Neck pain is experienced differently in kapha, pitta, and vata types. Kapha types are not usually prone to neck pain because of their physical structure. When they experience neck pain, it is often caused by congestion or compression of the vertebrae. Pitta types are prone to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and nerve compression. Vata types often have excessive mobility of the joints that can cause cervical disc prolapse or neck strains. Vata types also are likely to suffer from stress-related neck pain and headaches.
Neck pain is generally caused by imbalanced vata. With vata conditions, yoga therapy should help regulate prana. A yoga therapy program for neck pain should include the following:
- Pranayama . Good choices of pranayama include wave breath with awareness of thoughts and feelings, intercostal breathing, and sama vritti ujjaye pranayama which can be done alone or with dynamic asana.
- Dynamic movement with breath and awareness. Use the dynamic movements of the JFS for shoulders, upper body, and neck along with other dynamic postures. End asana with apanasana to bring vata back to its home in the pelvis.
- Sacroiliac Stabilization Exercise. Use when indicated by results of the sacroiliac test.
- Relaxation. Relaxation helps increase awareness and sensitivity and calms an overly stressed system. Yoni mudra is useful in savasana to bring displaced vata home.
Neck pain is also a pitta condition when symptoms involve pain radiating to the shoulder, arms, and/or hands, weakness, numbness, and/or tingling. In this situation, yoga therapy should focus on a dynamic mild stretch around the area of pain, being careful not to stretch on the area of pain. Care should be taken to avoid building too much heat with the stretch or with asana.
