Until recently, the integration of yoga therapy into the various healthcare systems throughout the world has had its challenges. Over recent years, however, there have been encouraging signs that yoga therapy is not only entering the public consciousness but is being prescribed by an increasing number of western doctors.
What is Yoga Therapy?
The modern term ‘Yoga therapy’ was
first introduced by Swami Kuvalyananda in the 1920s. The simple premise
was that specific yoga practices could be used to help alleviate or
improve a variety of mental and physical ailments.
It differs from the yoga that many of
us have become accustomed to, by firstly providing a safer, gentler
form of treatment. It’s suitable for people of all ages, and for a
variety of conditions. For example there are specific postures for lower
back pain, gentle techniques for regulating the nervous system of those
suffering from PTSD, and strengthening exercises for herniated discs.
Secondly, just as each person is
unique, Yoga therapy considers the specific health needs of the patient,
using a combination of yoga practices and medical science to find the
best form of preventative or curative treatment. This could be to
address physical conditions, or to improve the mental health of those
living with depression, anxiety or stress related conditions.
While the health benefits of yoga
have been known to many for years, here in the West, yoga has only
recently become a component of medical care, a combination of education
and scientific research being used to help bridge the gap between
eastern and western philosophies.
East vs. West
Traditional western medicine, for all
its great achievements, has historically focused on treating conditions
through the prescription of pharmaceuticals or surgery. A patient, for
example, with stomach pains could be asked a series of questions in
order to determine the nature and source of the pain, and could then be
prescribed a series of drugs to help treat the problem.
Ultimately, there’s nothing unique that distinguishes the patient from anyone else suffering from the same medical complaint. Eastern
medicine, by contrast, looks at the patient as an individual,
attempting to discover as many sources for the pain as possible by
understanding the physiological circumstances surrounding it.
Does it get worse with cold? Is the
pain relieved with heat? What are the dietary habits of the patient
etc.? The important distinction is that all this information is used to
make a diagnosis that’s unique to the individual. These
differences have prompted many to debate which approach is best. But
both are equally important, and both have their place in modern
medicine.
The Integration of Yoga Therapy
In 1955, the first communist leader
of China, Chairman Mao Zedong, proposed that eastern medicine should be
combined with western techniques, recognizing that both had their
various virtues. Over time, university courses were amended to include
the teachings from both cultures, traditional medicinal herbs were
synthesized using western techniques, and the prevalence of western
culture throughout China, for example, helped to ease the path for new,
western ideas.
With the various results of this dual
approach published in scientific journals, the integration of western
practices had both credibility and provided tangible results.
Going the other way, things were a
little more difficult. Firstly, eastern cultures haven’t historically
been as integrated into western society as those of west into east,
making the acceptance of any new ideas more challenging. The second was a
general lack of scientific research on the effectiveness of eastern
medicine that was either translated, or accepted as credible data.
Historically, the overwhelming
majority of the scientific research into yoga took place in India. Most
of this research was difficult or impossible to get a hold of in the
west, which is part of the reason why most Western physicians had never
heard of yoga therapy. However
it’s in this area that has seen significant development, and there has
been a wealth of scientific research over recent years that have helped,
in part, to shape the opinions and techniques used by western doctors.
Changing Attitudes
Prior to the discovery of
antibiotics, the biggest threat to human health was infectious diseases.
Today, however, many of the diseases we face can be attributed to poor
lifestyle habits. Being connected 24/7, demands from work, childcare,
mortgages, pensions, smoking, alcohol and everything in between is
having a devastating effect on our physical and mental health.
From depression to anxiety,
gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular health, asthma, and insomnia;
the list is almost endless. Faced with these challenges, and often
combined with budget cuts, challenges in recruitment and caring for an
ageing population, the effectiveness of yoga has become an attractive
proposition for western doctors, both economically and for improving the
health and well-being of patients.
As a non-invasive, cost-effective,
easy to use solution, yoga therapy is now viewed as a clinically viable
treatment that can help address these important issues.
As a result:
- Health services that include the NHS in the UK and the NIH in the US already recommend yoga for various health conditions.
- In Sweden, Yoga has been part of the health services since 2010, and more than 150 hospitals, primary care and specialist clinics use yoga programs to treat a wide range of diagnoses.
- A large study at Harvard that followed 17,000 people over a year found that those who practiced disciplines like yoga decreased healthcare costs by as much as $2434 per person per annum.
- Boston Medical Center has been successful in getting health insurance to cover the cost of yoga for those suffering with chronic conditions.
- In 2015, the Canadian Agency for Drugs ad Technologies in Health conducted a review advocating the use of yoga to help treat PTSD, anxiety and addiction.
With epidemic levels of stress,
anxiety and depression placing an ever-increasing strain on health
services, western doctors and health care practitioners are increasingly
using yoga as an effective form of treatment. But importantly, it’s
also giving patients the knowledge and tools to promote their own
self-care, a step towards encouraging and empowering people to promote
their own health and well-being. This post was written by The Minded Institute, a world leader in the development and implementation of yoga therapy and mindfulness programs for those with mental health and chronic physical health problems.
Source:-sivanaspirit
