The neck’s structure.
The basis of providing mobility is the cervical spine, consisting of 7 neck-bones. Between vertebrae discs and nearby, there are nerves of the neck. The neck consists of muscles, arteries, veins, lymph glands, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, esophagus, larynx, and trachea.
The problems arising in the neck.
The famous consequences of pains and overexertion of muscles in the neck are the result of lifestyle that we choose. Harsh actions of our body, speech and mind, bad emotions, unhealthy food lack of knowledge of the universal laws of life are the main reasons. And, it leads to a lot of discomfort. Often the pain in the back of the neck is so strong that it is impossible to turn the head or raise the hand. Many of us are familiar, not the hearsay, with unpleasant sensation of the crunch in the neck, or when neck suddenly refuses to turn without pain. As often happens, with sharp turn of the head or after sleeping in an uncomfortable position you have sore neck from behind. The head becomes heavy and there is a pain. There is a worsening of blood supply in the cervical spine. Most of headaches and migraines are progressing owing to inflammation of the blood vessels in the head that stretch out the nerves and send pain impulses.
Except the pain, often the decrease in the mobility of the neck (tightness) makes us worrying; when the nerves are affected we can feel the change of sensitivity, muscle weakness, tingling and other symptoms.
It is widely believed that the crunch in the joints, including the crunch in the spine and in the neck, caused by the deposition of salts. The reasons of the neck’s crunch lie not only in the salts’ sediments, but and in…gases. Exactly nitrogen, dissolution of which is going on in the articular fluid, emits the corresponding sounds, which we call the crunch. If it is nothing dangerous in the neck’s crunch, can we do it? The experts do not recommend doing it for one main reason: the cervical joints are quite fragile by nature and therefore harmless the habit, it would seem, the habit can lead to injury.
Preventive measures.
Discomfort in the neck area can be prevented by regular preventive-treatment and leading a healthy and wise life. What should we pay attention to?
Measured and regular exercises. Usually the regular muscles’ training reduces pain impulses due to the release of natural painkillers of the body into the blood – endorphins, by improving the blood supply to the brain, relieve inflammation and muscle fatigue. All of that minimize the inflammation of the blood vessels around the brain. Swedish researchers found, that the physically inactive people have the headaches more 1,5 times than those who intensively trains 3 times a week and more.
Clean mind from bad things, emotions, engage in self-development and help the world around you. Make the harmony in the surrounding reality through your practice.
Your nutrition should be sensible. To prevent the crunching in the back, you should reduce in your diet the amount of fatty foods; add dishes of vegetable origin, containing protein (lentils, nuts).
The moment you feel tension in your neck, change the body position or better do some simple exercise. Avoid sudden movements, physical exhaustion.
Remember, the neck is extension of the spine so what is useful to the spine, the same is to the neck.
This is the small complex on the development and strengthening the neck’s muscles.
1. Stretching the neck. Move the head slowly forth and back. Step-by-step you can increase the speed. Repeat 7-10 times.
2. Turns the head to the left - right. Increase the amplitude and speed the repeat by your sensations.
3. Tilt the head to the sides. Stretch the ear up, extend the neck.
4. Turn the head in a circle: in a horizontal plane. The chin is parallel to the floor. Several rotations in one and the other side.
5. Turn the chin forward, up and on yourself. The shoulders are fixed. And do it in the opposite side - forward – down, on yourself.
6. Power fixation. One palm put to another, and forehead rests on the hands. On the exhale, first gently press the palms on the forehead and the forehead on the palms. Fix it for 3-5 seconds. You can do it standing or lying down.
7. Hands behind your head and gently press on the head, gradually increasing the tension in the neck. You can do it standing or lying down.
8. Sit down; the feet are on the floor. Lower the shoulders to the knees. The right hand is on his head, the left one grab the chin. Turn the head to the left without effort. A few deep breathings. Change your hands.
9. Sit down at Vajrasana (hips on your heels). Pull down your top on the mat and raise, lower the hip, roll the cervical spine.
10. Rotation of the shoulders up and back, up and down-to-down, massage the point between the shoulder blades. Breathing is relaxed.
