Abstract

CLINICAL YOGA FOR BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Dr. Vivek Kumar Mishra* and Dr. Neha Mishra

ABSTRACT

Asthma is characterized by paroxysmal and reversible obstruction of the airways. It is increasingly understood as an inflammatory condition combined with bronchial hyper responsiveness. Acute asthma involves: 1) Bronchospasm (smooth muscle spasm narrowing airways). 2) Inflammation of the muscles surrounding the airway passage. 3) Excessive production of secretions (plugging airways). The inflammation makes the airways smaller and therefore making it difficult for air to move in out of lung. In some cases, breathing may be so laborious that an asthma attack becomes life threatening. Asthma creates symptoms like cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, respiratory infections, and viral infection. According to yogic concept- paroxysms of asthma are initiated at mano maya kosha. Emotions like sorrow, fear and anger are triggered due to various intrinsic and extrinsic factors and alter the functional balance as breathing difficulty and cardiac dysrhythmia. Here after the prana maya kosa is also affected. The imbalance in pranayama in turn will percolate to the anna maya kosa and manifest in the form of bronchospasm, inflammation of mucous membrane and secretion of phlegm. Genetic factors can be explained as the seeds of previous births that are embedded at ananda maya kosha. Vijnana maya kosha is involved with lack of discrimination in assessing the environment. Clinical yoga management is designed to address the asthma systematically at all kosha level by a complete package of kriyaas, yogasana, breathing practices and relaxation techniques.

Keywords: Asthma, Clinical Yoga.