Physical education is one of the methods to restore health and return to normal breathing. Regular exercise of physiotherapy exercises for bronchial asthma together with taking medications can prevent the development of the disease and reduce the number of attacks.

This disease causes development. Edema of the mucous layer appears, in which sputum appears, causing muscle spasms. As a result, there is a compression of the bronchi and breathing, a strong cough, and asthma attacks.

IMPORTANT! Among the causes of bronchial asthma are: allergy to wool or pollen, dust, heredity, drugs.

Asthma is not due to infection. For its treatment, and use special drugs. The bronchi react to each pathogen, which are: tobacco smoke, powder or dust, pungent odors, cold. They can provoke a seizure or severe cough. Children and young people are most prone to bronchial asthma, but anyone can get it.

The tasks of physiotherapy exercises

Often, doctors and patients themselves underestimate the impact of exercise therapy in the treatment process. The use of modern and expensive drugs is incapable of completely restoring the body without it. Over time, health deterioration and the development of more serious diseases can occur.

IMPORTANT! Physiotherapy is useful for all patients without exception. There are no restrictions on gender, age, stage of the disease. Bronchial asthma can cause a lot of trouble and should be treated immediately.

Wellness activities have the following goals:

In order to improve the performance of the muscles of the respiratory system, several types of exercises have been developed.

The actions of physiotherapy exercises

Treatment is performed between attacks with the normalization of the state of the body.

1. Exercise restores breathing rate.
2. Sonic is able to prevent the development of emphysema, and improve metabolism. During the work of muscles in the body, there is a moderate release of adrenaline.
3. There is a load on the muscles involved in the breathing process, which prevents the onset of disease. It is possible to stop the development of bronchial asthma at the initial stage.
4. The exercise program is compiled for each patient separately, depending on his state of health and the degree of development of the disease.
5. The complex often includes physiotherapy exercises and breathing at the same time.

Program execution

You should not rush and try to complete as many exercises as possible in a short time. The speed can provoke the appearance, and the quality of the exercise will leave much to be desired. In the initial stages of bronchial asthma, it is necessary to start with a small amount of exercise therapy exercises and gradually move on to more complex exercises and, over time, increase the load on the body.

IMPORTANT! The first few days, the patient undergoes a preparatory course of physical education, which brings him to the main part of the treatment.

Breathing exercises allow you to fill the body with oxygen, strengthen the bronchi and cleanse them of mucus accumulations, and restore blood circulation. Physiotherapy is recommended to be performed outdoors or in a ventilated room.

Exercise has contraindications. Failure to comply with these recommendations can complicate bronchial asthma:

• the appearance of an exacerbation;
• during respiratory tract infections;
• cold weather (if exercise is done outside).

Preparatory course of physiotherapy exercises:

1. Sitting on a chair with your back straight, you need to take a deep breath through your nose. The exhalation is carried out through the mouth. It is necessary to take 5 to 10 breaths.
2. The starting position is the same. During inhalation, the hand rises, holding the breath for a few seconds, after which it drops with exhalation.
3. Sitting on a chair, hands are kneeled. A circular motion is performed with the hands and feet. You need to make 10 rotations in each direction.
4. Pressing against the back of a chair or chair, several deep breaths are performed, holding the breath for 5 seconds. 8 approaches are performed.
5. Pressing on the chest with a little force, coughing occurs. You need to cough 5 - 8 times.

The main activities of physiotherapy exercises

They will help to cope with bronchial asthma if they are carried out efficiently.

1. While standing, inhalation is performed, in which there is a forward bend. With exhalation, the body returns to its original position. 5-10 repetitions are performed.
2. Standing, pressing your hands to your body, inhale through your nose. At this time, the hands are raised and touch the shoulders. Exhale returns the arms to the first position. The number of repetitions is 4 - 15 times.
3. Inhalation occurs through the nose with the abdomen pointing forward. The exhalation is accompanied by the drawing in of the abdomen. Everything lasts 1 - 2 minutes.
4. Standing with hands pressed to the body, a deep breath takes place while lifting the knee to the chest. You need to try to bring the knee as close to the chest as possible, if this does not work, then to the maximum possible height. With an exhalation, the leg drops to its original place. The number of repetitions is 5 - 7 times for each leg.
5. In the same position, during inhalation, a lateral tilt occurs with the hand sliding along the body. Exhale, return to starting position. 5-10 repetitions are performed.
6. Lying on the bed, the knee is pulled up to the chest with a deep and slow breath through the mouth. Exhaling through the nose, the leg returns to its original position. The number of repetitions is 4 - 8 for each leg.
7. Standing on toes, arms spread apart. With a deep breath, arms are crossed over the chest, striking the shoulder blades with the palms. The arms return to their starting position simultaneously with inhalation.

