Ayurvedic Treatment for Neck Pain in Kerala, India

Neck pain also known as cervical pain, is the general feeling of pain and discomfort in the vertebrae region. Pain can center in the neck, or can radiate out to other areas such as the arms. Pain can be minor or severe, and can last a short period and self-correct, or can be chronic (long-term). Neck issues can happen suddenly through an injury such as whiplash, or can develop slowly over time.

Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain can be because of a few reasons, minor injury to the muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the neck are a common cause of pain and typically heal on their own, other causes are:

Neck strain
Degenerative disc disease
Neck injury – whiplash, herniated disc or a pinched nerve
Neck pain due to throat virus infection causing swelling of the lymph node and neck pain
Infection of the spine bones in the neck
Fibromyalgia
Polymyalgia
Rheumatica

Symptoms of Neck Pain

There are several symptoms of neck pain and some of the most common ones are:

Dull pain in neck
Numbness
Tingling
Tenderness
Sharp shooting pain
Pulsations
Swishing sounds in the head
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Lymph Node Swelling
Arthritis
Wryneck
Headache
Facial pain,
Shoulder pain
Arm numbness or Tingling

The Ayurvedic Explanation

According to ayurveda vitiated vata predominately causes problems related to neck pain. Vata aggravation can lead to pain, altered sensation and stiffness on neck. The neck pain is commonly associated with dull aching and sometimes the pain is worsened with movement of the neck or turning of the head. Patients may also experience dizziness, numbness, tingling in their arms along with neck pain.

Ayurveda Treatments for Neck Pain

The first step in treating pain is to understand the underlying cause. Treatments are recommended according to the symptoms and as per the requirements. The common Ayurveda treatment for neck pain are:

Panchakarma
Panchakarma is one of the most famous treatment methods in Ayurveda. The process comprises of five steps for the detoxification and rejuvenation of mind and body. This treatment contains herbal massages and cleansing enemas.

Abhyanga
A massage performed on the body using warm medicated oil. This is one of the key components of neck pain treatment in Ayurveda. Abhyanga can provide relief from neck pain by helping in balancing the doshas.

Snehana
Snehana therapy is the process of applying pressure to specific areas of the body through massage, which helps in relieving pain.

Swedana
Swedana therapy is the process of inducing sweat using different methods. It helps in relieving stiffness, coldness and heaviness in body, which makes it appropriate in the treatment of neck pain.

Basti Karma
It is an ayurvedic enema therapy, in which meditated oils or herbal decorations are used.

Nasya Karma
Nasya Karma is a method that involves instillation of liquids infused with the properties of particular herbs into the nasal cavity. It is effective in managing the vata and kapha disorder.

Diet Practices

A few changes in your diet can help control the neck pain and provide relief. Here are a few diet changes to manage neck pain:

Take lots of fruits, green vegetable salads and sprouts.
Milk is an important source of Calcium and can help maintain healthy bones.
Vitamin C in citrus fruits will help the healing process.
Good hydration will help retain neck health.
Avoid refined foods and junk foods.