This page will be updated with abstracts and links to current medical research that shows the benefits of yoga for specific health conditions. It also contains links to credible articles that show how yoga practices can be applied to healing certain health conditions.
Always consult your physician and yoga therapist before practicing yoga techniques for your particular condition.
New article: "Yoga Gains Respect Amoung Doctors"
Yogic Perspective on Breast Cancer
This is not a study, but a Yogic Perspective on Healing Breast Cancer
http://www.alandiashram.org/html/reviews/breast_cancer.html
Yoga for All Forms of Cancer
Link: Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2008 Feb;12(1):125-30
Comment in:
Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2008 Jun;12(3):394; author reply 394.
Integrating yoga into cancer care
This is also not a study, but a how to guide for nurses
DiStasio SA.
Connecticut Oncology Hematology Associates, Torrington. distasiosah@comcast.net
Although yoga has been practiced in Eastern culture for thousands of years as part of life philosophy, classes in the United States only recently have been offered to people with cancer. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to bind, join, and yoke. This reflection of the union of the body, mind, and spirit is what differentiates yoga from general exercise programs. Yoga classes in the United States generally consist of asanas (postures), which are designed to exercise every muscle, nerve, and gland in the body. The postures are combined with pranayama, or rhythmic control of the breath. As a complementary therapy, yoga integrates awareness of breath, relaxation, exercise, and social support--elements that are key to enhancing quality of life in patients with cancer. Yoga practice may assist cancer survivors in managing symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, pain, and fatigue. As with all exercise programs, participants need to be aware of potential risks and their own limitations. The purpose of this article is to familiarize nurses with yoga as a complementary therapy, including current research findings, types of yoga, potential benefits, safety concerns, teacher training, and ways to integrate yoga into cancer care.
Link: Curr Oncol. 2008 Aug;15 Suppl 2:s109.es72-8
Impact and outcomes of an Iyengar yoga program in a cancer centre
Duncan MD, Leis A, Taylor-Brown JW.
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Department of Patient and Family Support Services, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
BACKGROUND: Individuals have increasingly sought complementary therapies to enhance health and well-being during cancer, although little evidence of their effect is available. OBJECTIVES: We investigated how an Iyengar yoga program affects the self-identified worst symptom in a group of participants. whether quality of life, spiritual well-being, and mood disturbance change over the Iyengar yoga program and at 6 weeks after the program. how, from a participant's perspective, the Iyengar yoga program complements conventional cancer treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This pre-post instrumental collective case study used a mixed methods design and was conducted at a private Iyengar yoga studio. The sample consisted of 24 volunteers (23 women, 1 man; 88% Caucasian; mean age: 49 years) who were currently on treatment or who had been treated for cancer within the previous 6 months, and who participated in ten 90-minute weekly Iyengar yoga classes. The main outcome measures were most-bothersome symptom (Measure Your Medical Outcome Profile 2 instrument), quality of life and spiritual well-being (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-General subscale and Spiritual subscale), and mood disturbance (Profile of Mood States-Short Form). Participant perspectives were obtained in qualitative interviews. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were reported in most-bothersome symptom (t((23)) = 5.242; p < 0.001), quality of life (F((2,46)) = 14.5; p < 0.001), spiritual well-being (F((2,46)) = 14.4; p < 0.001), and mood disturbance (F((2,46)) = 10.8; p < 0.001) during the program. At follow-up, quality of life (t((21)) = -3.7; p = 0.001) and mood disturbance (t((21)) = 2.4; p = 0.025) significantly improved over time. Categorical aggregation of the interview data showed that participants felt the program provided them with various benefits not included on the outcomes questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Over the course of the Iyengar Yoga for Cancer program, participants reported an improvement in overall well-being. The program was also found to present participants with a holistic approach to care and to provide tools to effectively manage the demands of living with cancer and its treatment.
PMID: 18769575 [PubMed - in process]
Yoga for Emotional Healing
Time Magazine: Psychotherapy Goes from Couch to Yoga Mat
Psychology Today: The Effects of Yoga on Tsunami Victims
Harvard: Yoga for Anxiety and Depression
Yoga for Fibromyalgia
Link: J Altern Complement Med. 2007 Dec;13(10):1107-13
Effects of yoga and the addition of Tui Na
in patients with fibromyalgia.
da Silva GD, Lorenzi-Filho G, Lage LV.
