6 Hand Mudras For Body Pain in Back, Knee, Stomach, and Neck Region

• Mudra and Body Pain
• Vayu Mudra
• Joint Mudra
• Prana Mudra
• Prithvi Mudra
• Back Mudra
• Vata Nashak Mudra

Pain in any of the body parts could be the reason for the wide variety of issues. Whether say it back pain, muscle cramps, stomach pain, or a headache; sometimes body pain can be a common symptom of many conditions. Yoga Mudras are comparably easy yoga therapy you can trust in such conditions.

In yoga therapeutic practice, mudras are hand postures in which our fingers acquire positions that are helpful in easing pain. Therefore, the practitioners can opt for these mudras to overcome their pain and their causes in the long run.

How Mudra Works on Body Pain

There could be various reasons for body pain, which can be ranging from lifting heavyweight, bad posture to frequent bending, bone weakening due to aging.

Hand mudra has a wide approach in treating the issues of pain. We will understand each one with its working process of tackling the pain in the body.

• As per Ayurveda, mudras regulates the prana flow in the nadis or subtle channel, which holds the required vata dosha (air+ether element) for proper functioning and removes an excessive proportion of it. In this way, mudra controls the aspects of doshas to cure pain in the body.
• Our body is a biological machine with the vital force running across the circuits. Pain occurs due to the unavailability of that vital energy to that specific body part. However, mudras redirect the subtle energies in the circuits throughout the body including painful areas. Hence, cures the pain.

In some cases, it has been found out that, Inadequate blood supply to the specific tissue causes pain in that region. Therefore, the practice of mudras proved to be effective as the fingers in certain positions are being pressed at the point concerning specific body parts. So, on pressing these points body brings some changes to meet the required demand of the ongoing mudra practice. Ultimately, cures pain.

Practice these 5 mudras to get relief from most of the body pain;

• Vayu Mudra – For neck pain, stomach ache, and shoulder pain
• Joint Mudra – For knee pain, arthritis, dengue fever, and joint pain
• Prana Mudra – For chest pain and muscular pain
• Prithvi Mudra – For bone pain, joint pain, or any kind of muscles pain
• Back Mudra – Best for back pain and lower backache
• Vata Nashak Mudra – For menstrual cramps and chest pain

1. Vayu Mudra

In Sanskrit, ‘Vayu’ represents ‘air’, which is associated with one of the five elements of the body. Vayu mudra is one of the easiest and most commonly used hand gestures that regulates the air element in the body.

When the air element is disturbed in the body, it causes stomach pain because of improper digestion, brings pain in joints, and other emotional imbalances due to stress, anxiety, or worries. Vayu mudra improves the blood flow towards the region under pain by the regulation of the prana.

This mudra also affects the specific part of the brain concerning the part responsible to send pain signals. That’s how Vayu mudra eradicates or reduces the sensation of pain in the body of the practitioner.

How To Do

Go for a sitting posture Siddhasana (Accomplished Pose) or Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Find your balance here and fold your index finger to touch it at the base of the thumb. After, extending the rest of the fingers apply gentle pressure on the index finger by the thumb. Now, hold here for 15 to 20 minutes and breathe after that relax.

Due to the association of Vayu mudra to Vata dosha, as the vata is concerned with the air element. So, it can be practiced to maintain the increased or decreased level of Vata in the body.

Vayu mudra results in the stimulation of the Heart Chakra as if practices along with the meditation practice. This can be only done under the guidance of a well-known yogi or experienced Yoga teacher.

Benefits

• Apart from healing pain, Vayu mudra reduces the negative energies of the body by stabilizing the mental energy.
• Vayu mudra also found to have a stimulating affect over the endocrine system, which further affects the glands secretion.
• It is helpful in the joint pain by redirecting the prana flow to the region. Therefore, helpful for the old age people.
• Sometimes stress and improper blood flow to the specific body part causes muscles tension. Vayu mudra enhance the blood flow that further relaxes the concerning body part.

