Yoga Prep to Relieve Headache

Video Transcript

"ELIZABETH ROSE: You need to see your doctor before you begin any kind of exercise program or you do any yoga postures at all. Certain yoga poses, such as reclining and inverted postures, are not suitable for certain people. For example, if you have certain spinal injuries, if you have a retinal disorders or eye problems, if you have high blood pressure, or if you are pregnant past your first trimester, or if you are a woman on the first days of your menstrual cycle you should not practice some of these poses. So see your doctor first to more fully determine the causes of your pain and make sure that it's not something more serious than yoga can handle. Just as an example, if you have high blood pressure, you should not practice halasana which looks like this. It's the plough pose where you bring the legs over the head. Don't practice that pose if you have high blood pressure or retinal diseases or if you're pregnant, you could have an embolism. Another pose to not practice if you're pregnant obviously are forward bends. Make sure that your belly is not squished in any pose that you do. If you do need to practice a forward bend, if you really feel comfortable with it then you can bring the legs a little bit wider and gently hang forward but don't come all the way to the floor."