DETERMINATION OF EFFECT OF YOGA (PRANAYAMA) IN TERMS OF SEVERAL LUNG PARAMETERS AND CAT SCORE ON MILD TO MODERATE COPD PATIENTS FOR SHORT DURATION OF TIME (3 MONTHS)

Abstract

Medicines become the lifeline for the treatment of COPD which is becoming one amongst the alarming factors of death throughout the globe. Patients plagued by COPD experience deterioration in their pulmonary function test. On the contrary, the beneficial effects of pranayama on respiration are reported since the traditional time in India. Aim of the current study was to explore the potentiality of short term pyanayama to enhance the pulmonary function parameters both subjective and objective of mild to moderate COPD patients. 100 mild to moderate COPD patients were selected by the exclusion and inclusion criteria. Before starting pranayama each patient was observed for various lung parameters like FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR, FEF, MVV and CAT score and (visit 1). Each patient was further studied for the identical parameters one month (visit 2) and three months (visit 3) after starting pranayama. Visit 1 was taken as control group and was compared with visit 2 and visit 3. Result showed significant positive co-relation between pranayama and lung function parameters with CAT score. Lung parameter values prior and after starting pranayama showed significant differences (P< 0.01). So, the study revealed the fact that additive effect of pranayama along with medicines is way stronger than that of single effect of medicines. It can be incorporated into daily life as life style modification as well as adjuvant therapy for medical condition like COPD.