Many believe that suffering from back pain increases because of perception. Negative psychological and emotional factors may not necessarily change the physiology of the back, but may tend to magnify a problem that already exists. Thus, reducing the perception of the pain (such as through meditation) can reduce the overall feeling of back pain.
Others take the role of mental factors one step
further. They believe that psychological and emotional factors are the primary
influence in the sensation of pain and can physically alter the body. For
various reasons, high stress and negative emotions may actually cause back
pain. This will in turn create negative psychological and emotional feelings,
perpetuating the cycle.
In theory, yoga helps people concentrate their energy on breathing and
maintaining posture. The methodical breathing increases oxygen flow to the
brain and sets a rhythm within the body and mind. This action coupled with the
poses and sometimes meditation is said to dissipate stress and anxiety,
therefore, relieving back pain caused by psychological and emotional factors.
