Sensitivity to touch, tingling, lack of coordination, and numbness are all clear signs that indicate you have peripheral neuropathy. There are hundreds of neuropathy supplements in the world that can help you manage the pain, but they are not always helpful. If you are looking for a more natural approach, then we suggest doing yoga.
Yoga exercises strengthen the pathways of communication between our brain and your nerves.
When it comes to yoga, there are plenty of exercises for alleviating different symptoms.
In the case of peripheral neuropathy, you need low-impact exercises to start small because not all people respond the same to these exercises.
Hatha yoga consists of simple bending exercises that focus on taking several breaths while maintaining a position rather than on flow of the movements.
Research proves that yoga is quite beneficial for neuropathy. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, exercising daily can help maintain the body’s functions that have a hand in peripheral neuropath.
In the study, 20 participants with type 2 diabetes performed yoga for 40 minutes/day for 40 days. The results revealed that their glycemic control (high blood sugar aggravates neuropathy) and nerve function improved significantly.
Another study published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology talked about the benefits of yoga on neuropathy. The research revealed that yoga works as a complementary therapy but should be combined with a few other treatments.
From medical interventions to electrical nerve stimulation and lifestyle modifications… these are just some of the important strategies that should be tried.
Yoga practices help you handle the stress that comes with peripheral neuropathy. Meditation (breathing in and out) is a distraction method and the yoga exercises assist with restoring movement to painful joints. As we already know, peripheral neuropathy is a condition that cannot be reversed.
The only way to lessen the pain is to maintain your blood sugar level and blood flow. The former can be achieved by making some strict lifestyle and the latter can be achieved the yoga.
Yoga helps increase blood flow to body parts that are affected with peripheral neuropathy. Cortisol, a chemical messenger, which is responsible for the flight-or fight mode contributes to stress in diabetic patients. Through exercise, cortisol is maintained, which in turn suppresses non-vital organs for energy and maintains blood glucose. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory hormone that prevents widespread nerve and tissue damage.
Now that you know how beneficial yoga can be in treating peripheral neuropathy, let’s have a look at some low-impact Hatha exercises:
The classic Triangle pose is one of the most common yoga poses. Even if you are not flexible enough, the simple movement of this pose can be easily achieved. To do the Trikonasana pose, stand with your hands by your side and your feet together.
Bend the right hand and touch your toes. It’s alright if you can’t touch the toes. Simple stretch and bend as far down as your body allows. Lift you left hand up straight in the air at a 90 degrees angle and maintain the pose.
Try to remain in position for at least 6 seconds. Do not bend your knees and take deep breaths while maintaining the pose. This will help you relax your muscles and maintain energy. Slowly lower you left hand and come back to your original position and now do it on the other side.
The Triangle pose improves blood flow to the extremities that are affected by neuropathy. Moreover, it strengthens the nerves and brings back energy to them.
Another common pose in yoga is the Camel pose. Similar to the Triangle pose, this pose also improves blood flow to body parts that are affected by peripheral neuropathy.
This pose requires more flexibility but remember — progression in yoga exercises depends on the movements of your joints. Don’t push yourself into a pose that you can’t achieve or maintain or you will do more damage to your joints.
Began in a position where you are kneeling. Hold your torso straight and then slowly bring your hands and arms behind you. Rest your palms on your sole and tilt your heads backward. Maintain the pose for 3 seconds and don’t forget to breathe in and out.
Now slowly return back to the original position and rest on your knees. This is not exactly a beginner’s pose, which is why you should try it only when you have become familiar with the Triangle pose.
The purpose of giving yoga poses such silly names is to make them sound less intimidating. The Chair pose helps you strengthen nerves and overcome discomfort and pain in stressful situations. Even if you have haven’t achieved maximum flexibility, you can easily maintain this pose.
Stand straight, with your feet slightly apart. Stretch your hands in front of you at an 80 degrees angle. Tilt your head so that you are looking at the ground. Now, squat down slowly (as if you are sitting in a chair) and exhale even breaths.
Hold the position for 3 seconds and then move back into the original standing position. For maximum benefit, do this exercise as often as you can in a day.
There are different types of Inversion poses in yoga. Each has a different skill level and can be done based on your flexibility. One of the easiest ones is the Downward-Facing Dog pose. As the picture shows, it’s pretty simple. Like the Triangle pose, you have to form a triangle with your body in a different manner.
Set your feet slightly apart and place your hands in front of you while bowing down. Your hips should be up in the air at a 90 degrees angle. Train your gaze on your feet and take slow breaths. Maintain this position for at least 30 seconds or more if your body allows.
This is a great pose to calm down your nerves. It allows you to enter a state of mindfulness, where you feel devoid of discomfort and pain. It strengthens your core muscles, and improves movement, as well as flexibility. By doing this pose every day, you can ease your joint pain and stiffness.
In the end, the result you achieve is that your central nervous system relaxes and relieves your body of neuropathy pain.
Have you ever seen an archer’s bow? Have you felt how taut the string is attached to the ends of the bow? The Bow pose is similar to that where you arms are the string and the body is the bow.
Lie down on a mat on your belly and place your hands on your side, palms up. Exhale and then bend your knees by bringing it to your buttocks. Once you have maintained the position, hold your ankles with your hands. Make sure to keep your knees opened slightly (width of your hips).
Take a few deep breaths and once you feel your core strengthening, pull your ankles and life your head and torso up from the ground. Keep your back muscles soft and pull as far as you can.
Keep moving your shoulder blades against your back and open you heart. Gaze forward and take deep breaths again. Maintain this pose for 20 seconds and then loosen your limbs. Once you get accustomed to the pose, try doing 2 to 4 reps of it in a day.
This pose offers many benefits such as it stretches the groin, thighs, ankles, chest, abdomen and throat. It also strengthens your back muscles along, improves posture and stimulates the organs.
This is another beginner’s pose, which provides relief from neuropathy pain. The position of the hands and feet help restore nerve function and allows you to perform the exercises easily.
Lie down on your back on a mat. Keep your hands by your side and feet straight, and take deep breaths. Once you have centered yourself, bring your right knee up to your chest. Hold your legs in place by gripping your shin and then stretch the legs to your chest.
Don’t push yourself, instead keep your bight lose. Once your legs have stretched enough, try to touch your forehead to your knee and take deep breaths. Hold this pose for 10 seconds and then lower your legs. Another way to do this exercise is to alternate the legs.
This brings us to an end on the low-impact yoga exercise. Staying health and fit can help improve the flow of blood to your feet and hands. This can be achieved by adopting healthy lifestyle habits and including exercise in your daily routine.
Once you have achieved flexibility with the Hatha exercises, you can proceed to aerobic exercises. Along with doping exercise, you should also take vitamin supplements and herbs to relieve the pain such as Nerve Renew by Neuropathy Treatment Group.
