Yoga, as we know is a 5,000 year old practice that unites the mind and body, a holistic practice for overall wellbeing of a person. It connects the mind and body through the various exercises such as breathing, meditation and body postures, while communicating with the Panch Maha Bhuthas (The Five Elements).
According to yogic science, the five elements are the earth (prithvi), water (aap), fire (tej), air (vayu) and space (aakasha). When our body interacts with these five elements it helps us hear, see, smell, taste and sense touch, through the organs of perception (Dnyanendriya) ie. ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin.
Hearing provides input to the brain, which plays an important role in achieving our sense of balance, with asana practice – be it Tadasana (standing still), Sirsasana (headstand) or pranayama (breathing). Yoga is therapeutic.
Yoga therapy for Ear
Yoga therapy for Ear helps you prevent, or deal with existing ear problems, if any. The various postures that improve ear health are:
Karnapidasana (Ear Pressure Pose) – this pose helps the spine stretch and control the pressure in the ears for balancing.
- Get into Halasana and stay in the pose for about 30 seconds with legs extended straight and joint together.
- Bend knees, resting them by the side of the ears.
- Press both knees against the ears and rest them on the floor if possible, with toes stretched back.
- Either keep the palms supporting behind the back of the ribs or press the palms on the floor to lift the pelvis up.
- Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to a minute with normal breathing.
Sukshma Vyayama Kriya (Subtle Exercise for ears) – this pose aerates the middle ear system
and clears mucus from the middle ear into the nasopharynx, thus preventing infection from ascending to the middle ear. Opening and closing functions of the eustachian tube are physiologically and pathologically important. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear cavity with the nasopharynx.
- Sit in a comfortable posture like Sukhasana (Easy cross legged pose). Keep the back erect and rigid.
- Join palms with all fingers touching each other and the palms spreading open.
- Raise head up slightly and use the thumbs to close both nostrils.
- Inhale through the mouth, so that the breath fills the abdomen, chest and mouth.
- Tuck in the chin and touch the little fingers in the middle of the chest. Perform Jalandhara Bandha (Chin Lock) and Mula Bandha (Root Lock).
- Stay for about 10-30 seconds. Let the air escape through Eustachain tube (inner ear).
Bhamari Pranayama (Honey Bee Breathing) – This asana helps convert and amplify vibration in the air to vibration in fluid. This happens when the eardrum transmits sound from the air to the ossicles in the middle ear, and then to the fluid-filled cochlea (auditory portion of the inner ear).
Sit in a comfortable asana like Padmasana or Sukhasana.
Bend the knees, resting them on side of the ears.
Close ears with the palms with the thumbs facing down towards the shoulders.
Press the heels of the palms on the temple.
. Inhale deeply; then exhale softly with humming sound like the bee murmuring.
Repeat this for about 5 minutes to vibrate the eardrum.
Sanmukhi Mudra (Six-headed God Mudra)
- Sit in Padmasana or Sukhasana.
- Raise the hands towards the face, lifting the elbows.
- Close the ear holes with the thumbs; place the index fingers on the eyelids; close both the nostrils partially and equally with the middle fingers; and place the ring fingers and the little fingers on the upper and the lower lips.
- Stay in the position as long as possible, drawing the vision inwards with rhythmic breathing.
Haakara (Sound Haa Pranayama)
- Sit in a comfortable posture like Padmasana or Sukhasana. Keep the back erect.
- Stretch the arms out and rest the back of the wrists on the knees.
- Join the tips of the index finger and the thumbs, extend the other finger in Jnana Mudra.
- Keep the eyes closed and exhale completely.
- Take a steady and deep breath through both nostrils.
- Exhale slowly through the mouth with a “haa” sound. This sound should be heard and the breath should be felt in the roof of the palate in the mouth.
- Repeat this for about 5-10 minutes.
Makarasana (Corcodile Pose)
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This pose helps provides an overall relaxation to the body, especially in case of an acute ear pain. It will balance the both the ears, relieves a block in the ear and remove any water or fluid from the ear.
