Yoga for Asthma: Breathing Techniques That Bring Relief

The treatment of asthma through yoga has four stages or four groups of treatment. These are:

• Yoga Asanas
• Pranayama
• Shatkarma
• Dhyan

Let us know about them and adopt them, but be careful not to stop your medical treatment.

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Yoga asanas make the body flexible and full of life. Many asthma patients feel stiffness in the chest which is relieved by yoga. Although yoga asanas can be used as a light form of exercise, they have much more powerful effects than that. For example, yoga asanas directly affect the deep organs by massaging them.

Research conducted in Australia for 3 to 4 years on Pawanmuktasana found very specific effects. Pawanmuktasana circulates prana in the body. It also develops awareness of the physical body - the most important word in yoga treatment of asthma is "awareness". If you have awareness, you will surely be able to get rid of asthma or other diseases. Apart from Pawanmuktasana, there are a whole series of asanas that you can do. These include...

• Pawanmuktasana
• Uttanapadasana
• Chakra padasana
• Padda sabhachanalana
• Navasana

Perform each asana in the Pawanmuktasana series for 1 minute, and as you practice, you can do it for longer.

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Pranayama is not a breathing exercise, but a method of generating and circulating prana in the body. From an asthmatic point of view, this is perhaps the most important aspect of yoga. The basic underlying problem in asthma is inflammation of the lungs, and pranayama reduces inflammation in the lungs. The treatment of asthma is not just about opening the lungs, but about getting rid of the inflammation in the lungs. Prana generates life force, and the more of this force you have, the better you can overcome and cope with various stimuli. There will also be more strength and stability in your system.

"Prana" or "life force" is a common term and everyone knows what "bodily energy" is - we know immediately when our life force is low, or when we feel good. This life force is considered very important in yoga, but scientists have not yet been able to understand or explain it properly. Pranayama can help the most in increasing vitality, because yoga understands prana. Pranayama not only helps in generating prana but also in conserving it and using it consciously. Pranayama also develops the respiratory muscles, and the more control you have over your muscles, the more confident you will feel when you have an asthma attack.

Start pranayama with a good guru. You can do the following pranayama to control asthma -

• Simple pranayama
• Nadi Shodhan pranayama or Anulom-Vilom pranayama
• Kapalbhati pranayama

Once you have a basic foundation in asthma asanas and pranayama, you can move on to shatkarma.

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The six kriyas of Hatha yoga, called Shatkarma, are very powerful. These kriyas remove mucus from the body and affect the human personality at a deep level.

The practice of Neti Kriya of Shatkarma helps in removing mucus from the nose and the practice of Kunjal Kriya helps in removing mucus from the stomach. Removing mucus from the body has a good effect on the lungs. There are many explanations of this principle in the oriental system of medicine. The purification process balances Vata, Pitta and Kapha (the balance of these three doshas is considered most important for human health in Ayurveda). If you complete it correctly, you will feel relief, and you will feel lighter, happier and stronger. But keep in mind that Shatkarma should be done only under the guidance of a guru.

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After the first three steps comes meditation. Meditation affects the mental as well as emotional side of a person.

In the beginning, we learn to get rid of mental problems. We start with mental problems or a distracted mind. There are many simple symptoms of distracted mind which you can recognize yourself like 

Insomnia due to constant thinking about something or the other

Lack of concentration or inability to focus

This is a common condition for many people due to the pressure and stress of daily life. So initially, we eliminate those stresses through meditation and create mental balance.

After relaxation, we start the work of strengthening and stabilizing the mind. Yogic treatment is not complete without yoga nidra. Yoga nidra relaxes at three levels - physical, mental, and emotional.

Yoga increases our awareness, providing insight into cause and effect. As your awareness grows, you can see what is causing your asthma. You become your own doctor!

Keep these points in mind:

• Remember that relief from yoga is only achieved through constant practice and is gradual.
• Use support items, pillows, and other equipment as needed during practice to prevent joint pain from worsening.
• Do not push beyond your physical capacity. If the pain increases, stop practicing yoga immediately and consult a doctor.

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Yoga can be extremely beneficial for asthma. Certain yoga postures, such as pranayama, anulom-vilom, and bhramari, help improve lung function and strengthen the respiratory system. They improve breathing and reduce inflammation and tension in the respiratory tract. Yoga also reduces stress, which is helpful in controlling asthma attacks. Regular yoga practice can help asthma patients get relief from breathing problems and improve their lifestyle. However, it should be done under the supervision of an expert.