Rheumatology Division and Pulmonary Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. ge.daddio@ig.com.br
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to verify whether techniques of yoga with and without the addition of Tui Na might improve pain and the negative impact of fibromyalgia (FMS) on patients' daily life. DESIGN: Forty (40) FMS women were randomized into two groups, Relaxing Yoga (RY) and Relaxing Yoga plus Touch (RYT), for eight weekly sessions of stretching, breathing, and relaxing yogic techniques. RYT patients were further submitted to manipulative techniques of Tui Na. OUTCOME MEASURE: Outcome measures comprised the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), pain threshold at the 18 FMS tender points, and a verbal graduation of pain assessed before treatment and on the followup. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain was assessed before and after each session and on the follow-up. RESULTS: Seventeen (17) RYT and 16 RY patients completed the study. Both RY and RYT groups showed improvement in the FIQ and VAS scores, which decreased on all sessions. The RYT group showed lower VAS and verbal scores for pain on the eighth session, but this difference was not maintained on the follow-up. Conversely, RY VAS and verbal scores were significantly lower just on the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These study results showed that yogic techniques are valid therapeutic methods for FMS. Touch addition yielded greater improvement during the treatment. Over time, however, RY patients reported less pain than RYT. These results suggest that a passive therapy may possibly decrease control over FMS symptoms.
Yoga for Health and Healing
Excellent interview with Dr. Timothy McCall, MD, medical editor for
Yoga Journal and author of Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health
and Healing:
Interview
with Dr. McCall, MD
Yoga for Lower Back Pain Studies
Link: www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/143/12/849
Comparing Yoga, Exercise, and a Self-Care Book
for Chronic Low Back Pain
A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Karen J. Sherman, PhD, MPH ; Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD ; Janet Erro, RN, MN, PNP ; Diana L. Miglioretti, PhD ; and Richard A. Deyo, MD, MPH
20 December 2005 | Volume 143 Issue 12 | Pages 849-856
Background: Chronic low back pain is a common problem that has only modestly effective treatment options.
Objective: To determine whether yoga is more effective than conventional therapeutic exercise or a self-care book for patients with chronic low back pain.
Design: Randomized, controlled trial.
Setting: A nonprofit, integrated health care system.
Patients: 101 adults with chronic low back pain.
Intervention: 12-week sessions of yoga or conventional therapeutic exercise classes or a self-care book.
Measurements: Primary outcomes were back-related functional status (modified 24-point Roland Disability Scale) and "bothersomeness" of pain (11-point numerical scale). The primary time point was 12 weeks. Clinically significant change was considered to be 2.5 points on the functional status scale and 1.5 points on the bothersomeness scale. Secondary outcomes were days of restricted activity, general health status, and medication use.
Results: After adjustment for baseline values, back-related function in the yoga group was superior to the book and exercise groups at 12 weeks (yoga vs. book: mean difference, –3.4 [95% CI, –5.1 to – 1.6] [P < 0.001]; yoga vs. exercise: mean difference, –1.8 [CI, –3.5 to – 0.1] [P = 0.034]). No significant differences in symptom bothersomeness were found between any 2 groups at 12 weeks; at 26 weeks, the yoga group was superior to the book group with respect to this measure (mean difference, –2.2 [CI, –3.2 to – 1.2]; P < 0.001). At 26 weeks, back-related function in the yoga group was superior to the book group (mean difference, –3.6 [CI, –5.4 to – 1.8]; P < 0.001).
Limitations: Participants in this study were followed for only 26 weeks after randomization. Only 1 instructor delivered each intervention.
Conclusions: Yoga was more effective than a self-care book for improving function and reducing chronic low back pain, and the benefits persisted for at least several months
LInk: Pain. 2005 May;115(1-2):107-17
Effect of Iyengar yoga therapy for chronic low back pain.
Williams KA, Petronis J, Smith D, Goodrich D, Wu J, Ravi N, Doyle EJ Jr, Gregory Juckett R, Munoz Kolar M, Gross R, Steinberg L.