Various sounds can be made during breathing. The exercise can be accompanied by a long pronunciation of the letters: e, o, y. In the main program of physiotherapy exercises, these are the letters: s, p, z. At the final stage: f, x. The sound is pronounced for about 5 seconds with an increase in time to 1 minute. These exercises are repeated 3 times a day for 5 minutes, with breaks of 20 seconds between sounds.

The positive properties of yoga for bronchial asthma

Yoga has an excellent effect on the health of the body in bronchial asthma. It is able to improve the patient's condition, develop joint flexibility, not only in asthma, but also in other diseases. It is recommended to practice yoga and bronchial asthma. Exercise can get rid of many of the symptoms, and some can ease some. Yoga allows you to improve your mood, improve the physical condition of the patient.

It includes breathing exercises and stretching. After completing a yoga course, the patient learns and relaxes all muscle groups.

IMPORTANT! After practicing yoga with bronchial asthma, visible improvements will appear in a few months. Many patients notice the restoration of breathing, improved health, and the disappearance of many asthma symptoms.

Physiotherapy will increase if you start using it at the initial stage of the disease. Brisk walking, slow running, breathing exercises are perfectly combined with drug treatment. A properly designed exercise program will reduce the occurrence of attacks and prevent the worsening of bronchial asthma.

Treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other lung diseases, as well as the consequences of smoking! Rare yogic practice!

What if you quit smoking and want to clear your lungs? In the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other pulmonary diseases, yoga uses special breathing practices.

It is believed that this method of treating diseases helps get rid of asthma and other lung problems in a month.

Rhythmic breathing of yogis for asthma treatment

1. The person sits comfortably, making sure that the chest, neck and head are in a straight line, the shoulders are slightly thrown back, and the hands rest freely on the knees. In this position, the weight of the body is supported by the ribs, which makes it possible to remain in this position for a long time.

Yogis have found that with a sunken chest and a protruding stomach, rhythmic breathing becomes more difficult.

3. Then the person holds his breath, counting in the same way to three: OM-1, OM-2, OM-3.

4. After that, the practitioner exhales, slowly counting to six: OM-1, OM-2, OM-3, OM-4, OM-5, OM-6.

5. Then the practitioner again holds his breath until three: OM-1, OM-2, OM-3.

The exercise is repeated several times, while it is important to avoid overwork, fatigue or tension.

After some practice, you can increase the duration of inspirations, holdings and expirations, adding 1-2 seconds per day (OM-1, OM-2), while it is important to feel comfortable.

Breathing to cleanse your lungs!

This breath ventilates and cleanses the lungs, it is believed that it can relieve bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis. This breath is especially good for cleansing the lungs of smokers.

This exercise is also beneficial to end. It energizes all cells in the body, boosts immunity and improves health. This breath is incredibly calming and energizing for tired respiratory organs.

How is the cleansing breath performed?

1. A person breathes in the air deeply.

2. Then he holds his breath for a few seconds.

3. After that, the person compresses his lips, as if for a whistle, without puffing out his cheeks, and exhales a little air with considerable force.

4. Then the practitioner holds the remaining air for a second, and then exhales some air forcefully. So, in small jerks, a person exhales again and again until all the air is exhaled.

Attention!

The air in this breathing exercise is exhaled with force!

Practice time and duration

Treatment of asthma and other serious respiratory problems with breathing exercises, according to yogis, requires practice 2-3 times a day. They do the above exercises in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

Breathing practices are carried out every day without interruption and are performed on an empty stomach in a well-ventilated area. The total duration is about a month. To maintain well-being, many yoga practitioners practice these exercises all the time.

From an interview with yogis

Notes and feature articles for a deeper understanding of the material

¹ Yoga is a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense, meaning a set of various spiritual, mental and physical practices developed in different directions of Hinduism and Buddhism and aimed at controlling the mental and physiological functions of the body in order to achieve an individual's elevated spiritual and mental state (

Tarun Saxena and Manjari Saxena
Department of Internal Medicine, Swamy Consultant Physician Mittal Hospital, Ajmer, India

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of bronchial asthma is increasing. The disease is characterized by cough, wheezing, and dyspnea (shortness of breath). It can be aggravated by various factors, such as the environment, infection, occupation, hypothermia, exercise, etc. At present, the strategy for treating asthma includes pharmacological therapy (inhalers, pills). Chemotherapy is successful at the very onset of the disease, but later, both the financial difficulty in purchasing medications, prevalence (more patients require oxygen therapy, assisted ventilation), and asthma mortality increase.
Non-pharmacological therapies include yogic techniques such as breathing exercises (pranayama - the basic life force necessary for life is defined as prana and regulation, prana control is pranayama), meditation and asanas - yogic exercises.
Various studies have shown the effectiveness of these techniques in treating diseases such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease, but the type of treatment, duration and effectiveness in treating asthma have not yet been precisely established. In addition, the modification of traditional yoga exercises in accordance with the characteristics of the disease, subject to conservative treatment, has not yet been done; it is in this connection that this study was carried out.