2. Joint Mudra

Hands in this mudra combines the quality of Prithvi Mudra (with right hand) and Akash Mudra (with left hand). With this fusion, joint mudra affects the Vata dosha which regulates flexible movement of the joints. Joint mudra is most helpful mudra for knee pain, stiffness and soreness from arising in the joints.

Indeed, joint pain relieving action of this mudra comes from its energy restoration capability and filling lack of space element in the joints. It’s specially recommended for old people and individuals who have regular pain in their joints.

How To Do

Sit in any comfortable posture and straighten your spine. Now bring your focus on the hands.

To make joint mudra with your hands, join thumb and ring finger of your right hand (form Prithvi mudra); and thumb and middle finger of your left hand (form Akash mudra). Extend rest fingers of both hands straight or relax them lightly extended.

Benefits

• Joint mudra helpful for any pain experienced in elbows, wrist, fingers and knees, especially in desk job person
• Injury in joints that got damaged by physical exercise can be repaired by joint mudra
• It restores the level of energy in the body.

3. Prana Mudra

Prana is the seal of the ‘Vital Lifeforce’ which resides in the chest. Any kind of muscular pain in the chest region can be alleviated by practicing prana mudra. Because this mudra is commonly known and widely practiced among people with deficiency or inactivated prana. It grants practitioners the approach to curing bodily pain by settling their prana in the best way.

We can understand the working of prana in the body using this analogy;

The way water is not able to flow properly in the pipeline due to choking, which causes leakage and overflow. Similarly, Our body has a series of subtle circuits (that we call Nadis and chakras in yogic language) through which Prana flows.

Any kind of blockages cause due to our lifestyle can affects the flow of prana in the body. This results in uneasiness or pain. By practicing Prana mudra these blockages are removed so the prana can flow properly in the subtle series of circuits.

A genuine smile distributes the cosmic current, Prana, to every body cell. The happy man is less subject to the diseases, for happiness actually attracts into the body a body the greater supply of the universal life energy.

– Paramahansa Yogananda,

In this way, Prana mudra gives relief from pain on regular practice for a certain time period.

However, the practice of this mudra along with the meditation helps in the activation of the Root chakra. This is the very first chakra, which deepens the awakening of further chakras aligning right above it.

How To Do

Sit in any of the meditative posture Padmasana (Lotus Pose), Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Erect your back and breathe deeply. Now, bring your ring and little finger to touch the tip of the thumb. Maintain your pose here for 15 to 20 minutes and then relax.

Benefits

• Prana mudra helps in the regulation of the prana Vayu, which is one of the five Vayu of the body. This promotes effective breathing and vitalization of Prana.
• The prana mudra practice is an effective remedy for low blood pressure as this mudra enhances the blood flow by regulating the prana flow.
• Vitalization of prana ensures strong immunity. Therefore makes one body free from disease and infection.
• Due to the regulation of prana Vayu in the head and chest region via prana mudra, it gives a tranquilizing effect to the mind.

4. Prithvi Mudra

Prithvi mudra is the seal of ‘earth’, which has healing and wellness properties on the body. This mudra is widely practiced to get relief from bone pain that may come from an injury.

Prithvi mudra promotes the earth element in the body, which is the base of all the tissues. Pain in the tissue signifies the unhealthy state of the earth element. Therefore, the practice of Prithvi mudra promotes the growth and maintenance of the earth element at the required place.

How to do

First of all, sit into a comfortable sitting posture like Padmasana (Lotus Pose), Siddhasana (Accomplished Pose). Straight up your back and find you balance within. Now, curl the ring finger and touch it on to the thumb finger and your palm facing up side. Apply a gentle pressure while holding the mudra. Maintain the posture for about 20 minutes while deep and slow breathing and then relax.

Practicing Prithvi mudra along with the pranayama enhances its effect, which deepens breathing and promotes circulation. However, Prithvi mudra can also be practiced in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and as well in the chair pose.

