Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

  Clinical yoga helps to provide better posture, increased strength, free movement or flexibility and also for improving the balance. In clinical yoga the postures of yoga are used in a sensible and scientific way. In this yoga practice gentle stretching and strengthening exercises (postures), breathing practices, relaxation techniques and meditation to help restore mind & body balance and promote natural healing. It can be practiced by people of all ages and all levels of fitness and flexibility. It is used in managing various health issues. Clinical yoga therapy provides improved health and well-being through the teachings and practices of yoga. Consistent practice under the guidance of an expert therapist may help to make a noticeable change within 6-12 weeks.

   Clinical yoga is defined as the use of yoga practices for the prevention and potential treatment of medical conditions. Clinical or medical yoga also incorporates appropriate breathing exercises, mindfulness, and meditation for achieving the maximum benefits. Studies have shown that yoga can regulate blood glucose levels, improve musculoskeletal ailments and keeping the cardiovascular system in good condition. It also provides some psychological benefits, improving the mental energy and positive feelings, and decreasing negative feelings of aggressiveness, depression and anxiety.

    According to World Health Organization (WHO) about 80% of NCD deaths are due to four main disease types: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. In the majority of the non-communicable diseases, the lifestyle including tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular exercise, unhealthy diets and chronic psychosocial stress play crucial role in enhancing the risk. Chronic inflammation and stress also contributes to morbidities or diseases. It has been found that yoga has a pivotal role in managing them.

   Medical Yoga Therapy or “Yoga Chikitsa” is the dynamic state of physical and mental ease, coupled with spiritual well-being. It is an individualized and holistic approach that takes into account not only the patient’s mind, body and spirit, but also data about their life and supporting system, work environment, and culture, as part of the patient treatment plan. For instance, in clinical yoga, the treatment for anxiety is mind and body relaxing yoga such as pranayama.

    The clinical yoga therapy includes the yogic practices of breathing techniques, bodily postures, meditation techniques and self-reflection; a healthy, nutritious diet; reducing substances such as caffeine, tobacco, drugs and alcohol. Healthy sleep hygiene and appropriate family support are integral elements of clinical yoga. Yoga therapy is different from a yoga study class and it starts with a detailed history and physical examination and assessment from the health practitioner.

    Our body &mind is exposed to chronic stress which triggers autonomic nervous system leading to sympathetic over activity. The sympathetic over drive may cause hormonal imbalance in various glands, organs and neuroendocrine systems. A  wide spectrum of diseases are associated with this stress triggered imbalances in the body such as  headache, back pain, hypertension, arrhythmias, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, depression, anxiety, skin problems, fatigue, obesity, migraines, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol. Yoga helps to bring the autonomic nervous system into healthy balance by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

   Research studies point out that continued and chronic stress can result in a generalized immunosuppressive effect. Yoga-based practices of postures (asanas) and movement sequences are usually used in clinical yoga therapy along with some type of breathing and/or meditation technique. This type of mindful movement with slow, rhythmic breathing may promote parasympathetic and vagal tone compared to other forms of exercise.

    It appears that formal meditation practice can change both brain structure and function. Various studies have shown that yogic practices such as mindful meditation can increase both cortical thickness and gray matter, particularly in areas controlling emotional regulation and executive functioning. These regions notably include the insula, the ventromedial pre-frontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex.

   Yoga therapy has been shown to improve pain, back function, spinal mobility, depression and anxiety in patients with chronic low back pain to a greater degree than physical therapy. Yoga has been effective as an adjuvant therapy in many other diseases of body and mind. Ongoing research in yoga may unravel its health effects more in future decades. Practice yoga for disease conditions only under the directions from a doctor and yoga therapist.

References

1.    Khalsa S.B., Cohen L., McCall T., Telles S. Principles and Practices of Yoga in Health Care. 1st ed. Handspring Publishing; Scotland, UK: 2016. [Google Scholar].

2.    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5332914/

3.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25721027/

4.    https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2011/06/16/penetrating-postures-the-science-of-yoga/?client=safari

5.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20871742/

6.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12883106/

7.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22041945/