MATERIALS AND METHODS.

This study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Mittal Hospital, Ajmer, India, in collaboration with the Department of Yoga, MDS University, Ajmer.
50 cases of bronchial asthma disease were selected to study the next diagnostic confirmation.
Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was used to confirm the diagnosis.< 85% и его восстановление (увеличение в ОФВ1)>12% after 20 minutes of two inhalations of salbutamol. Each patient had an FEV1> 70%, was interested in yoga, and had at least 6 months of experience in yoga practice.
The exclusion criterion from the experiment was the presence of symptoms possible for other diseases, such as ischemia, bronchitis, anemia, and patients with a history of smoking were excluded.
Patients participating in the experiment did not have a history of regular medication use, and they were advised to abandon it, if any.

For the diagnosis of asthma, the following indicators were studied:

1. 1. Routine physical examination (pulse, ECG, pressure)
   2. Chest x-ray
   3. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (using an international medical research spirometer)
   4. Peak Volumetric Forced Expiratory Rate (PIC) Level (using Wright's Mini Peak Flow Meter)
   5. In addition, symptoms were recorded according to symptom scores.

Standard methods were used. All tests, including symptom scores, were redone 12 weeks later.

ASSESSMENT OF SYMPTOMS.

Symptoms were categorized into three groups - cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and were rated as moderate, moderate, and severe.

1. Cough - moderate (less than 5 minutes a day), medium (5-10 minutes a day), severe (more than 10 minutes a day).
2. Whistling when breathing - moderate (does not disturb sleep at night or when doing daytime duties), medium (worries about sleep or doing daytime activities), severe (significant discomfort even at rest).
3. Dyspnea (shortness of breath) - moderate (only when walking up on a surface, walking comfortably on a flat surface), moderate (shortness of breath when walking on a flat surface), severe (shortness of breath at rest.)
   None of the patients had severe symptoms. Any improvement in these symptoms from moderate to moderate or moderate to complete disappearance was regarded as improvement in the course of the disease.

SEPARATION OF PATIENTS.

The patients were randomly assigned to two groups.
Randomization was done by assigning each patient a number from 1 to 50, with even numbers assigned to group A and odd numbers to group B. Both groups were comparable in all aspects, including age, gender, symptomatology and lung function.
Group A (25 people) practiced breathing exercises (pranayama) for 20 minutes twice a day for 12 weeks.
Group B (25 people) practiced meditation for 20 minutes twice a day for 12 weeks.
The initial indicators of the condition of patients in both groups are given in Table 1.

Table 1.

BREATHING EXERCISES PERFORMED BY GROUP A.

1. Deep breathing (deep inhalation and deep exhalation): the patient was in sukhasana and performed deep inhalation and exhalation through the nostrils.
2. Breathing in shashankasana: the patient was in vajrasana, holding himself with his left hand on the right wrist behind his back; inhaling, the patient bent back and exhaled, leaned forward, touching the floor with his forehead.
3. Anuloma-viloma: A traditional breathing practice in which the patient breathes alternately through different nostrils while in sukhasana.
4. Brahmari: sitting in sukhasana, the patient inhales through both nostrils and during exhalation, makes a sound that imitates the buzzing of a bee.
5. Omkara (Modified): Typically used for meditation and not included in standard breathing exercises, it is an important practice of breathing out. Changes in this exercise, taking into account all the difficulty of exhalation for asthmatics associated with high expiratory airway resistance, were made in order to increase expiration. Patients were advised, while in sukhasana, to take a deep breath, and then, while exhaling, pronounce Om with maximum force and continue until further expiration is impossible. The traditional chanting of Om does not require loud and vigorous performance, but patients were advised to practice Om in a high tone, with force and with a prolonged exhalation.

The first three breathing practices were supposed to normalize breathing, while the last two were aimed at working with exhalation.

MEDITATION BY GROUP B.

