This document provides information on using yoga to manage headaches. It discusses different types of headaches including migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches. It describes the signs, symptoms, and triggers of migraines. It recommends specific yoga poses, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques to help reduce stress, tension, and pain associated with headaches. These include sun salutations, cobra pose, corpse pose, nasal cleansing, and focused breathing. The document emphasizes using yoga to achieve balance and alleviate imbalances that can lead to headaches.

1. YOGA
FOR
HEAD ACHE

2. PRAYER
M Ü K A M K A R Ô TI
VA C ÁL A M
P A N G U M L A N G H A YA T Ä
G IR IM
YA T K R IP Á T A M A H A M
VA N D Ä

3.  Name of the disease & terminologies
 Etiology
 Physical examination, signs and symptoms
 Investigations
 Modern medical treatment
 Alternative therapies – Yoga management
 Diet
 Books and journals for reference

4. HEADACHE
Headache occurs in many medical disorders.
 Migraine headache
 Muscle contraction headache (tension
headache)
 Cluster headache

5. MIGRAINE HEADACHE
 Migraine is a particular pattern of headache –
nature, severity, frequency differs.
Sites of migraine
headaches
Characteristics of
migraine headaches

6.  Age 20-60 years, common in women
 Neurological symptoms
 Vomiting
 One-sided headache
 Throbbing pain
 Lasts for few hours to three days
 Photophobia (shimmering lights) and
phonophobia
 Premonitory symptoms
 Migraine in children

7. TRIGGERED BY
 HOT SUN
 HUNGER
 SHOPPING
 COMPUTER
 EYE STRAIN
 INSOMNIA
 EMOTIONS

8.  ALCOHOL
 CHOCOLATE
CHEESE
CITRUS FRUIT
MENSTRUATION

9. MIGRAINE TRIGGERS
Stress mental
Bright light
or physical
Sleep
Loud
noise Menstruation
Strong smells in female
Foods
EXTERNAL INTERNAL

10. TREATMENT
 Pain killer,
 Control of nausea,
 Dark quiet place,
 Eye pads,
 Ear plugs,
 Ice packs,
 Ergot based drugs.

11. MUSCLE CONTRACTION
HEADACHE (TENSION HEADACHE)
 Has no other symptom beside headache
 Never wakes the patient at night
 Tension in neck muscles
 Family tendency
 Goes away on relaxation
 Neck massage, physiotherapy is useful
 Treatment – tranquilizers like diazepam, etc.

12. CLUSTER HEADACHE
 Series of headache in clusters lasting six to
twelve weeks.
 Sufferer wakes up in the early morning
 Red-watery eye, stuffiness of nostril, drooping
of eyelid may be seen.
 Common in men and smokers.
 Treatment – steroids, oxygen, ergotamine

13. SECONDARY HEADACHES
 Neuralgia
 Eye and ear problems
 Chinese restaurant syndrome (monosodium
glutamate)
 Ice cream headache, etc.

14. INVESTIGATIONS
 Blood test
 X-ray
 Urine
 MRI
 LP
 EEG

15. TREATMENT ACCORDING TO
ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE
Preventive treatment for migraines –
 Betablockers,
 Pizotifen,
 Methysergide,
 Calcium channel blockers,
 Clonidine, etc.

16. OTHER THERAPIES
 Ayurveda
 Naturopathy
 Homeopathy
 Qi-gong
 Reiki
 Acupuncture
 Cognitive therapy
 Hypnotherapy
 Aromatherapy
 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
(TENS)

17. YOGA PRACTICES
YOGA IS BALANCE (SAMATVAM)
I A Y T CORRECTS IMBALANCES
AIMS :
• STRESS REDUCTION
• RELIEF OF PAIN
• MEDICATION REDUCTION

18. Panchakosa concept
P
P
ra
ra
n
na
a
m
m
Á n a n d a m a ya K ô ù a
V YÁ D H IS
a
a
Á D H IJ A
ya
ya
V ijò a n á n m a y
M a n ôa K y aù K ô ù a
ma ô a
K
K
o
o
s
sa
a
PERFEC T
a
s
H E A L TH
o
K
ya
a
m
a
n

19. ANNAMAYA KOSA
KRIYAS
 Vamana dhouti once a week
 Performed at the beginning of headache
can abate an attack.
o KAPALABHATI
o JALA NETI
o TRATAKA
AVOID DURING SEVERE H.A

