Tired of popping pills every time you are in pain? Worried about taking pain killers for a long time? Wondering if there is a healthier alternative to this cycle of pain and pain killers? Well – Yoga is the answer for you! Yoga offers long-term benefits against pain without any hidden side-effects. On top of all this, yoga also takes care of your physical and mental health – improving your overall quality of life.

Yoga is an ancient art of keeping your body, mind, and soul healthy. Research shows that practicing yoga regularly has positive effects for treating chronic pain in conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis. Yoga helps in decreasing pain and the stiffness of muscles, and in improving stability, flexibility, agility and strength. This is the best alternative for people who cannot do weight-bearing exercises. The yoga poses enable intense stretching which help relieve pain

Here are the 10 best yoga poses for pain relief:

Cobra Pose
One of the easiest poses for back pain, this exercise is a must if you are someone who sits in front of the computer all day long and straining your back as a result. This is how to do the Cobra Pose:

• Lie on the floor facing downwards
• Place your arms such that your hands are rested on the middle of your rib cage
• Join your legs together with your feet pressing onto the floor and flex your ankles by lengthening your legs
• Draw your elbows close to your body
• Lift your upper torso (head, neck, and chest) with the support of your back
• Your shoulder blades will gently slide down
• Take a few deep breaths and return to the original position and turn your head to one side

Supported Warrior Pose
The Supported Warrior Pose is for you if you suffer from knee pain. This is how you do this simple and effective pose:

• Stand facing a wall
• With your palms on the wall and your elbows slightly flexed, bring your right leg forward and press your right toe against the wall
• Take your left leg backwards and flex your knees towards the floor without straining them, while pushing the wall, for ten to fifteen breaths
• Switch your legs and repeat the same

Butterfly Pose
A must do exercise for hip pain, the Butterfly Pose is easy to perform on the floor. This is how to do this pose:

• Sit on the floor
• Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed
• Flex your knees and bring your soles together, keeping your knees wide apart
• You will have formed a diamond shape
• Now hold onto your toes and flap your knees like a butterfly

Rear Arm Lift Pose
This pose is very effective for shoulder pain and is easy to perform. Not that you need a strap for this pose. This is how to do the Rear Arm Lift Pose:

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
• Take your arms backwards
• Hold the strap in one hand and once it’s at your back (behind you), hold the strap with both hands
• Now keep decreasing the width of the hold between your hands by slowly holding the strap closer and closer
• You would be able to feel your chest opening while your shoulder blades move closer
• Remember to breathe deeply with this pose

Wall Plank Pose
This pose works wonders for elbow and shoulder pain. This is how to do the Wall Plank Pose:

• Stand to face the wall with your feet shoulder width apart
• Place your palms on the wall with your elbows fully extended
• Now slowly bend your elbows while your elbows are in front of your body and your body is pushing the elbows
• Keep pushing till the tip of your nose meets the wall
• Slowly come back to original position, remember to not strain yourself while doing this pose.

The Next 5 exercises are exclusively for back pain:

Downward Dog Pose

• Go on a dog pose
• Place your palms on the floor while your soles rest fully on the floor
• Now lift your hip, so that you form an inverted V shape
• Keep your head, neck, and arms in straight line

Cat Pose

• Go on a doggy pose
• Lift your head and hyperextend your spine like a cat
• Do deep breathing

Child’s Pose

• Kneel down on the floor with your soles facing upwards
• Rest your butt on your heels
• Bend your body forwards, so that your forehead touches the floor
• Place your extended arms in front of your head that’s touching the floor

Knees to Chest Pose:

• Lie flat on the floor with your legs extended and arms on each side
• Flex your right knee and bring it to your chest, and hold it with your hands
• Repeat with the other leg

Corpse Pose:
This is the easiest of all poses – all you have to do is relax all your muscles and lie flat on the floor with your legs extended and your hands on each side, like a corpse

These poses are best practiced under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. To see long-lasting benefits, remember to do these poses regularly.