WHAT IS TINNITUS ?

When you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears. It is inside your ear & only you can hear it & there is no external cause. The causes of your tinnitus is best determined by your doctor or GP, but can include an ear infection, problems with ears, nose & throat, allergies, problems with circulation, age related hearing loss, stress, stiff neck & jaw. Tinnitus could affect your attention span, cognitive function & sleep.

CAN YOGA HELP MY TINNITUS ?

With regular practice yoga could definately help. If you have been diagnosed with tinnitus please be given the OK & all clear by your doctor or GP before commencing yoga & other forms of exercise.

The practice of yoga will

• Help increase the circulation of blood throughout your entire body.
• It massages & stimulates your organs to help remove toxins.
• It helps us improve our immunity to protect us from infection & allergies.
• Yoga helps to relax the muscles of our body including our head & neck which can help reduce the noise caused by tinnitus.
• Reduce stress in your body & mind & restore calm.

A yoga student who has been suffering from tinnitus approached me asking if there where any yoga poses or exercises she could do to help relieve her tinnitus symptoms. After writing about how yoga can help relieve tinnitus symptoms & putting this to our yoga class there was a show of hands from students in studio and online who too experience tinnitus. Tinnitus is more common than we realise. This highlights the importance of a regular yoga practice. Yoga poses and variations of these yoga poses such as Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward facing dog), Padangusthasana ( Standing forward bend & hanging rag doll ) , Bhujangasana ( Cobra poses ) are included in every yoga class we do. Also never under estimate the power of the Humming Bee Breath in reducing tinnitus symptoms as you balance left & right hand side of brain & body & calm your central nervous system. Below are some variations of these poses.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)

Downward Facing Dog is a fundamental yoga pose for improving blood circulation throughout the body. While holding this yoga pose in a relaxed manner it allows your spine, neck and head to lengthen, strengthen and relax. Consequently this allows your ears, nose and throat cavities to open blocked channels and thus decongest areas in your ears, nose and throat giving relief from tinnitus.

Padangusthasana (Standing forward bend)

Standing forward bending including hanging rag doll allows your head and neck to be upside down. This creates an anti-gravity flow of blood to your head which can reassemble the fluids in the ear canals giving you symptomatic relief from your discomfort. The flow of blood to your head helps to clear out the blockages in your ears, nose and throat increasing your circulation, improving nutrients in your blood to help fight the viruses and reduce stress to your body and mind.

Trikonsana ( Triangle pose)

Triangle Pose allows the head to hang on one side. This sends a gush of fresh blood to the head and neck region. During this pose the muscles in face, head and neck get relaxed which helps the ears pop and open up. This reduces the ringing sensation. Additionally Triangle pose aligns the spine, improves equilibrium, corrects body posture and relieves overall stress.

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose variations)

Cobra poses open and lengthen the entire front body. The chest, throat and nose cavities get to expand and open. This helps to remove toxins in the body and release energy blocks in these areas promoting the flow of fresh blood to circulate in your upper body. With time these poses reduce the ringing sensation in the ears to help tinnitus. Cobra poses also strengthen your upper, middle and lower back muscles. Expanding and opening through your entire front body works into your adrenal glands to help pick up your energy and improve concentration and focus.

Viparita Karani ( Legs up Wall )

Legs up the wall pose allows your legs to be up in the air while your heels are supported by the wall. The purpose of this pose to completely relax your body. While holding this pose you should be feeling 100 percent relaxed as you allow your spine, neck and head to lengthen and soften. Having your legs up the wall places your legs above your heart. This permits the blood to drain from your feet and legs back down into your body slowing down your heart and improving your circulation of blood throughout the body and also awakens the throat chakra that indirectly relieves one from tinnitus. It is beneficial in allowing lymphatic drainage and releasing pressure from the back and hip muscles.

Harder alternative to Viparita Karani ( Legs up wall. No wall and placing a yoga block at the back of your hips)

By placing a yoga block under your hips to gently raise your hips while your legs are up in the air with your legs above your heart increases the circulation and blood flow towards your upper body. Bringing the flow of blood towards your throat, ears and nose while your body is in a completely relaxed state will help to relieve the ringing sensation and other noises associated with tinnitus.

Bhramari Pranayama (Humming Bee Breath)

Humming Bee Breath occurs on the exhalation. Sitting in an upright position with your mouth closed. Take an inhale through your nose and on the exhale create your humming bee breath. Make your humming bee breath as long as possible. We are wanting to create a down regulation by deliberately practising shifting your nervous system from a sympathetic state of fight or flight mode to a parasympathetic state of rest and digest mode. Therefore calming our central nervous system to reduce anxiety, stress and anger. Creating balance to left and right hand side of brain and body.

The Humming Bee Breath variation in the photo above includes placing your index finger gently inside each ear without pressing inside the ear itself. As you do your Humming Bee Breath gently move your index finger around the outer rim of the inside of your ear without pressing inside your ear. This creates a greater vibration and calming  and this will increase your ability to bring you to your parasympathetic state of rest, digest and relax and encourage any blockages, fluids and mucus to shift and break to help relieve your tinnitus symptoms.

Sanmuki Mudra with Humming Bee Breath (Withdrawal of the senses)

Withdrawal of the Senses or Sanmuki Mudra. Shan means 7 and Mukha means face. Therefore Shan means closing the 7 gates. The 7 gates being your 2 eyes, your 2 nosals, your mouth and your 2 ears. By placing your 1st two fingers lightly over your closed eye lids, ring fingers to the corners of your nosals, pinky fingers to the corners of your mouth and lightly placing your thumbs in your ears is Withdrawing from the senses. You are bringing awareness to all your 5 senses – ears, nose, mouth, eyes and touch with hands and through the humming bee breathing drawing your senses inwards. This gives you an opportunity to go completely within and block out noises from outside your body creating the sound and vibration inside your brain which gives calmness to the brain, mind and body. This breath allows you to calm yourself without interruptions and stimulates Ajna chakra ( your 3rd eye). It gives you an opportunity to ” own your calmness “, relax facial muscles and release the blockages that may be causing your tinnitus.

No part of your body works in isolation. Each part is connected. The more good things we do, the more good things we want to do.

Our bodies want goodness.

Enjoy !!!  Namaste