The meditative practice of this mudra can stimulate the Mooladhara chakra, only under the guidance of a skilled yoga teacher. It further promotes vitality and vigor in the body of the practitioner.

Benefits

• Prithvi mudra is an effective approach to gain weight as it is concerned with the earth element that forms various tissues in the body.
• Regular practice of this mudra reduces hair fall, promotes glowing skin, and heals body tissue as well.
• One can become quick and energetic by the regular practice of Prithvi mudra, as it directs the flow of prana throughout the body.
• ‘Prithvi’ symbolizes ‘earth’. Therefore, this mudra practice establishes rootedness and compassion in the individual.

5. Back Mudra

Back mudra is a simple hand mudra in which both hand fingers make a different posture. It brings the healing properties of this mudra. As the name signifies, back mudra widely practices getting relief from back pain. However, it helps in maintaining the health of the spinal cord as well.

Fingers involved in the back mudra possess some points, whose nerve endings reaches to the spine. On pressing these points the subtle energy become charged and interact with the region, where the pain is persisting. In this manner back mudra practice tackles the back pain of the practitioner.

Therefore, on regular practice of the back mudra, the pain disappears and the person begins to feel great in the back region in a short period.

How To Do

Back mudra is involved both hand with different arrangement of the fingers. So we will look towards both hand one by one.

Right hand – Fold your little finger and middle finger towards the thumb, simultaneously, and touch their tips to the tip of the thumb.

Left hand – Here, fold your index finger toward the thumb and place it on the middle line of the thumb. Now, apply gentle pressure on the nail of the index finger with the thumb.

Maintain the posture after acquiring both hand positions for up to 20 minutes and then relax.

Back mudra can be also practiced along with Pranayama (Bhastrika, Kapalbhati) and meditation. These combination promotes deep breathing with strengthening of lungs and calms the mind, respectively.

Benefits

• Apart from curing the back pain, this mudra soothes the spinal cord that ads on to the better functioning of the nervous system.
• The charged up process of nerves lying in the back region helps in freeing up the negative energy from the back.
• Overuse, strain and due to some underlying cause muscles cramps can be happened. Back mudra is highly effective in curing the condition on daily practice.
• This mudra balances the energies present on either side of the body. Hence, it stabilizes the aura and promote positivity.

6. Vata Nashak Mudra

Vata is one of the three doshas present in our body. It is mainly concerned with the air and space element, which is responsible for the proper functioning of the body.

Vata nashak mudra regulates the prana, which further reduces the excess of the Vata causing painful ailments in the body. Because menstrual pain or the stage of bleeding and cramps in girls is related to Vata dosha, this mudra is very helpful in relieving menstrual pain. Moreover, Vata nashak mudra suppresses air and ether element which gives relief from joint pain and constipation.

How To Do

Begin by sitting posture like Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Now erect your back and fold your index finger and middle finger to place them at the base of the thumb. After it, gently press both of the fingers by the second phalanges of the thumb. Maintain the posture for 15 to 20 minutes and then relax.

Practitioners can also practice vata nashak mudra with pranayam and meditation to balance the rest of the doshas in the body. The synchronized balancing of doshas results in the optimum state of mental and physical wellness.

Benefits

• Apart from curing pain, vata nashak mudra is helpful in constipation and flatulence. However, it also improves digestion.
• Regular practice of this mudra results in Vata reduction that improves the habit of forgetfulness and sharpens memory.
• Vata nashak mudra is an excellent practice to enhance stamina and endurance in the body.
• Vata nashak mudra is helpful in regulating the periodic cycle. It promotes regular and painless period.

Conclusion

The modern lifestyle is raising the stress level on the body day by day. due to which the body suffers the situation where it find hard to manage. These situation for prolong time cause painful physical ailments.

Medicines and other treatment can give short relief but again problem arises on cutting the current use of medication.

However, hand mudra are the effective hand alignment with specific finger positioning that on regular practice relief pain and concerning uneasiness.