Part I: Sirovedana according to Yoga and Spiritual Texts
Part II: Effect of Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy in Head Ache Patients-A Correlation between the Self Reported Pain and Muscle Tension
By
G Padmasri

ABSTRACT
Part I: Sirovedana according to Yoga and Spiritual Texts

Çirovedanä(headache) is the most common and disturbing problem.  It is worthy to know what the scriptures say about Çirovedanä.  What are the various types of çirovedanä? What is the cause? What are the Sign and symptoms? What is the patho physiology and the prayers to God not to give çirovedanä etc.  Luckily enough India is rich with the vast knowledge of Äyurvedic literature which speek about  Çiroroga in detail.  According to Caraka Saàhitä there are five types of headache.  Suçruta Saàhitä, Mädhavanidäna  and Bhävaprakäç describe eleven varieties of headaches where as Añöäìga Hådayam describes only nine varieties of headache.  The present study presents the view of all five major streams of Äyurvedic philosophy on headache.  Also gives the slokas and mantras from Hathayogapradipika, Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda.  These vedic Mantras give us a good idea how the ancient people used to get headache and the way they pray God not to get headache with the view that Çirovedanä will be an obstacle for their sadhana.

Conclusion

All possible scriptures are searched for getting details on headache. Rich information is available in Ayurveda. The information available in Bruhatrayi and laghutrayi is all placed here along with few references to headache that are available in Hathayoga Pradipika and also in Atharva veda and Yajurveda.

Part II: Effect of Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy in Head Ache Patients-A Correlation between the Self Reported Pain and Muscle Tension
Background
Electromyography (EMG) measures and records the electrical potentials associated with contraction of muscle fibers1. A study of the relationship  between the EMG level and degree of muscle tension indicates that the EMG is a fairly good indicator of tension in skeletal muscles. The forehead (frontalis) muscle EMG primarily reflects changes in head and neck muscle tension2. 
From 1980 to 1995 many attempts were made to conclude whether EMG (Electromyography) biofeedback is more effective or whether relaxation techniques are more effective in reducing frontalis muscle tension. However they are inconclusive.  In 2004 a study reported that the practice of yoga makes it easy to learn biofeedback.  In 2006 it was reported that the magnitude of surface EMG correlates with self-reported pain. Since the EMG amplitude is known to decrease with biofeedback training, it may be speculated that yoga practice may help to decrease headache. In light of these studies, the present study (viz the immediate effect of Yogic relaxation on frontalis surface EMG) was taken up. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the immediate effect of yogic relaxation and frowning on frontalis EMG and also to check whether the initial EMG level influences the results.

Method
Surface EMG was studied in 36 subjects. Their mean age is 44.78 with a standard error 2.93. All these persons were not practicing yoga earlier. The subjects were the participants of a seven day yoga camp. Surface EMG was measured under four conditions, namely, basal (i.e. when the subject is sitting at rest), yogic relaxation (when the subject is practicing yogic relaxation), after yogic relaxation (when the subject is sitting at rest) and when the subject was frowning (i.e., tensing his forehead muscle based on instructions to do so).

Result
A significant decrease in the frontalis surface EMG was found during yogic relaxation with respect to the basal i.e. normal rest (p<0.05). The surface EMG after relaxation was not significantly different with respect to EMG at basal recording (p>0.05). In contrast there was a significant increase in the frontalis muscle EMG while frowning  with respect to the baseline(p<0.001).

SUMMARY
From this study we can conclude that a short duration of yoga relaxation reduces the frontalis muscle tension
From 1980 to 1995 many attempts were made to conclude whether EMG (Electromyography) biofeedback is more effective or whether relaxation techniques are more effective in reducing frontalis muscle tension. However they are inconclusive.  In 2004 a study reported that the practice of yoga makes it easy to learn biofeedback.  In 2006 it was reported that the magnitude of surface EMG correlates with self-reported pain. Since the EMG amplitude is known to decrease with biofeedback training, it may be speculated that yoga practice may help to decrease headache. In light of these studies, the present study (viz the immediate effect of Yogic relaxation on frontalis surface EMG) was taken up. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the immediate effect of yogic relaxation and frowning on frontalis EMG in persons not exposed to yoga earlier.

Surface EMG was studied in 36 subjects. Their mean age is 44.78 with a standard error 2.93. The subjects were the participants of a seven day yoga camp. Surface EMG was measured under four conditions, namely, basal (i.e. when the subject is sitting at rest), yogic relaxation (when the subject is practicing yogic relaxation), after yogic relaxation (when the subject is sitting at rest) and when the subject was frowning (i.e., tensing his forehead muscle based on instructions to do so).

A significant decrease in the frontalis surface EMG was found during yogic relaxation with respect to the basal i.e. normal rest (p<0.05). The surface EMG after relaxation was not significantly different with respect to EMG at basal recording (p>0.05). In contrast there was a significant increase in the frontalis muscle EMG while frowning  with respect to the baseline(p<0.001).  In addition it was found that the change in surface EMG during yogic relaxation depends on the basal levels. That is this change in surface EMG during yogic relaxation was found significant only in case of the subjects who have high basal EMG values.  On the other hand the change is insignificant in case of the subjects whose basal frontalis EMG is less than the median.

From this study we can conclude that a short duration of yoga relaxation reduces the frontalis muscle tension

Key words: yogic relaxation  frontalis muscles  surface electromyogram.