Chest pain and tightness is a common issue faced by many people. It is best to regularly do certain yoga poses to relieve chest pain.
Chest pain may not necessarily point toward a heart problem. If you are a working professional, sitting hunched on a chair for long hours can also trigger chest tightness. Anxiety and tension may also add to this problem.
The key here is to breathe in, relax, and do yoga asanas before it becomes a bigger problem. But, which yoga poses should you do to reduce chest pain?
For your convenience, we have curated a list of the 7 best yoga poses for chest pain. These will help open up the chest muscles by gently stretching them. But first, find out the main causes of chest pain. Scroll down to learn more!
In This Article
What Causes Chest Pain?
Chest pain is caused due to various reasons. You can feel it anywhere from your neck to your upper abdomen. Chest tightness often occurs due to poor posture but could also be a sign of something more serious like a panic or a heart attack.
If you feel an ache in your chest area, it might not necessarily be a cardiovascular disease. Or it could be. When your heart muscles do not get enough oxygen, it gives rise to a severe form of chest pain called angina.
Other heart-related chest pains are a heart attack, pericarditisi XSwelling of the sac-like structure around the heart, leading to infection and potential surgery. , myocarditisi XInflammation of the heart muscle caused by viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections. , cardiomyopathyi XA condition that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of the body, often leading to heart failure. and aortic dissectioni XThe tear in the inner layer of the main artery that causes pain similar to a heart attack and can be fatal. .
Chest pain occurs due to gastrointestinal problems too. If you have swallowing problems, gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas, then you will feel pain in the chest.
Even if you have pneumonia, asthma or blood clots, it leads to chest ache. Chest pain also occurs when you suffer from a fracture that causes pressure on the nerves. Damaged ribs and sore muscles from extreme exertion are also main factors causing chest ache.
Yoga For The Chest
You must get a physician to evaluate any sudden chest pain you feel and get checked for heart problems. If that’s not the case, then you can soothe your chest muscles with yoga.
Yoga helps in reducing chest tightness by opening, expanding and stretching the chest. It counters the effects of poor posture, overuse, and strain of muscles, by fixing the cause of the problem.
Yoga improves your range of motion, stretches your pectoral muscles, improves your flexibility which all aid in eradicating your chest pain.
Sometimes, even stress, anxiety and tension can cause chest pain, and you know well that yoga is the best solution for it.
Yoga-Based Rehabilitation After Heart Attack
Yoga is an effective solution for rehabilitation after an acute heart attack and other heart issues. It can help improve self-rated health and return to your regular activities after cardiovascular issues like a stroke or a heart attack. According to a study, it was found that self-rated health at 12 weeks was 77 points in the yoga-based rehabilitation group and 75.7 points in the enhanced standard care group. Check out the graph below to know more.
Self-rated Health Of Patients Following Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs
Source: Yoga-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Trial.
Practice the chest pain relieving poses mentioned below to understand what I am talking about.
7 Best Poses In Yoga For Chest Pain Relief
- Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
- Bitilasana (Cow Pose)
- Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
- Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)
- Natarajasana ( Dance Pose)
1. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
About The Pose- Matsyasana or the Fish Pose is named after the Matsya avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is a beginner level Hatha yoga asana. Practice it in the morning on an empty stomach for best results and hold the pose for at least 30 to 60 seconds to feel the pose’s effect.
Benefits For The Chest- Matsyasana stretches your rib muscles. It also stretches the front and back of your neck and improves your posture. It is therapeutic for rounded-shoulders and relieves irritation.