11. Separate the hands in different ways widely. The palms faces up, inhale, turn the shoulders, the palms are down, exhale.
12. Rotate with a wide amplitude. Lower your chin to the chest, turn by circle to the one side and another. It is very important to relax your head and to feel the muscles’ tension and stretching. The intensity of the rotation depends on the sensations.
There is the neck care with yoga.
There are cleaning and stimulating processes of the immune system in the throat. The area of the throat is the gates to the body, where the food and the air are exposed to the intensive processing. That is why here are the kind of "lymph Gates" – the accumulation of lymphoid tissue, which form a ring around this zone. We know about these clusters: tonsils, tubal, throat (it is named adenoids of children) and lingual. The lymphoid tissue’s task in the human body is neutralization of the foreign bodies, microorganisms, toxins.
Simhasana - pose "a lion"
We have the specific and effective exercise in yoga, which stimulates the immune system in the area of the lymphoid ring. It is Simhasana. From Sanskrit it is “lion’s pose". Increasing blood flow to the neck, Simhasana helps to fight infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tracts, cleans the tongue, improves voice and hearing, saves from bad breath, increases salivation.
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Lion’s pose strengthens the throat’s ligaments, muscles of the neck, face, abdomen, arms and legs. Reduce face wrinkles. Remove the double chin. It is useful if you talk much and loudly, for lecturers, singers who has a speech impediment. This position increases blood flow to the posterior lobe of the brain, activates the throat energy center. It relieves stress, calms. |
The technique.
Sit in Vajrasana (heels under the buttocks). Pull the neck clasping your chin to the breast. Inhale, then exhale and open your mouth widely, put out your tongue forward and down, tense the body, especially the (neck and throat). After exhale, hold your breath for 4 - 5 seconds. If you have sore throat repeat the exercise 3 - 4 times.
Jalandhar bandha.
Well-developed the neck muscles manage prana (vital energy) and your mind. As a result, you gain the physical, emotional and mental balance, and achieve harmony.
The instrument to achieve these states in yoga is:
Jalandhar bandha (energy lock) takes its name from the Sanskrit term "jal", which means the throat and "dhara" - support. Jalandhar heals some throat’s inflammatory diseases, optimizing the function of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Jalandhar bandha compresses the carotid sinuses - the organs are located on the carotid arteries in the neck. These are the main arteries supplying the brain with blood. The carotid sinuses are the baroreceptors (pressure sensors. – Ed.) and help to coordinate the blood pressure and the heart rate with the respiratory system. They send the signals to the brain by special nerves, then the brain takes the necessary steps to balance the circulatory and respiratory systems. When the blood pressure increases, the carotid sinuses are compressing. As a result, the brain receives the signal to take steps to prevent pressure. Jalandhar bandha influences the person on all levels: physical, psychological and mental. It controls the flow of prana in the body. This causes mental relaxation. Compression of The carotid sinuses’ compression also helps to balance your mind by slowing heart rate. In addition, it promotes introversion - people forget about the outside world. The whole nervous system and the brain calm down. As a rule, this leads to a great concentration. This bandha closes the trachea and squeezes the various organs in the throat. Especially, it massages the thyroid gland at the throat. The complete progressing and the maintenance of the body depend on thyroid gland. The massage, providing by Jalandhar bandha, helps to make the work of it more effectively. This practice eliminates stress, reduces the possibility of repeat, disperses anger and anxiety.
The technologies of doing: Sit in Padmasana or Sidasana or any convenient asana with the cross legs. Those who can’t sit at these asanas, do Jalandhar bandha standing. Put the hands on the knees. Relax the body and close your eyes. Inhale deeply, and holding the breath, tilt your head forward, pressing the chin to the jugular depression breast. Pull the hands, resting on the knees, and at the same time lift the shoulders up and forward, it allows the arms to remain at lock. Hold palms on your knees. Stay in this position, holding your breath as long as you can. Then relax your shoulders, bend your arms, free slowly from the lock and lift your head. Exhale slowly. When the breath is normal, try again. You can make it so many times, as you want but if you do not feel discomfort at all. The beginners should increase the numbers of cycles little by little, starting with the five.