Yoga For Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is an ancient Greek word that means "panting, gasping or
short-drawn breath." It is one of the most discomforting of
respiratory ailments, known to affect around 5% of the world’s
adult population and 10% of children. Asthmatics suffer from
periodic attacks of breathlessness interspersed with bouts of
complete normalcy.

When normal people inhale, their air sacs fill up with air like
small balloons. In exhalation they deflate expelling air.
Airways are clear and open in healthy people. In asthmatics,
the reverse takes place because their airways and air sacs have
lost their shape and have become floppy. Their bronchi and
alveoli collapse, rather than expand when air flows through
them. As a result, they can inhale and exhale less.

Symptoms of Asthma

1. Dry cough
2. Difficulty in breathing
3. Shortness of breath
4. Feeling of lightness in the chest
5. Wheezing (hissing or whistling sounds during exhalation.)
6. Sometimes an attack is preceded by a running nose, irritated
eyes, or an itchy throat.

Two peculiarities of asthmatics:

1. Almost all patients suffer more attacks at night, in their
sleep.

2. Asthmatics have more trouble exhaling than inhaling.

Causes for Asthma

Factors that precipitate an asthma attack are called triggers.
They cause the air passages to get clogged and constricted,
making it difficult for the patient to breathe. The inflamed
bronchioles generate more mucus and also cause the muscles
around them to tighten and get irritated, constricting the
airways. This is called a bronchospasm.

However, asthma has a variety of causes.

1. Allergy: For most it is an allergy to foods, perfumes,
scents, body sprays, deodorizers, the weather, drugs or any
other irritants. They vary from person to person. However, dust
allergies seem to be the most common factor.

2. Combination of Factors: For others, it is triggered off by a
combination of allergic and non-allergic factors including
stress and tension, air pollution or infections.

3. Abnormal Body Chemistry: Asthma may result from the abnormal
body chemistry involving the body’s enzymes or a defect in
muscular action within the lungs.

4. Heredity: In 75 to 100 per cent cases it has been found that
when one or both parents suffer from asthma, the children have
similar allergic reactions.

Yoga Therapy for Asthma

Tests carried out at Yoga Therapy Centers, across the world,
have shown remarkable results in curing asthma. In some cases
it has also been found that attacks can actually be averted,
without the aid of drugs, just through yogic practices. There
is ample research evidence to substantiate the fact that Yoga
Therapy makes the treatment so much more successful. Nowadays,
even allopathic and homeopathic doctors have arrived at the
consensus that Yoga is an excellent alternative therapy for
Asthma.

Since Yoga believes that the mind is central to a diseased
condition, pacifying and placating it would, in itself, help
cure the disease to a great extent. The practice of yogasanas,
yogic kriyas, pranayamas, relaxation and meditation calm down
the whole system. This, in turn, facilitates proper
assimilation of food and strengthens the lungs, digestive and
circulatory system. Over a period of time, that checks attacks
and even cures the condition.

This is because Yogic practices result in more anxiety
reduction than drugs do. Yoga gives patients access to their
own internal experience and helps them pin-point the cause of
their ailment, i.e find their own triggers. This comes through
increased self-awareness. Simple Yogic practices help regulate
breathing patterns, as well as enhance lung functioning.
Result: Most patients are able to manage their condition by
simply allaying their fears and anxieties.

Yoga also has a stabilizing effect on the body’s immune system.
It is now proven that the regular and consistent practice of
yoga raises the body’s tolerance to infection as well as its
local resistance to infections in the respiratory tract. Yogic
rest and relaxation reduce the nervous system’s overall
activity, leading to remarkable recovery. Only Yoga offers
resources like Abhyasa (regular, constant practice) and
Vairagya (detachment) as means of holistic healing.

For best results, do all the practices prescribed in our
sections on Yoga Asanas, Cleansing Techniques and Pranayama.
Lay more emphasis on cleansing techniques like Jala Neti and
Sutra Neti, Vaman Dhauti and pranayamas like Kapalbhati,
Anuloma-Viloma, Ujjayi, Surbyabhedana and Bhramari. All
yogaasanas prescribed are highly beneficial without exceptions
or emphasis on any. However, Shavasana, should be practiced for
as long as possible and whenever possible, lying down, sitting
or standing

The practices work best on an empty stomach, but you should
continue to sip water from time to time, to help keep your
airways moist. Wear light, loose-fitting clothes and practice
in a comfortable, well-ventilated, airy room or outdoors, with
adequate room to lie down. If you experience any symptoms lying
down, sit on a chair for a while and rest your head on a table,
either on your folded arms or on one cheek. If you feel
nauseous, anxious, or short of breath in any of the practices,
stop immediately, get up and walk around. You are probably just
hyperventilating and need to burn off some energy. Don't resume
your practices right away. Rather give them a break for about a
day or two.

Above all, tell yourself from time to time – particularly when
you get irritated or upset with yourself – that the way you
breathe now is what is making you ill. It is conditioned
behavior, which can easily be altered.

Article Source: http://www.article-heaven.com

Kevin Pederson, authors web content for www.yogawiz.com, your online guide on yoga, fitness and wellness. This article "Yoga for Asthma" explains about asthma and yoga therapy for healing asthmatics. He also writes on natural home cures, hair-n-skin care and many more health sites. Delivered safely to Article-heaven by the Article Angel.

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