Troubled by the pinning pain in your neck? Neck pain can seem like a minor discomfort at first but it soon escalates into acute pain that makes daily life difficult. Cervical spondylosis is a condition where the regions of the spine, the bones specifically, degenerate over some time. It can be more than a painful condition when it starts affecting you to the point where you aren’t able to do the tasks that you previously did with ease. If you are at the beginning stage of cervical pain or far advanced, some simple exercises can go a long way to relieve the pain. Here in this blog, you will find some easy cervical spondylosis exercises that you easily do without exerting too much, along with that you will also learn about the symptoms and factors causing the condition. These different kinds of easy neck spondylosis exercises are surely what you need to ward off discomfort, so brace yourself and read on!
Understand the Symptoms and Common Risk Factors
Generally, cervical spondylosis is asymptomatic, meaning that there is no actual symptom but it is often presented as persistent neck pain. Pain can be of any kind, neuralgic, that is short and sudden, or myalgic, involving chronic fatigue, pain, difficulty sleeping, and a bunch of other issues. All of it indicates a dysfunction in your spine and shouldn’t be ignored. Sometimes this pain, originating at the spine, can spread to other parts of the body and lead to muscle weakness and other conditions. Headaches are also experienced by those with this condition. A more advanced, severe, and rare symptom of cervical spondylosis is loss of coordination.
Common risk factors include age, occupational factors, and the existence of neck injuries. Cervical spondylosis has been known to occur in elderly people, especially those over 65 years of age. But other factors like a sedentary lifestyle or working for long periods without much movement can also cause neck problems. Most corporations have an occupational health center to promote workplace wellness so that people who work in a still position can still have a healthy lifestyle. Age is a risk factor but it is better to start exercising and moving earlier on to avoid ending up old and diseased.
Yoga Exercises for Cervical Spondylosis
Here are some cervical spondylosis exercises with yoga poses that you can try out.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
The first yoga pose in cervical spondylosis exercises is the cobra pose. This pose completely stretches out the spine and soothes any pain or discomfort in the back. To exercise this pose lay on your tummy and place your hands on the side. Then slowly lift your chest and arch backwards. Inhale and exhale as you go about stretching.
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half-Spinal Twist)
The next pose in cervical spondylosis exercises is the twisted pose, called ardha matsyendrasana. This is also good for stretching out the spine and improving its flexibility. For this exercise, sit with one of your legs crossed over the other, and stretch your body taking your arm across the knee and looking over your shoulder.
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
The dhanurasana, the archer’s bow pose, is one of the challenging but effective cervical spondylosis exercises. To practice this exercise lay on your back as in the cobra pose, then reach for your ankles, hold it, and stretch out your spine by arching your chest and thighs.
Marjariasana (Cat Pose)
The cat pose is one of the easiest yoga cervical spondylosis exercises. For this gentle exercise, first, sit on your knees. This exercise is usually done alternating it with the cow pose. So inhale as you arch your back with your hands and knees on the mat, and stretch gently. Then alternate by rounding your back for the cat pose. Keep repeating these two cervical spondylosis exercises for a gentle stretch.
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Another beginner pose among the cervical spondylosis exercises is the bridge pose. This can be mastered in a few tries. Begin with lying on your back, then bend your knees and lift your hips upwards such that your upper body is diagonal to the ground. Inhale and exhale as you do this. This is the best exercise for cervical spondylosis that helps in stretching your thoracic area, and it is good for your neck.
Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
The best exercise for cervical spondylosis and strengthening the whole upper body region is matsyasana or the fish pose. To practice this, again lay on your back straight with your arms on the sides, stretch and arch your upper body away from the ground, while having your head placed on the ground.
Best Neck Exercises to Relieve Cervical Spondylosis
The following are some other simple neck spondylosis exercises that you can include if some of the yoga poses seem too difficult for you.
The best exercise for cervical spondylosis and for those who don’t want to do any excessive stretches but still keep their body moving is neck stretches. There are different kinds of neck spondylosis exercises that you can practice. Tilting your neck both sideways towards your shoulders, tucking your chin inwards towards your chest, and rotating your head around are some gentle stretches. You can also do some neck and shoulder stretches like rotating your shoulders in a circular motion.
Treatment Options
Physiotherapy helps in treating cervical spondylosis. The use of heat lamps, infrared lamps, and ultrasound can help relieve pain. Neck spondylosis exercises and yoga stretches are the best to treat the condition.
Conclusion
Cervical spondylosis is a painful condition and these gentle exercises can be one of the best natural methods of treatment that a patient can consider. Stretch and relieve your pain, consistently and gradually.