minutes, then release and move to the other side.
This hour-long practice is more energetic but still offers excellent support for the hips, lower back, and hamstrings. Poses to build upper body strength are included, but the focus really is on hip opening, stretching, and strengthening.
While yoga is a wonderful, non-invasive way to gently relieve hip pain, there are a few things to look out for. People with hypermobility in their joints may need to increase stability or risk further injury. Hypermobility in the joints means that the tendons and ligaments are exceptionally flexible. Without building strength and stability, this flexibility can result in dislocations or other injury.
Additionally, people with hip pain from arthritis may experience painful inflammation if they place all of their body weight on the joint and hold it there for an extended period of time (as in pigeon, for example). Using props to support the body’s weight can help, as can moving in and out of the posture, slowly and following the breath, to gently increase your range of motion and strength.
The best way to avoid injury and protect yourself as you do yoga for hip pain is to listen to your body. If you feel a sharp, stabbing pain in any pose, back out of it and either use props to make it more approachable or try another less intense pose or variation.
Another indication that a pose is too deep is your breath. If your breath becomes short and shallow, and you feel like you cannot draw a deep, slow breath, the pose is too intense at this point in your practice.
Ultimately, you should feel good in your practice, even as you stretch and work your hips. This doesn’t mean there won’t be effort and some “therapeutic irritation,” but you should be able to breath and work gently through the minor discomfort that arises. If not, take a break, talk to your doctor, or head to a nearby yoga class for in-person guidance.
The verdict is in: tech neck is real, and it could be causing you tremendouspain. If you are one of the millions of people who spend an average of 11 hours per day hunched over a computer or looking at a screen, you may frequently experience neck pain that ranges from mildly irritating to debilitating. If you find yourself in this situation, yoga for neck pain can help. Here’s some poses you can try.
Yoga for neck pain is an easy, side effect free way to relieve all sorts of pain in the complex area of your body that includes the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Yoga can be practiced anywhere, at any level, and with very little experience. Yoga poses for neck pain are even easy to do while sitting at your desk or while watching TV.
While a pain in the neck can originate there, in some cases, the interlocking muscles, tendons, and bones of the neck, shoulders, and upper back are related and cause what is known as referred pain.
Referred pain originates in one part of your body, but you feel it somewhere different. This means that an injury to the trapezius in the upper back can cause tightness and pain in the shoulders and neck. In some cases, this referred pain can even lead to headaches and other seemingly-unrelated side effects.
Yoga for neck and shoulder pain is also often helpful for relieving headaches and other types of pain. When yoga for neck pain and headaches is recommended, this might even help with shoulder and upper back pain. In short, the entire area of the upper back, shoulders, and neck can benefit from yoga for neck pain.
When starting off with any exercise program, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They will make sure that you are healthy enough for activity and may offer suggestions for areas to focus on. They’ll also be able to tell you if you need to avoid certain postures.
Once you get the all-clear, you may want to start by finding a qualified yoga teacher in your area. Yoga teachers are trained and well-versed in the anatomy of the upper back, neck, and shoulders and are able to clearly explain the connection between the poses you are doing and the potential for pain relief. When you attend your first class, ask for suggestions or modifications when you need them.
The most important thing to remember when starting yoga for neck pain is to listen to your body.
Sharp, stabbing pain or numbness and tingling are signs that you need to back off from the pose. This is crucial if you are using videos at home. Trying to pretzel yourself into a pose you are not ready for can cause further injury. Go slowly, and be compassionate with yourself, wherever you are starting.
Finally, as you begin the poses below, remember to keep breathing. Use your breath to move into a pose and to relax once you get there. Deep, even breathing is key. If you find yourself unable to take a full breath, that’s another sign you’re in too deep.
Start with the first pose and move all the way to number ten as you are ready.
This can be a powerful release, but be mindful of how it feels in your neck and go slowly. Sit relaxed, either in a chair with both feet on the floor or on the floor itself. Take a deep breath in, and on an exhale, drop your chin to your chest. Inhale, and slowly bring your right ear to your right shoulder. Exhale to return to center, then inhale your left ear to your left shoulder. Repeat at least three times on each side.
Some people will feel comfortable rolling their neck in a full circle, inhaling as they roll their head back and exhaling as they roll it forward, chin to chest. For others, rolling the head back can cause painful compression in the cervical spine. Pay attention to what you are feeling.
Sit on the floor with legs crossed and arms at your side. Inhale and lift the right arm up and overhead. Exhale and drape your right hand over the top of your head, fingertips touching the left ear. Allow the weight of your hand to gently stretch the left side of your neck as your right ear moves towards your right shoulder (keep the right shoulder relaxed).
If you want more stretch, you can tiptoe your left fingertips out to the left (or wrap your left arm behind your back). Stay here for at least ten easy breaths, then inhale to gently release. Repeat on the other side.