- Lie down on the stomach.
- Bend the right leg knee to the right side with the hip and foot turned outwards, while keeping the left leg straight.
- Place the right palm down on the floor supporting the head and turn the face to the left.
- . Bend the left elbow and position it slightly away from the left shoulder.
- The right ear rests on the right hand. Maintain the pose with normal breathing for about 2-3 minutes.
- Repeat this on the other side.
Yoga for Throat Problems
The pharynx, larynx and the epiglottis are important parts of the throat. The common types of throat problems are Pharyngitis, Laryngitis, Tonsillitis and different types of Throat Cancers.
Simhasana (Lion Pose) For Sore Throat
This exercise is one of the best yoga poses for relieving a sore throat
- Sit on your knees, with your thighs resting on your shanks.
- Place your hands on your thighs.
- Inhale deeply and gradually.
- Now, open your mouth wide with your tongue sticking out.
- Exhale through your open mouth by making a sound that resembles a lion’s roar.
- Try to rotate your eyes while doing this asana.
Paryankasana (Couch pose for Tonsillitis)
Improves the overall health of the tonsils.
- Bend backwards and arch your body with your head touching the floor and your neck forming a part of the curvature of the arch, and stay in this position for 10-30 secs.
- Gradually rise up and return to the kneeling pose.
- This asana improves blood circulation to the throat, stretches and tones the throat muscles.
- Improves the functioning of the thyroid and parathyroid glands in the throat.
Sasangasana for Laryngitis
- Kneel on the floor and gradually bend forward, till your head touches the knees.
- In this pose hold your heels with your hands on either side.
- This improves blood flow to the different parts of the throat and rejuvenates the throat muscles and larynx.
Ujjayi Pranayama
Is a yoga breathing exercise that helps tackle throat cancer.
- Sit cross-legged on the floor with your eyes closed.
- Inhale slowly pressing your throat muscles internally producing a wheezing sound
- Hold the breath for a while and exhale through the nostrils.
Sheetalasana
Perform this asana by folding your tongue like a tunnel and inhaling air through it. You will feel coolness in your tongue and mouth. It reduces the temperature in the throat at which microorganisms thrive, making it non-conducive for bacteria.
Yoga for Nose
Sutraneti ( Nasal Cleansing with thread)
This helps relieve sinuses
- First sit in Kagasana
- Now insert the thread through one of the nostrils, which seems to be more active.
- Try to get it to the back of the throat, catch the sutra and bring it out from the mouth.
- Slowly and gently make movement of thread forward and backward.
- Continue it for 10 rounds.
- Take the thread out and repeat the same with other nostril.
Jalaneti – ( Nasal cleansing with water)
This helps chronic headaches, insomnia, cough, cold and drowsiness. It’s a cleansing exercise with warm water saline (Salted water). Its good against cold and cough.
Take a Neti pot and salted lukewarm water (1 tsp salt in ½ litre water)
- Sit in Kagasana with a gap of 2 feet between the feet.
- Tilt the head and insert the neti pot nozzle into the active nostril. Let water flow through this nostril and ensures to release through other nostril.
- While performing the exercise, your mouth should be opened and body be relaxed.
- After completing through one of the nostrils, continue the same with other one.
Kapalbhati
Kapala means skull while Bhati means to shine, a yogic exercise to shine skull. It helps to improve mental functions; refresh and rejuvenates the head region. It is helpful in treating of cold, cough, rhinitis, sinusitis and respiratory related problems.
Sit in any meditative posture.
- Inhale deeply and exhale forcefully with the contraction of abdominal muscles.
- Now inhale is passive & spontaneous while exhaling is forceful.
- Continue it for 10 minutes. (Initially 2 to 3 minutes.)
- While performing Kapalabhati, there shouldn’t be movement of your shoulders.
- Your face should be cool, calm and relaxed.
If you have any kind of ENT related problems, contact BSR ENT hospital for preventive, therapeutic care.