Yoga Training with Meditation Ameliorates the Asthmatic Attack by Improving Pulmonary Functions: a Pilot Study

The concept that yoga is helpful for the treatment of bronchial asthma has created great interest in the medical research field. In order to investigate whether physiological parameters and pulmonary functions were improved in asthmatic patients after yoga training, the present study was conducted on seventy patients with bronchial asthma. The present study was conducted on seventy patients with asthma who were on beta 2 agonist inhalers and yoga therapy for three months. Parameters like pulse rate, respiratory rate, body weight, FVC, FEV1, FEV2, FEV1% and PEFR were compared with controls on beta 2 agonist inhalers alone. Yogic practices resulted in significant improvement in pulmonary functions; decrease in respiratory rate; decrease in pulse rate and body weight (not statistically significant); decrease in frequency of asthma attacks and decrease in frequency of use of inhalers. The disease status in controls deteriorated. Potential explanations for improvement in case group are effect on release of endorphins, balance of ANS and effect on airway smooth muscle dynamics.