Dept. Community Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. kwilliams@hsc.wvu.edu
Low back pain is a significant public health problem and one of the most commonly reported reasons for the use of Complementary Alternative Medicine. A randomized control trial was conducted in subjects with non-specific chronic low back pain comparing Iyengar yoga therapy to an educational control group. Both programs were 16 weeks long. Subjects were primarily self-referred and screened by primary care physicians for study of inclusion/exclusion criteria. The primary outcome for the study was functional disability. Secondary outcomes including present pain intensity, pain medication usage, pain-related attitudes and behaviors, and spinal range of motion were measured before and after the interventions. Subjects had low back pain for 11.2+/-1.54 years and 48% used pain medication. Overall, subjects presented with less pain and lower functional disability than subjects in other published intervention studies for chronic low back pain. Of the 60 subjects enrolled, 42 (70%) completed the study. Multivariate analyses of outcomes in the categories of medical, functional, psychological and behavioral factors indicated that significant differences between groups existed in functional and medical outcomes but not for the psychological or behavioral outcomes. Univariate analyses of medical and functional outcomes revealed significant reductions in pain intensity (64%), functional disability (77%) and pain medication usage (88%) in the yoga group at the post and 3-month follow-up assessments. These preliminary data indicate that the majority of self-referred persons with mild chronic low back pain will comply to and report improvement on medical and functional pain-related outcomes from Iyengar yoga therapy.
Yogic and Maternity
Link: Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2008 May;14(2):105-15. Epub 2008 Mar 4
Yoga during pregnancy: effects on maternal comfort,
labor pain and birth outcomes.
Chuntharapat S, Petpichetchian W, Hatthakit U.
Department of Obstetric Gynecological Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand. songporn.c@psu.ac.th
This study examined the effects of a yoga program during pregnancy, on maternal comfort, labor pain, and birth outcomes. A randomized trial was conducted using 74-primigravid Thai women who were equally divided into two groups (experimental and control). The yoga program involved six, 1-h sessions at prescribed weeks of gestation. A variety of instruments were used to assess maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes. The experimental group was found to have higher levels of maternal comfort during labor and 2h post-labor, and experienced less subject evaluated labor pain than the control group. In each group, pain increased and maternal comfort decreased as labor progressed. No differences were found, between the groups, regarding pethidine usage, labor augmentation or newborn Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min. The experimental group was found to have a shorter duration of the first stage of labor, as well as the total time of labor.
Yoga & Menopause
Link: BJOG. 2008 Jul;115(8):991-1000. Epub 2008 May 22
Effect of yoga on cognitive functions in climacteric syndrome:
a randomised control study.
Chattha R, Nagarathna R, Padmalatha V, Nagendra HR.
Division of Yoga and Life Sciences Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA), Bangalore, India.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of an integrated approach of yoga therapy (IAYT) on cognitive abilities in climacteric syndrome. DESIGN: A randomised control study wherein the participants were divided into experimental and control groups. SETTINGS: Fourteen centres of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore, India. SAMPLE: One hundred and eight perimenopausal women between 40 and 55 years with follicle-stimulating hormone level equal to or greater than 15 miu/ml. One hundred and twenty perimenopausal women were randomly allotted into the yoga and the control groups. METHODS: The yoga group practised a module comprising breathing practices, sun salutation and cyclic meditation, whereas the control group practised a set of simple physical exercises, under supervision (1 hour/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessments were made by vasomotor symptom checklist, six-letter cancellation test (SLCT) for attention and concentration and Punit Govil Intelligence Memory Scale (PGIMS) with ten subtests. RESULTS: The Wilcoxon test showed significant (P < 0.001) reduction in hot flushes, night sweats and sleep disturbance in yoga group, with a trend of significant difference between groups at P = 0.06 on Mann-Whitney test in night sweats. There was no change within or between groups in the control group. The SLCT score and the PGIMS showed significant improvement in eight of ten subtests in the yoga group and six of ten subtests in the control group. The yoga group performed significantly better (P < 0.001) with higher effect sizes in SLCT and seven tests of PGIMS compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated approach of yoga therapy can improve hot flushes and night sweats. It also can improve cognitive functions such as remote memory, mental balance, attention and concentration, delayed and immediate recall, verbal retention and recognition tests.
PMID: 18503578 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]