Yoga and Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a disease of the respiratory system caused by the bacteria named Mycobacteria tuberculosis. It is a contagious disease, which causes the lungs to deteriorate. The rate of tuberculosis is increasing day-by-day, and socioeconomic reasons are one of the factors responsible for the increase in the rate of this disease.
Tuberculosis is considered as an epidemic, affecting approximately one-third of the world’s population. It has been found that this particular condition is prevalent in men rather than women. Also, the minorities and the socially and economically lower classes exhibit a larger number of tuberculosis cases.
Yoga and Tuberculosis
The rod-shaped Mycobacteria tuberculosis affects a healthy person when the person inhales air droplets as a result of the sneezing and coughing of any infected person. A consistent exposure to an infected person causes tuberculosis. A person with a weak immune system is likely to get the disease more easily. So, the people suffering from HIV infections or any type of autoimmune disease are more prone to the condition. A person may also inhale the microorganism from sputum or can also get infected by drinking contaminated cow milk.
Some of the symptoms of tuberculosis include:
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Headache and profuse sweating
- Chest pain and breathing complications
- Loss of appetite
- Sore throat
- Blood in cough, at times
Drug therapies are mostly administered for tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a serious disease affecting the respiratory system and can be fatal, if not treated in a consistent way. In addition to the drug therapies, yoga can have various psychological benefits for the patients. According to researchers, patients face a wide range of harsh psychological reactions such as fear, stress, anger, and depression when dealing with the symptoms of the condition. The breathing and relaxation exercises involved in yoga can reduce the stress levels of the patients significantly.
TB and Yoga Therapy
Some of the yoga poses that are helpful in tuberculosis are:
- Bhastrika (Bellows Breath)
- Kapalbhati (Cleansing Breath)
Other types of breathing practices, forward and backward bending movements, and stretching poses may help to increase the physical stamina of the patients.
Precautions
Some of the precautionary measures that should be taken are:
- Eliminating dairy products, wheat, corn, artificial food additives, etc.
- Avoid pizzas, pasta, white bread, and other refined foods.
- Reducing the intake of sugar.
- Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and caffeinated products.
- Avoiding exposure to second hand smoke.
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