Tuberculosis, or TB, is a severe disease that primarily affects the lungs. This is an infectious diseases that have severe effects on the physical and mental health of a person. While medication plays a very important role in treating this disease, many people are looking for alternative options that can boost their recovery. Here, Yoga, which includes physical postures and breathing exercises, has improved the overall health of TB patients. In this blog, we will discuss the most essential yoga for tuberculosis that can be practiced to reduce common TB symptoms and strengthen your immune system. Let’s dive in.
Benefits of Doing Yoga for TB Patients
Yoga offers many benefits for the TB patients. Let’s discuss some of it’s significant benefits for TB recovery:
- Gentle breathing exercises improve lung capacity and oxygen intake, essential for people with respiratory problems.
- Yoga helps you manage stress and anxiety that is happening because of the disease and its treatment.
- Yoga can help with sinuses and clean the upper respiratory tract, and it is helpful for people with respiratory issues.
- Some yoga asanas stimulate lymphatic drainage, which helps boost the immune system.
- Performing yoga asanas helps you overcome fatigue and improve your overall energy.
- Improve TB patients’ overall quality of life by enhancing their mental and physical health.
Top Yoga Exercise for Tuberculosis
Let’s now discover how the following yoga exercises can help you on your journey to TB recovery:
Bhastrika
Bhastrika, or bellows breath, is a fantastic breathing exercise where you inhale and exhale fast & forcefully using your nostrils. It helps improve your respiratory system’s functioning, enhances your lung capacity, and improves blood circulation. Bhastrika helps tuberculosis patients by strengthening their lungs and boosting their immune system, which enhances the body’s natural defense against TB bacteria. You can perform the Bhastrika pranayama steps to get its ultimate benefits. However, it becomes necessary to consult with a natural healthcare provider before incorporating yoga for lungs into your TB recovery plan, as it might not be suitable for people with severe lung problems
Kapalbhati
Kapalbhati, or Skull-Shining Breath, is one of the best yoga for TB. In it, you practice forceful exhalations followed by passive inhalations. This breathing exercise has many health benefits, especially for respiratory issues like Tuberculosis. It helps you improve lung function, increases oxygenation, and also helps to clear mucus and other debris in your lungs. When you practice Kapalbhati regularly, it boosts your immune system and improves your mood as well, which is beneficial for people with TB. You can follow the simple Kapalbhati steps to improve your lung functioning. However, you should always take guidance from a yoga expert before practicing Kapalbhati Pranayama when you are suffering from pre-existing medical conditions like Tuberculosis.
Ustrasana
Ustrasana, also known as the Camel Pose, is a deep backend where you need to kneel on the floor and arch your back so you can grasp your heels. This opens up your chest, improves lung capacity, and strengthens your back. While there is no specific evidence that says Ustrasana can help in TB treatment, its benefits for the respiratory indirectly support TB recovery by helping your body fight infection and heal faster. You can enhance your lung capacity by practicing the easy-to-do steps of Ustrasana.
Trikonasana
Trikonasana or Triangle Pose is a basic standing yoga exercise for TB patients that involves stretching and strengthening of muscles. Trikonasana is beneficial for TB patients as it help explain the chest cavity, improve lung capacity and promote deeper breathing. When you practice Trikonasana regularly it may reduce the stress and anxiety, and also boost the immnune system. All these factors are necessaty for fighting TB. Symptoms such as coughing & chest pain are also relieved with the Triangle Pose. Check out the benefits of Trikonasana to enhance respiratory health.
Chakrasana
Chakrasana is also known as the Wheel Pose. It is a backward-bending yoga for TB that strengthen the back, shoulder and abdomen muscles. It also helps you improve flexibility and balance. If you are a TB patient, you should practice Chakrasana as it expands the chest cavity, improve lung capacity and increase oxygen intake, which can help boost the TB recovery. Chakrasana focuses on improving the mental health of the patients and also boost the immunity that helps with TB. Always vonsult a certified yoga therapist before starting any yoga practice. Experience improved lung functioning by adding Chakrasana into your routine.
Contraindications of performing TB Yoga
Individuals with TB should avoid intense yoga asanas that include serious pains, especially in the neck or spine region. Pregnant or menstruating women should also avoid yoga during TB recovery, as TB can affect the brain, kidneys, and the spine. Many TB medications cause side effects like muscle pain, joint pain, nausea, headache, and fever which makes exercise more difficult. Tuberculosis has a severe impact on lung capacity, muscle mass, and strength, and that is why individuals with TB should consult with their doctor to ensure it’s safe to do so.
Final Thought
TB can reduce lung capacity, muscle mass, strength, and endurance, which is why medical care is needed to treat the symptoms. Though performing yoga, suggested by Yogaasan, can be a complementary therapy for helping TB recovery, it should not replace medical care at any cost. Yoga for Tuberculosis may help you reduce stress and improve your mood, in addition to improving physical health, but you should avoid overexerting yourself, as it can make your condition worse.
