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viparitakarani33
Romania
5 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 7:13:57 PM
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Can you help me?
Starting from january 2011 I began to practice Sarvangasana for long periods of time... about 2 hours.
After aproximatively a month I coudn't breathe normally... Initially I thought it was because I cleaned
my nose with water (I was sucking water through the nose and throw it out throught the mouth). I stopped
washing my nose but not the practice of Sarvangasana.... I expected an improvement.... It didn't happened.
I continued to practice Sarvangasana daily for about 2 hours. I started to use nasar sprays to help me breathe
better... initially an improvement happened... but it was only temporary because these sprays are addictive. I used
the sprays every day and I became addicted to them. I cound't breathe at all without them.... Then only I went to
the doctor. I was told that I have the turbinates swollen and that I have to undergo surgery to reduce them.
I did the surgery... and there was a slight improvement... not very much though.
Then it was sugested that I have to undergo septum surgery too... the septum deviation was very small, yet
I did that surgery too. After the septum surgery there was again some improvement, but that was
because I stoped for some time the practice of Sarvangasana.
During this period I didn't thought that my breathing problems were because of sarvangasana.
I started again to practice and I increased the period up to 3 hours/day... until I coudn't breathe at all.
Only then I realised that it was because of Sarvangasana... and I realised what happened. Some thick...
I mean THICK mucus accumulated in my nose and throat.... and now I just cannot get rid of it.
It is like having my nose and throat filled with thick glue. If I eat chillie peppers there is a slight improvement,
but the problem is that it doesn't last too much.
I just don't know what to do...I just cannot breathe because of this thick and hard mucus.
My sinuses are probably congested?
I tired everything I could think about.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thank you. |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 9:09:00 PM
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| Patient says to doctor "it hurts wen I do this..." Doctor says, "ok, stop doing it". What is to be accomplished by doing shoulderstand for 2 hours at a stretch? It immediately seems extreme and counterproductive to me. 1/2 hr might be beneficial, 2 hours could be time much better spent. I mean, I would not suggest sitting in meditation for 2 hrs or any posture for that matter. Postures are for your health and benefit, they are not a requirement for anything else. Asana is not an endurance contest. Our bodies are not designed to be upside down with the neck compressed for that long a period of time. yes, it is a beneficial stretch, yes, inversions are helpful in dealing with the pull of gravity WITHIN REASON. Sorry, this one is a no brainer, or perhaps all of this shoulderstand has effected your brain ( no offense intended) |
Edited by - Victor on Dec 27 2011 9:23:37 PM |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 11:03:42 PM
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| Bottom line, my qualified advice is to reduce your sarvangasana timing from 2 hours to one half hour. I would do some sitting forward bends such as Paschimottanasana for a few minutes afterward. By a few minutes I mean perhaps five minutes, ten maximum. Then be sure to do a nice long savanasa at the end to neutralize the stretch. Sarvangasana is not a good pose to end a practice with, though I would sequence it near the end. While it IS a pose that one can stay in for a longer period of time than say backbends, I would say that 30 minutes should be maximum in most anyones case. |
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Swan
India
256 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 12:33:23 AM
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Viparitakarani33, welcome to the forum ...
I agree with Victor.
In addition, what I have learned is that sarvangasana should always be followed by matsyasana. It makes sense to me as the position of neck vis-a-vis shoulder is totally opposite to that in sarvangasana. So it should relax any undue pressure you accumulate during sarvangasana.
Hope this helps  |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 01:33:12 AM
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| Matsyasana is the traditional counterpose to sarvangasana. Iyengar differs on this and suggests paschimottanasana as the stretch of the forward bend releases the forward bend of the neck. One could cover all bases by doing matsyasana after shoulderstand and then finish with paschimottanasana and then savasana |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 01:46:08 AM
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quote:
One could cover all bases by doing matsyasana after shoulderstand and then finish with paschimottanasana and then savasana
yep this is the Sivananda approach |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 08:15:51 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by viparitakarani33
Starting from january 2011 I began to practice Sarvangasana for long periods of time... about 2 hours.
I started again to practice and I increased the period up to 3 hours/day... until I coudn't breathe at all.
Why do this practice for so long?
Everything in moderation... there is no all or nothing to anything in Yoga.
Anyways, have you tried doing jala neti?
Take a look at this lesson and see if it helps: http://www.aypsite.org/313.html
Also try homeopathic medicine Kali Bich 30 for the thick mucous. |
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kaserdar
91 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 08:25:51 AM
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Hello viparitakarani33,
Sounds like you have GERD (acid reflux) caused by abnormal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter so while practicing sarvangasana stomach content can easily go up to breathing passages and make irritation there resulting having thick mucus. This problem may happen only during practicing or may have become permanent problem.
I have had GERD last 3 years and it started after I took Hatha yoga classes. I probably overdid some breathing exercises or asanas. It was all before AYP.
I suggest you stop practicing sarvangasana completely and go for gastronomical examination. GERD can be ruled oud very easily. |
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viparitakarani33
Romania
5 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 11:53:13 AM
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Actually i do have gerd, but i don't understand why this causes my problems. My nose and throat mucus membranes have dried up...
almost completely... I don't remember when was the last time I had
a running nose. Is the any way to thin this mucus and make it running?
quote:
Originally posted by kaserdar
Hello viparitakarani33,
Sounds like you have GERD (acid reflux) caused by abnormal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter so while practicing sarvangasana stomach content can easily go up to breathing passages and make irritation there resulting having thick mucus. This problem may happen only during practicing or may have become permanent problem.
I have had GERD last 3 years and it started after I took Hatha yoga classes. I probably overdid some breathing exercises or asanas. It was all before AYP.
I suggest you stop practicing sarvangasana completely and go for gastronomical examination. GERD can be ruled oud very easily.
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2011 : 10:50:52 PM
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| Viparitakarani, what other asana do you do in addition to your practice of sarvangasana? If you spend 2 hours daily in shoulderstand I would guess that this is the core of your practice, or that you are practicing yoga full time. I am curious |
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kaserdar
91 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2011 : 05:19:56 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by viparitakarani33
Actually i do have gerd, but i don't understand why this causes my problems. My nose and throat mucus membranes have dried up...
almost completely... I don't remember when was the last time I had
a running nose. Is the any way to thin this mucus and make it running?
GERD can cause all of these problems. I really suggest you to go for examination again.
Also, best way go to have relief from congestion is deep meditation. After the sessions, I used to cough up whatever I was holding.
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viparitakarani33
Romania
5 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2011 : 06:14:11 AM
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Right now this is the only asana I practice.
Now I try to practice Matsasana also.
quote:
Originally posted by Victor
Viparitakarani, what other asana do you do in addition to your practice of sarvangasana? If you spend 2 hours daily in shoulderstand I would guess that this is the core of your practice, or that you are practicing yoga full time. I am curious
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2011 : 1:30:26 PM
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It is not good to just practice one asana. I would strongly suggest that you follow an asana routine that involves a variety of poses that open your body in different directions. It is a much healthier use of your time and of course I suggest sitting meditation as it is taught here.
Perhaps if you enjoy being upside down that you might incorporate headstand into your practice, always practicing it before shoulderstand. Also matsyasana is good but be sure to finish with forward bends and PLEASE reduce your sarvangasana timing significantly! |
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sarvangasana - i cannot breathe anymore
