What Is Hernia?

A hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an internal organ or other body part juts out through the wall of muscle or tissue that normally encloses it. Most herniation cases ensue within the abdominal cavity, between the chest and the hip region.

Also Read: Umbilical Hernia: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

In simpler terms, a herniation occurs when the discs placed between the vertebrae tear, and the interior of the disc comes outward. This bulging out tissue pressurizes the adjacent nerves causing pain. When a person is plagued with this painful condition, both the legs and back are affected and the pain ensued from it gets aggravated by movements. Although herniated discs may occur in any part of the spine, it is the lumbar spine that gets most affected in the maximum cases.

Hernia can occur due to several reasons including degeneration of the spine with age, wear and tear of the spinal column, sports-related injuries, sudden accidents and resultant injury and even a sedentary lifestyle.

While an advanced case of herniation might require medical intervention and surgery, a moderate form may be handled well with a change in diet, medications and simple yogic postures.

Does Yoga Provide Relief From Hernia?

Certain yoga postures when performed under expert supervision not only strengthen the back muscles but also stretches the abdominal muscles and improve blood circulation throughout the lower back.

Well, pain from a hernia will not be an obstacle in your life anymore. We have selectively curated 5 such stretching yoga postures that are bound to provide enormous relief to people suffering from hernia.

5 Best Yoga Poses To Remedy Hernia Pain

Ustrasana (Camel Pose):

Kneel on the floor, with your soles upward and legs touching the ground. Next, while keeping your hands on the hips, align your knees and shoulders in a straight manner. Breathe in, and tilt your spine backwards, while gripping your feet with your hands for balance. Hold this position for one minute or as long as you can, then slowly bring your back to an upright position, relaxing the legs and hands as well.

Benefits:

The Camel Pose is quintessential in strengthening and stretching your lower back and shoulders and also improves overall posture. It not only allows movement of free prana throughout the body while ensuring better efficacy of the lower abdominal organs but reinforces the back and hip muscles while mitigating pain arising from a hernia.

Naukasana (Boat Pose)

Start by lying down straight on the ground, with the back touched to the. Keep both your arms on either side of your body. Slowly inhale and exhale for a few cycles to adjust the breathing patterns. Then simultaneously, while inhaling raise your upper body off the ground, while lifting both feet above. Place both your hands directly forward, outstretched between the body and the knees. Hold this posture for at least 5 minutes. Breathe out and relax the body, and slowly bring it back to the initial position. Repeat the pose 5-6 times.

Benefits:

The Boat pose not only helps in enhancing the circulation of blood and oxygen in the lower pelvic area but also reinforces the abdominal wall and prevents recurrent hernias. It also strengthens the hip flexors and adductor muscles and prevents prostate enlargement.

Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder-Stand Pose)

Lie straight on the ground with your legs laid side-by-side and both arms resting on either side of the body. Swing your legs up in such a way so that the legs, buttocks and hip is vertically up in the air and support your body with your elbows attached to the ground. While settling into the posture, secure your body properly keeping your legs and spine straight. Hold the stance for 30-40 secs while inhaling and exhaling normally. Slowly bring your legs down to the Shavasana pose and repeat this pose 2-3 times.

Benefits:

Considered the “Mother of all Poses”, the Salamba sarvanga asana is extremely pivotal in decreasing abdominal pressure and staving off the projection of abdominal contents. When practised regularly in the correct alignment, this pose strengthens the upper body, legs, and abdominal muscles and relieves lower back pain.

Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)

Sit straight on the ground. While exhaling, fold your legs close to your body so that the soles of each foot touch each other face to face. Let your knees stretch out to the sides. Hold the thumb of your foot and ensure that the foot soles remain touched with each other and are always secured to the ground. Once you are comfortable in the posture, ensure that the torso is stretched through the top of the sternum, and the shoulder blades are also firmly pressed to the back. Now inhale and exhale normally. Hold this for 1 minute, take a break for 30 seconds and repeat this pose 5 times.

Benefits:

This butterfly pose plays a pivotal role in opening the various obstructions within the body, especially in the hips enabling a full range of movement and establishing a channel for the free passage of fluids within the body cavities. It is also exceptionally helpful in stretching the inner thighs, knees and groin and is good in remedying hernia pain.

Virabhadrasana (Warrior pose)

Stand straight with the legs placed wide apart at a 3 feet distance. Turn left foot out by 90 degrees and right foot in by about 15 degrees. Lift both arms sideways horizontally to shoulder height with your palms facing up. Keep your arms parallel to the ground. While exhaling, bend your left knee. Turn your head to your left. Make a gentle effort to shove your pelvis down. Keep breathing normally as you go down. While inhaling, come up and while exhaling, bring your hands down from the sides. Repeat this 5 times.

Benefits:

The warrior pose bolsters thighs and lower back muscles. It is effective for conditioning the lower limb musculature and for improving balance and poise in the body. It also prevents hernia from recurring later in life.