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| Hi all,
first let me say how thrilled I am to have found this forum--as a Bikramite newbie I bought two books in the hope that they would answer the dozens of little questions I had but I found they didn't delve into as much as I would have liked, whereas this forum does.
I started Bikram a few months ago and quickly became fascinated by it, the discipline, the inner work, the contradiction that something so torturous could keep me coming back with such devotion.
My biggest question is, is there a chance that this could really heal my long-standing lower-back/hip/foot issues? By way of background: for twenty years I have been seeking advice from specialists, getting manipulations, doing yoga, pilates, etc.--basically the chronic pain has been the bane of my existence. It feels like my pelvis is twisted and as a result, the musculature, ligaments, etc of my legs are twisted, tight, sore, tense, blocked and I have sharp pains in my foot.
With Bikram I have caught a glimpse of what a life without constant pain might be like (glorious!) and I have heard that it can be good for this type of thing. Searching the forum however I havent heard much talk about 'success stories' and I would love a little encouragement from others who may have had similar issues helped by the practice.
I notice change after each class and I think something is beginning to shift, but I'm afraid of being disappointed again after so many false hopes (I was sure in turn that Pilates, then Mezieres therapy, then Thai massage, then the best osteopaths in Rome, etc. would solve my problem...). An MRI shows I have a protruding, but not herniated disk, but not even in the area where I feel pain so I really dont know if that's the cause (but comments on practicing with that condition would also be most welcome).
Thank you so much, i look forward to any comments you can offer. |
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| Hi Snowtiger! The short answer is "yeessssssssssss." There are a TON of success stories out there, and I bet that we do have a few hanging around on this forum, so hopefully some of them will come forward! In the meantime, I'd suggest googling around for "Bikram yoga back pain testimonials", because a LOT of the individual studio websites have testimonials from their students about how Bikram has helped them to eliminate chronic pain. You could probably spend HOURS doing this...
My top recommendation is an awesome and VERY informative article on herniated discs and back pain from Sara Curry, who now owns a studio up in New Hampshire and kicks all kinds of ass: http://www.bikramyoga.com/testimonials/HerniatedDiscs.htm
There's another nice testimonial here - check out the note from Amy Hunt near the bottom of the page. She sounds a lot like you...
http://www.bikramyogafortworth.com/default.asp?page=8
I can totally understand that you are nervous about getting your hopes up and then being let down again. But at the same time, if the yoga seems to be working so far, then that is GREAT news! Don't be scared! I say, just KEEP GOING!! And keep reading, and keep learning, and keep asking questions, to your teachers and to your other students, and to us. 
Edited by thedancingj 2009-09-03 10:47 PM
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| Hi Snowtiger,
What a well-written post. Welcome to Bikram! Good for you for trying it out, despite (because of?) the back pain. I have some mid-upper back pain because of scoliosis that has been greatly lessened for practicing Bikram. I'm still crooked ;-) but there's less tension.
The biggest signs of relief have been let out over other things--I used to have a couple of migraines a month, and since returning in May I haven't had a single one. I also struggle with more mental/emotional issues like anxiety, and Bikram has helped so much with that. It allows me to face the demons in a very safe space, and I am more at ease in my day-to-day life. No meds needed! :-)
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| Thank you both for your useful replies and for the encouragement! I checked out the links, which are great. see you around the forum. |
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| Here's a success story i read recently from an almost local studio.
http://www.bikramyogalangford.com/media.php this is the studios page. has two links, one to a tv spot about it, another is the link to the readers digest article, where the success story was the cover of readers digest.
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| yoga, and all of those other techniques, can and do work for healing the problem that you have. it just takes *time* and *repeated proper movement*.
so, i don't know how long you might have stuck with the other techniques, but if you stick with it, you will notice results. many of my clients have severe back problems (including herniated and degenerated discs, back surgeries with rods and such in them, and all kinds of soft tissue issues). while i don't do/teach bikram (though for some of my clients, i do utilize heat), yoga really does work. but it takes time to get there.
so, perhaps dedicate yourself to a year or two of regular practice and you'll find that you might not have the back problem anymore. |
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| Thanks again to all. Just for the record, I've done different types of yoga for over 20 years, and love them all for different reasons, but Bikram is the first thing that seems to be 'remolding' my posture (muscles, tendons, ligaments). Hoping for the best, but know it's good for me even if it doesn't 'cure' the back issue. Starting 60-day challenge on Monday...wish me luck! |
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| Let us know how it goes! I'm so curious. I don't have the time or $ to do a daily practice, but I might like to try sometime. |
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| Oh, Monday is today! GOOD LUCK and enjoy it!!! I hope it exceeds your hopes. |
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success stories?
