Let's take a closer look at 5 of those branches of yoga

People have used yoga techniques for more than 2,000 years. Over these centuries, yoga has developed into a system of widely varied practices, much like an ancient tree with many branches. 

Each branch of yoga was developed to serve specific human needs. As a general rule, though, they all serve one primary purpose: to bring into equilibrium the human mind and body. 

Let's take a closer look at 5 of those branches of yoga. 

Hatha Yoga 

If enhanced well being is your goal, you should consider the practice of hatha yoga. In addition to meditation, which is a common technique in4 all yoga branches, hatha yoga teaches a series of postures (known in yoga terminology as asanas) and breathing exercises (called pranayamas). Hatha yoga is considered to be one of the primary antecedents of modern physical therapy. 

Karma Yoga 

Another popular branch is karma yoga, which operates under the principle that everything that happens to us in our life is a direct consequence of our past actions. As a result, karma yoga encourages practitioners to eliminate negativity and selfishness from their current lives, to avoid having to deal with future consequences. Karma yoga is practiced throughout one's day, including at work. Activities undertaken with the goal of helping other people, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen, are associated with the karma yoga path. 

Raja Yoga 

A branch of yoga which places an even greater emphasis on meditation is raja yoga. Known also under the name of classical yoga, raja is a more advanced discipline. Practitioners usually start with hatha yoga in order to prepare the body for this advanced training. Studies have shown that people attracted by this form of yoga are generally more introspective and more drawn to profound meditation. Various religious groups devote themselves to this yoga path, which is similar to a monastic or contemplative lifestyle. 

Jnana Yoga 

This branch of yoga is directed mainly to scholars. It involves development of the intellect through the study of yoga tradition, scripts and texts. It is also known to be the yoga of the heart and wisdom. Although it is described as the most difficult of all yoga practices, jnana yoga is also considered 1 of the most direct and rewarding paths. 

Bhakti Yoga 

Bhakti yoga promotes the ideal of devotion. The principle message of this yoga path is the presence of something divine in every form of creation. Hence, it is important to tolerate, accept and respect any form of life with which we come into contact. 

In Conclusion 

These are only a few of the numerous yoga branches and paths. Whatever your needs, you can find a suitable yoga practice and, through it, find equilibrium and inner peace.

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Migraine pain is often described as throbbing or pulsating pain that is intensified by routine physical activity

A migraine is a throbbing or pulsating headache that is often one sided (unilateral) and associated with nausea; vomiting; sensitivity to light, sound, smells; sleep disruption, and depression. Attacks are often recurrent and tend to become less severe as the migraine sufferer ages. 

Types 

Migraines are classified according to the symptoms they produce. The two most common types are migraine with aura and migraine without aura. Less common types include the following: Basilar artery migraine, Carotidynia, Headache-free migraine, Ophthalmoplegic migraine, Status migraine. 

Some women experience migraine headaches just prior to or during menstruation. These headaches, which are called menstrual migraines, may be related to hormonal changes and often do not occur during pregnancy. Other women develop migraines for the first time during pregnancy or after menopause. 

Incidence and Prevalence 

Migraines afflict about 24 million people in the United States. They may occur at any age, but usually begin between the ages of 10 and 40 and diminish after age 50. Some people experience several migraines a month, while others have only a few migraines throughout their lifetime. Approximately 75% of migraine sufferers are women. 

Causes 

The cause of migraine is unknown. The condition may result from a series of reactions in the central nervous system caused by changes in the body or in the environment. There is often a family history of the disorder, suggesting that migraine sufferers may inherit sensitivity to triggers that produce inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves around the brain, causing pain. 

Signs and Symptoms 

Migraine pain is often described as throbbing or pulsating pain that is intensified by routine physical activity, coughing, straining, or lowering the head. The headache is often so severe that it interferes with daily activity and may awaken the person. The attack is debilitating, and migraine sufferers are often left feeling tired and weak once the headache has passed. 

A migraine typically begins in a specific area on one side of the head, then spreads and builds in intensity over 1 to 2 hours and then gradually subsides. It can last up to 24 hours, and in some cases, several days.

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Placebo effect is a factor in all types of medicine

The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture has proven to be an effective treatment for tension headache. It not only relieves pain, but also cuts rates of recurrence by almost half, a recent study indicates.

Traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy involves insertion of needles up to 3 inches deep into the body at prescribed acupuncture points, according to licensed acupuncturist Rong Zeng of the New York Good Health Clinic in Manhattan.

However, a new, randomized blind study in Germany involving 270 patients with a similar severity of tension headache has shown that a minimal course of acupuncture works almost as well as the traditional method.

Fewer Headaches After Treatment

Researchers divided the patients into three groups. Over an eight-week period, one group was treated with traditional acupuncture, another received minimal acupuncture (needles inserted only superficially into the skin at non-acupuncture points), and the control group had neither treatment.

The subjects were monitored for four weeks after their period of treatment. Those who had received traditional acupuncture care subsequently experienced seven fewer headaches. The group that had been given minimal acupuncture therapy had surprisingly similar results -- 6.6 fewer headaches.

The control group did not fare as well, with only 1.5 fewer headaches.

Improvements in headache rates continued for months after the acupuncture treatment, though they began to rise slightly as time went on.

Results Subject to Interpretation

Such a negligable difference in results between traditional and minimal acupuncture treatments possibly indicates that the location of acupuncture points and depth of needle insertion do not make a major difference for treatment of tension headache, the authors of the study suggest.

However, they caution that the possibility of placebo effects should not be overlooked.

"Placebo effect is a factor in all types of medicine," Dr. Zeng noted. In western medicine, for example, blind tests may reveal placebo effects that are similar to responses to trial drugs, she explained.

In any case, it is clear that the patients who received acupuncture treatment experienced fewer headaches. The possibility that placebo effect plays a role in acupuncture does not detract from its efficacy.

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