Seated: Create some space between your knees so that your torso can fold forward. Inhale, and on an exhale, fold your torso forward either between your parted knees or to rest on your thighs. Interlace your hands behind your neck just below the roundest part of your head (the occiput) and allow the weight of them to apply gently lengthening pressure to your neck. Stay here and breathe for at least ten breaths, then inhale to release your hands and slowly rise back up to seated.
Standing: Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Inhale and fold forward as you exhale. Bend your knees as much as you need to. Interlace your hands behind your neck just below the roundest part of your head (the occiput) and allow the weight of them to apply gently lengthening pressure to the neck. Stay here and breathe for at least ten breaths, then inhale to release your hands and slowly rise back up to standing.
If you have lower back pain but want to do the standing option, bring your hands to blocks or the floor to give your lower back support. Then shake your head “yes” and “no” instead of applying weight with your hands.
As with the third pose, this can be done either seated or standing.
Start in your chosen position, then interlace your hands behind your back. Inhale deeply, then fold forward on the exhale. Your hands can slowly lift away from your back to come overhead, but do not strain. Continue to keep your shoulder blades moving away from your ears. This stretches the shoulders and creates space in the upper back and neck.
Start on all fours with your knees beneath hips and wrist beneath shoulders. Inhale and drop your belly towards the mat or floor as your sitting bones lift, shoulder blades come together, and your gaze lifts (cow pose).
Exhale and round your back, starting as the tailbone tucks, moving up the back until your shoulder blades slide away from each other and your head releases down. Think of pressing the mat away with your hands. This is cat pose. Repeat three to five cycles, following the full length of your breath and starting the movement in your tailbone.
Start on all fours (knees beneath hips, wrists directly beneath shoulders). Inhale and lift your right hand and arm to the sky. Exhale and thread the needle, passing your right hand behind your left wrist and bringing your right shoulder, back or arm, and cheek to rest on the floor (hips stay high).
If this is too intense, you can rest on your forearm and use a yoga block to support your head. Breathe here for five to ten breaths, then press into your left hand and sweep your right hand up and overhead to come out of the pose. Repeat on the other side.
Start on all fours, then on an exhale begin to walk your hands forward, lowering your chest towards the ground (hips stay high, right above your knees). You will feel your shoulder blades come together on your back.
You can place your forehead on the mat, or, if you feel very open, bring your chin to the mat. Breathe ten long, deep breaths before walking your hands back to come out of the pose.
You need two yoga blocks for this pose. Behind you on your mat, place one yoga block horizontally on the second highest setting, and another on its highest setting farther away from you. Slowly lower your back onto these blocks.
The horizontal block should be at the bottom tips of your shoulder blades, and the higher block should be underneath the roundest part of your head. Extend your legs long on the mat, or bend your knees and allow the soles of your feet to touch, allowing your knees to fall wide. Arms can rest at your side, palms face up.
Stay here for at least three minutes. You may be able to lower the block beneath your head to its second highest setting during this time, or you may just enjoy the support and lengthening as it is. Use your forearms to gently prop yourself up enough to remove the blocks, and then lay flat for a minute to feel the full effects of the pose.
Sit in thunderbolt pose with a strap or belt handy. Take the strap in each hand, hands wide apart from each other (this will vary, as you will see). Inhale to raise your straight arms up and overhead, then exhale to lower them behind you, still straight. You may need to make your hands wider to keep them straight. Inhale again to bring your arms back over head, then exhale to lower them down in front.
Go slowly, and keep extending the crown of your head up towards the sky (don’t jut your chin forward). This move releases tension in the shoulders and upper back that may be causing neck pain. If you notice one spot that is particularly tender, stay there and take three full, even breaths before continuing your movement. Complete at least three of these.
Start by sitting back on your heels (like thunderbolt). Grab the backs of your heels, one in each hand, and take a deep breath. On an exhale, begin to round your spine forward to reach the crown of your head to touch the ground (not your forehead). Once the crown of your head reaches the floor, lift your hips and pull on your heels with your hands. Draw your shoulders away from your ears to length the neck. Don’t place pressure on your head. The action of pulling on your feet should balance your weight instead.
Another option is to interlace your hands behind your back, and as you lower the crown of your head and draw up your hips, lift your interlaced hands to the sky, lifting your shoulders away from your ears.
Take three full breaths (or as many as you can comfortably take), then round up the spine to come back out.
If heading to class isn’t an option but you want more guidance to begin with, a yoga for neck pain video can bridge the gap. Here are some of our favorites.
Unless you are a seasoned yogi who knows how to make proper modifications, it’s best to avoid head and shoulder stands when you have neck pain. The extra pressure on the cervical spine can cause further pain and injury.
When it comes to neck pain, everyone is different. The best approach is a holistic one that includes a variety of treatments (including yoga for neck pain).
