Exploring the Impact of Yoga on Peripheral Neuropathy: A Narrative Review.

Background: Peripheral neuropathies constitute a diverse array of disorders impacting the peripheral nervous system. Despite extensive research on the therapeutic potential of yoga for various health conditions, its specific effects on peripheral neuropathy remain underexplored. Objective: This review aims to comprehensively investigate the effects, including potential adverse events, of yoga on peripheral neuropathy. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed/Medline electronic database from inception to March 5, 2024. The search strategy involved a combination of relevant Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords related to peripheral neuropathy and yoga. The primary outcome measures assessed in the included studies were the improvement in symptoms and clinical indicators of peripheral neuropathy following yoga interventions. Out of 101 articles initially screened, 16 were considered eligible for inclusion in this review. Results: The synthesized literature suggests that yoga may serve as a beneficial adjunct in the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, lumbar disc herniation-induced neuropathy, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and Carpal tunnel syndrome. However, caution is warranted as reported instances of yoga asanas precipitate adverse events such as progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy, bilateral sciatic nerve neuropathy, and acute loss of motor function due to acute ulnar neuropathy. Conclusions: Yoga holds promise as an adjunctive therapy for the management of peripheral neuropathy. Nonetheless, discrepancies in sample size, type of yoga, and intervention duration across studies underscore the need for larger-scale investigations incorporating standardized long-term yoga interventions and objective outcome measures. To mitigate risks of adverse events, patients should practice yoga under the supervision and guidance of institutionally qualified yoga physicians.

Effect of a Single Yoga Asana on Blood Glucose Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Self-Controlled Study.

Context: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels. Yoga has been shown to have positive effects on blood sugar levels in diabetes patients. However, there is limited research on the effects of specific yoga poses on blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a single yoga asana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, on random blood glucose (RBG) levels in patients with T2DM. Specifically, we aimed to investigate whether a 15-minute practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana could reduce RBG levels in patients with T2DM. Design: This study employed a self-controlled design to evaluate the effect of Ardha Matsyendrasana on blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Participants: 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were recruited for this study. Interventions: All participants underwent two sessions: a control session (CS) and an asana session (AS), each lasting 15 minutes. During the CS, participants rested in a sitting pose, while during the AS, they practiced Ardha Matsyendrasana. The order of the sessions was randomized, with half the participants undergoing the CS on day 1, the AS on day 2, and the other half undergoing the sessions in reverse order. Outcome Measures: We measured participants' random blood glucose (RBG) levels immediately before and after each intervention. Statistical Analysis: The statistical package for the social sciences, version 16, was used to perform a paired t-test to compare RBG levels before and after each intervention. Results: The study demonstrated a significant reduction in random blood glucose (RBG) levels in the Ardha Matsyendrasana session compared to the control session. This trend was observed in both males and females with T2DM. Conclusions: A single session of Ardha Matsyendrasana for 15 minutes can effectively reduce blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM. However, further studies are required to determine the long-term effects of this asana on glycemic control.

Integrated yoga and naturopathy on cardiovascular functions and mental health in a patient with COVID-19: A case report.

A 43-year-old-married male diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in July 2020. His symptoms as described by him began with cough and sore throat, breathlessness, generalized body weakness, irritability, stress, and mood swing for a period of one week. He was admitted in our District COVID Care Center (DCCC) located in Tamil Nadu, India. He underwent Integrated Yoga and Naturopathy (IYN) [i.e., Conventional medicine + yoga and naturopathy] for two weeks. The results showed negative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test for COVID-19, improvement in cardiovascular functions (i.e., a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse rate, mean arterial pressure, rate pressure product, and double product) and mental health (i.e., a reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress levels). The results suggest that IYN might improve cardiovascular and mental health of patients with COVID-19 in addition to positive to negative conversion of RT-PCR. However, further studies are required to warrant these results.

A Comprehensive Review of Yoga Research in 2020.

Objectives: Accumulated evidence garnered in the last few decades has highlighted the role of yoga in health and disease. The overwhelming mortality and morbidity mediated by noncommunicable epidemics such as heart disease and cancer have fostered a search for mechanisms to attenuate them. Despite overwhelming success in acute care, the efficacy of modern medicines has been limited on this front. Yoga is one of the integrative therapies that has come to light as having a substantial role in preventing and mitigating such disorders. It thus seems trite to analyze and discuss the research advancements in yoga for 2020. The present review attempts to distill recent research highlights from voluminous literature generated in 2020. Methods: This review was conducted on the articles published or assigned to an issue in 2020. The authors searched the PubMed database for clinical studies published in the English language, using yoga (including meditation) as the intervention, and having an adequate description of the intervention. Then, they extracted data from each study into a standardized Google sheet. Results: A total of 1149 citations were retrieved in the initial search. Of these, 46 studies met eligibility criteria and were finally included. The studies were predominantly on mental health and neuropsychology, addressing various issues such as anxiety, postural balance, migraine, academic performance, and childhood neglect. Anxiety, stress, and depression were other common denominators. Eight studies were on cardiorespiratory systems, including exercise capacity, cardiac rehabilitation, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. Three studies were on diabetes, evaluating the effect of yoga. Five studies focused on cognition, health status, and autonomic regulation and few others included cancers, infertility, ulcerative colitis, urinary incontinence, restless leg syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, and metabolic syndrome. Finally, most studies were on noncommunicable diseases with one exception, human immunodeficiency virus; two randomized controlled trials were dedicated to it. Conclusions: Yoga has been studied under a wide variety of clinicopathological conditions in the year 2020. This landscape review intends to provide an idea of the role of yoga in various clinical conditions and its future therapeutic implications.