20. AS ANAS
HEAD ROLLING --
Massages the scalp muscle
Releases pranic blocks

21. ASANAS
BASIC SET OF 12 ASANAS –
Deep rest
Sthira sukham ásanám
Stability and effortlessness in
the final position

22. ASANAS
BASIC SET OF 12 ASANAS
- DEEP REST
PRAYATNA SHAITHILYA
RELAXATION
ANANTA SAMAPATTI
JOY OF EXPANSION

23. 
PRANAMAYA KOSA
PRANA
PRANIC IMBALANCE
SAMANA
ATIJERNATVAM
APANA
TOO
MUCH OF
PRANA
DRAWN
TO HEAD

24. PRANIC IMBALANCE
PRANAYAMA
PRANA
SECTIONAL BREATHING -
DIVERTS TO
SAMANA
SAMANA
SAV- RIGHT SIDED HEADACHE
CAV- LEFT SIDED HEADACHE
APANA
N S- BALANCE

25. MANOMAYA KOSA
Aim of IAYT in tension H.A
= A bad habit of excessive
focussing and speed
= A good habit
Of defocussing
and expansion

26. VERY USEFUL
TO SLOW DOWN
 MEDITATION
MOVE FROM DHARANA TO DHYANA
FROM DHYANA TO SAMADHI

27. VIJNANAMAYA KOSA
PURPOSE OF LIFE
NATURE OF HAPPINESS
MEANING OF LIFE

28. ANANDAMAYA KOSA
BLISS AND SATISFACTION
IS MY TRUE NATURE
YOGASTAH KURU KARMANI
LIFE OF JOY, HUMOUR,
ACCEPTANCE, SURRENDER

29. INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE FOR
HEADACHE AND NECK PAIN
Loosening and breathing exercises
 Loosening of fingers
 Loosening of wrists
 Rotation of shoulder
 Neck bending
 Neck rotation
 Pada sancalana
 Hand stretch breathing
 Tiger breathing
 Sasankasana breathing
 Head rolling
 Suryanamaskara


30. Yogasanas
 Ardhakaticakrasana
 Padahastasana
 Trikonasana
 Vakrasana/ Ardha-Matsyendrasana
 Ustrasana
 Bhujangasana
 Salabhasana
 Matsyasana
 Viparitakarini
 Deep relaxation technique (DRT)

31. Pranayama
 Kapalabhati
 Vibhaga pranayama
 Candra Anuloma pranayama
 Nadi suddhi
 Sitali/ Sitkari/ Sadanta
 Bhramari
Meditation (Dhyana Dharana)
 Nadanusandhana
 OM meditation
Kriyas
 Jala Neti
 Sutra Neti
 Vamana Dhouti

32. Avoid
 Supine postures – Dhanurasana
 Severe cases of headach and neck pain should
also avoid
Extreme forward bending
Sutra Neti
Vamana Dhouti

33. SPECIFIC PRACTICE
 Headache is usually but a symptom of disease
somewhere in the body.
 Disease conditions and irritation anywhere in
the system are telegraphed to headquarters in
the brain and there manifest in the form of
various symptoms, the most frequent of which
is headache.
 Yoga aims at reducing chronic headaches by
calming the mind.
 Breathing Exercises and Meditation can also
provide relief.

34. For daily practice:
 Practice Jal Neti (Nasal cleansing) for
immediate relief.
 Rechaka - Puraka Pranayama - corrects
disorders of digestive system, circulatory and
respiratory system.
 Shitali Pranayama - has a great soothing,
relaxing and cooling effect on the whole body;
helps people suffering from high blood
pressure, gastric troubles, tension and anxiety.

35. Recommended Asana :
 Suryanaskara (Sun salutation) - invigorates the
central nervous system.
 Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) - inwardly
activates the whole of abdominal area, neck,
shoulders, face and head areas.
 Shavasana.(Corpse Pose) - removes fatigue and
quitens the mind ; must be practised at the end
of asansa.

36. Headache Migraine
 Pachhimottanasana  Suryanamaskara
 Halasana  Shirshasana
 Sarvangasana  Sarvangasana
 Shavasana  Uttanapadasana
 Shirshasana  Padmasana
 Pachhimottanasana
 Shavasana
 Pranayama