Pranayama and Respiratory System

Pranayama & Respiratory system :

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Various respiratory parameters improve after yoga & pranayama. A significant increase in FVC, FEV, FEV1, PEER, increase in the vital capacity, tidal volume increase in expiratory and inspiratory pressures, breath holding time and decease in the respiratory rate is documented to help symptoms of weekly attacks, and scores for drug treatment, Improved exercise tolerance, faster recovery after exercise, decrease in inhaler use, and improvements in bronchial provocation response has also been documented (32-36). Pranayama is believed to decrease the anxiety element as well. Since asthma is a psychosomatic and chronic diseases, a psychosomatic imbalance with an increased vagal tone is one of its various etiopathogenesis. Yoga therapy may first bring internal awareness, correct autonomic imbalance, control the breathing, improve the immune status and alter physiological variables. Even one week after yoga therapy, improvements in ventillatory functions in asthmatics have been observed. This could be due to reductions in sympathetic reactivity and relaxation of voluntary inspiratory and expiratory muscles. Both transcendental meditation and Yoga have proven to be effective alternative medicines for controlling symptoms of asthma (37-38). Yoga is also valuable in the treatment of COPD (39).

References: -

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