Yoga for jaw ache

[Bandicoot]

Hi

I found an exercise that I believe really helped my aching jaw. My jaw has been stiff and ached since I had the SAH cranitomy 21 months ago. I have tried a range of treatments to help my jaw, skull and neck ache including massage, acupuncture, osteopathy and chewing gum.

Recently I started a gentle yoga class which has stretched me (pardon the pun) because I am stiff and sore in many places now. I do feel that after 5 weeks the gentle yoga has helped me loosen up and I have freer movement in some areas.

The teacher asked if any of us had a specific problem area and I mentioned my jaw. He said he had just the exercise. Our whole class were then instructed in the roaring lion pose and got to make appropriate roaring noise too (which helped). He said to try it at home but use a flannel (or washer dependig on where you come from) to subdue noise.

Note, the teacher always guided us in modifying any pose to suit our ability.

I am attaching a link to this particular yoga pose for anyone interested.

http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/yoga/asanas/roaring_lion.asp

Tracy

[Ern]

hi Tracy,

I am a great believer in yoga and have found that various techniques have helped me.

I know about the technique you've just described but didn't know its name.

Hope your recovery continues.

Ern

[Bandicoot]

Thanks for the encouragement Ern

I like this Satyananda yoga class for beginners where we are encouraged to go at our own pace and do modifications of exercises to suit our own bodies. It is a challenge for me in this exercise style as it is when I do long walks. I am learning how much I can do, what time of day to exercise and also learn how much I should push myself.

I feel very rusty now days (as though blood from the hemmoraghe has sat and caused rust in my spine and joints). I feel I need to do this and still have massage on an ongoing basis now (as long as I can afford it). Sometimes I am sore or tired after and it can be off putting but another of the things I am learning too is how long it takes to recover from tiredness after exercise or work from that matter.

Sometimes I feel like I am living in another body and sometimes I feel like I have a few screws loose after they did the brain surgery.

What a journey for us all It's so good to be sharing this journey with others though

Tracy

hi Tracy,

I am a great believer in yoga and have found that various techniques have helped me.

I know about the technique you've just described but didn't know its name.

Hope your recovery continues.

Ern

[Ern]

Hi Tracey,

Its a long journey for all of us. for me I found yoga to be an amzing help. Not just physically but mentally too.

I started off with Hatha yoga (the slow gentle one), now I am following the Yoga Rythm porogramme mixed in with vinyasa. i do not go to any classes because there aren't any near me. So I am following lessons on TV. The cat likes to help by walking unbder me when I am in Down dog:lol:.

These have helped me because I suffered a lot of muscle shrinkage after my SAH & lost a lot of mobillity. but now I am almost back to pre-SAH levels of flexibillity. Except on cold days.

I practice yoga every morning to set me up for the day as the relaxation part at the end helps to put me in the right frame of mind for the day.

My Neuro consultant has agreed that the yoga is beneficial but that I should be cautious of what I do. for instances, the shoulder stands are a big no no and if I have any pain, I should stop. so its mainly commen sense stuff.

I struggle with the balances because I can't feel my left foot, but even that is improving all the time.

I am also going to the gym 3 times a week.

when I first started back I would sleep for almost half a day to recover. Now I can do a full 1.5 hour workout and then rush home to cook dinner for Mrs. So just take things steady and you will build up the stamina and strength to acieve your goals.

ern

[Bandicoot]

Thanks for yoga & exercise tips Ern!

I know it takes time to recover but the questions "when will I feel better" and "will I ever get better" keep rolling around my head.

I appreciate your enthusiasm and positive spirit to spur me on to slowly increase my physical activity.

Gut I actually skipped yoga this week and had a massage instead. I have gone under again with neck, head and shoulder pain. I don't '******' know why and it makes yoga and work hard. Maybe it was the skull operation but this is my reallly vulnerable area still.

I will look up the yoga practice that you have mentioned and this might help my patience with my recovery.

I think I will start a thread about dealing with head, jaw pain to see if I can get some ideas here to help me along.

cheers on a wet Winter Sydney night - I'm not complaining, Sydney cold weather is a cool breeze.

Tracy

[Sandi K]

Hi Tracy and Ern,

I'm doing 'Gentle Therapeutic Yoga' which is designed for people with injuries. It's modified depending on the injuries in the class and as most of us are drop-ins the class changes every time.

It has helped me so much with balance and confidence. I feel strength in my stance and I feel my feet solid on the ground. Before yoga I didn't feel safe with my walk and I even fell a couple of times from a standing still position. I was reaching for every railing and Peter's arm constantly. I'm feeling so much stronger that I'm comfortable carrying bags around now. It's mostly down to yoga.

I was explaining it to the owner of the yoga studio and I was so grateful I started to cry. She asked me if I would write a testimonial. I must do that.

Sandi K. Xo

[Winb143]

When I went to Hydro my Hydroman got me balancing on one leg.....I thought I was good but toppled into him..and I am

no light weight ........good job the water made me lighter lol

Felt achey after Hydro but did more work and less talking (makes a change) !!

Love to All of You

WinB143 xx

[Ern]

Just another quick thought, Tracy.

If you are still feeling pain, that is something you should see yur doctor about.

But given time, a bit of work and some patience you will start to feel better again.

Just remember the important bit always check with your doctor first.

When I first got discharged from hospital (Jan 2007), I couldn't walk a hundred yards. Now I am playing football (soccer) and running and al sorts. But each step of the way, I double checked with the Dr before I started anything new.

& another thing. Find something you enjoy. It makes it so much easier.

[kpaggett]

Hi all,

I found yoga too! I never did it before and now I do that yoga flow with a mix of therapeutic mixed in (at least that's what my teacher has training in). Also, can you believe that she teaches as part of her spiritual mission and accepts no $$ for her time/talent. I am so thankful to her because it has been a life-savor for me. My PT was working me ragged with little understanding of SAH, now I can go at my own pace and feel so present that I don't think about SAH (until I do the balance poses). However, even the balance is way better than a few months ago.

Hope that all of you are finding that wonderful slow breathing rhythm refreshing.

~Kris

[Guest Zong Mo]

Hello All

Recently i have started taking yoga classes due to the encouragement from my grand ma because he says that a healthy body contains a healthy mind...

I work at a nursing home and can't manage to take out my time out of my busy schedule and now i have started doing yoga for the past few days and i must say that i m really feeling the difference.