Yoga for Earache: A List of Yoga Asanas to Help Alleviate the Pain of an Earache
The discomfort of earaches:
Earaches occur for various reasons such as underlying medical conditions or too much ear exposure when underwater. Earaches often result in a lot of pain and can continue for a long period or a short period. Those who have underlying health issues that cause earaches should visit a professional healthcare provider to be issued proper treatment.
For people who have a mild earache from time to time, more natural techniques can be used to get rid of the pain. Suffering from earache can be painful and may disrupt the flow of a person’s life. Certain yoga poses may help to reduce this pain and help a person to focus so that they’re not hyper-focused on their earache.
How yoga can help with earache:
Yoga can help to relax the muscles and increase blood flow to the head and ears. This can help to alleviate earaches by reducing inflammation and promoting healing. Additionally, certain yoga poses can help to relieve tension in the neck and shoulders, which can also contribute to ear pain. Yoga is calming and improves focus, which will help a person to relax and not panic through the pain. Here are four yoga poses for somebody struggling with an earache...
A list of yoga poses to help manage earaches:
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Posture: Begin with the left leg over the right and the right arm above the left in a seated position. Hold the pose for three deep breaths and only go as far into the pose as is comfortable. Switch to the right leg being on top and hold for another three breaths before releasing the pose to a neutral seated position.
Benefits: Practicing Cow Face Pose is a gentle way to relieve tension and pain in the area of the neck and ear, which can help to alleviate an earache. An additional benefit of practicing this pose is that it stretches the shoulders.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Posture: Press firmly into the hands and engage the core to ensure the spine is straight. Hold the pose for three deep breaths before releasing from it into a tabletop pose.
Benefits: Downward-Facing Dog is a yoga inversion, which helps to get the blood flowing to the head and the neck region. This can help to prevent and get rid of an earache. An additional benefit of practicing Downward-Facing Dog is that it strengthens the arms and the legs.
Supported Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana)
Posture: Gently lift the lower body off of the floor and place the hands on your lower back region to keep you lifted in the air. Hold the pose for a total of two breaths before slowly releasing the body back down onto the mat. This is a difficult pose: use a wall or a friend to help you learn this pose safely.
Benefits: Shoulder Stand is another inversion pose that can help to get the blood flowing towards the neck and the ears. This will help to relieve pressure and pain in the ear. An additional benefit of practicing this pose is that it stretches the spine.
Neck Tucking Pose (Jalandhara Bandha)
Posture: Begin in a neutral seated position. Gently lower the head so that it is tucked downwards. Hold the pose for three deep breaths before returning to a neutral seated position.
Benefits: This gentle tucking pose increases blood flow, which can help to relieve any congestion or blockages that may be causing earache. An additional benefit of practicing this pose is that it stretches the back of the neck.
Authored by: Kate Viljoen. Katé is a qualified yoga instructor and freelance writer. She is passionate about copy-writing, the earth, and movement of any kind. In her free time, she focuses on improving her writing skills. You can find her on Upwork.