Yoga Side Effects



Yoga Dvd's Store

When practiced with regularity and properly, yoga can have dramatic and extremely positive effects on the human body, mind, and spirit.  People who practice yoga often swear by it and claim that it is the root of all that is good in life; they even argue that practicing yoga can have a direct effect on other aspects of life including finances, career, and relationships.  However, it is important to know that there can also be negative side effects to practicing yoga, especially when it is not practiced correctly.  Ensuring that yoga poses are performed correctly is essential to experiencing the benefits of the practice. 

When a person decides to engage in a yoga workout, many times it is at home with a DVD, no instructor, and very little knowledge of the basics behind the yoga philosophy.  This can be quite dangerous and result in serious injury.  As with any exercise program, it is extremely important to consult with a physician before structuring a yoga workout regimen.  This way, any concerns or health risks can be laid out on the table before the yoga program is begun, and practice may proceed with safety in mind.   

In addition to discussing the potential yoga workout program with a physician, it is also recommended that beginners work with an instructor or take a class to become fully knowledgeable of the different poses and proper movements.  The most common negative side effect from practicing yoga is physical injury.  Typically, these injuries can include, but are not limited to wrist pain, neck pain, back pain, tearing of ligaments and tendons, pulling muscles, ankle pain, knee pain, and vertigo.  Other injuries that can occur include biorhythmic imbalance and the emaciation of adipose tissue. 

Gastric problems may also occur from practicing yoga.  This is especially true with certain types of yoga, namely Hatha yoga.  Typically, if Hatha pranayama techniques and poses are not performed in a certain sequence, serious gastric discomfort and symptoms like nausea and sour stomach may appear.  In more severe cases, vomiting can occur. 

These physical injuries usually occur when yoga poses are not done correctly or when the body is pushed too far during a pose.  It is essential that there is a warm up period before engaging in any serious yoga workout, to reduce the risk of such muscular and ligament damages.  If such care is not taken, even more traumatic injuries can occur such as internal bleeding, muscle strains, and ruptures.  Furthermore, pushing oneself too far during yoga can result in broken or fractured bones.  These injuries may require months of recuperation or even surgery. 

The negative side effects of yoga are not always physical.  Mental instability can also be a side effect of practicing too much yoga or practicing it incorrectly.  Some negative, and severe, side effects can include pseudo death, pseudo psychosis, confusion, increased anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal patterns, depression, homicidal urges, and feelings to self-mutilate.  Headaches, temporary blindness, sexual pains, and social issues may also arise.  A combination of these symptoms when caused by yoga is typically what is known as Kundalini Syndrome, which stems from performing Kundalini yoga poses incorrectly or too often. 