Patients in the control group performed seated meditation with their eyes closed. Patients were advised to first identify the nostril through which the air flow was strongest, and then focus on this same nostril to assess the sound of air movement, as well as the movement of the outer wall of the nostril in and out during breathing.
Patients performed deep meditation (concentration) on one point twice a day for 20 minutes.

RESULTS.

After 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement in symptoms (Table 2), improvement in OPV1 and POC of patients in group A (P<001) по сравнению с аналогичными показателями у пациентов группы Б (рисунки 1-3). Table 2.

Picture 1.
Symptoms in groups A and B, at the beginning and after 12 weeks of treatment.

Figure 2.
POS (liters / min.) In groups A and B, at the beginning and after 12 weeks of treatment.

Figure 3.
FEV1% in groups A and B, at the beginning and after 12 weeks of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS.

Bronchial asthma, which is increasing worldwide, is a serious illness that can be fatal. Important factors provoking asthma are the patient's occupation, viral infections, medication, hypothermia, family history, stress, etc. It is a multifactorial disease; clinically, it causes symptoms such as dyspnea (difficulty breathing), coughing, and wheezing. Pathologically, there is mucosal inflammation, inflammatory mediators, bronchoconstriction, an increase in the residual volume in the lungs, subsequently altering the airways. Currently, it is quite difficult to control all triggers in one single patient. It is much more promising to try to improve lung function through exercise and correct pathology (as a common result of all triggers); that is why special emphasis was placed on the exercises associated with the exhalation, and some changes were made.
50 cases with an FEV1%> 70% were selected. After confirming the diagnosis, they were randomly divided into two groups, group A, group B. Group A did breathing exercises, and group B did meditation practices. After 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement in lung function and a decrease in symptoms in patients from group A.
These results are similar to those of other studies by Nagrathna et al., Goyeche et al., And McFadden, in which improvements were found after applying yoga techniques. The decrease in the influence of psychosomatic factors was considered the main reason in these studies, but the improvement in the condition of the patients in our study was not caused by any relaxation practices or a decrease in the importance of psychosomatic factors, because the meditation group showed no improvement. The results also differ from several studies that used other techniques. In studies by Cooper et al. Buteyko breathing techniques were used. According to them, there was minimal improvement in lung function. Slader's studies included shallow nasal breathing with little improvement as a result of lung function. Likewise, in the Singh study.
The breathing trainer "pink city", created on the basis of Buteyko's developments, was used, and moderate efficiency was achieved.
In the presented study, three important points were found.
First, exercises with an emphasis on the development of exhalation have proven to be effective. In bronchial asthma, exhalation is difficult, so exercises that promote expiration are beneficial (Figures 4 and 5).
Secondly, exercises with increased exhalation are effective and this is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4.
Forced exhalation helps open closed airways in asthma

This figure shows that air easily enters the lungs and exits in a healthy person, but in an asthma patient, air enters the bronchiole, but during exhalation, the airways are closed and force is required to open them. This is why chanting Om in high pitch and with power has been found to be more appropriate than traditional chanting.
Thirdly, breathing techniques with prolonged expiration are also effective. During the traditional chanting of Om, air only comes out of the upper part of the airways (Figure 5), but asthma is a disease affecting the lower airways, so lengthening exercises that allow you to exhale the maximum amount of residual air volume have been found to be more beneficial (Figure 5).

Figure 5.
Prolonged expiration helps remove more residual air volume in asthma

As a rule, chanting Om lasts 10-15 seconds, but the healing effect in asthma is achieved with prolonged chanting until further exhalation is impossible.

LITERATURE.

1. McFadden ER., Jr. Harrison's principles of Internal medicine. In: Fauci SA, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, longo DL, Jameson, editors. USA: McGraw Hill; 2005. p. 1511.
2. Nagarathna R, Nagendra HR. Yoga for bronchial asthma: A controlled study. Br Med J. 1985; 291: 1077-9.
3. Goyeche JR, Ikeniy A. The Yoga Perspective part II: Yoga therapy in treatment of asthma. J Asthma. 1982; 19: 189-201.
4. Vedanathan PK, Kesavalu LN, Murthy K, Durall K, Hall MJ, et al. Nagarathna, Clinical study of Yoga Techniques in university students with asthma: A control study. Allergy Asthma Proc. 1998; 19: 3-9.
5. Benson H, Rosener BA, Marzetta B, Klemechu KM. Decreased blood pressure in pharmacologically treated. Hypertensive patients who regularly elicited the relaxation response. Lancet. 1974; 1: 289–92.
6. Patel C, Marmot MG, Terry DJ, Carruther M, Hunt B, Patel S. Trial of relaxation in reducing coronary risk: Four-year follow-up. Br Med J. 1985; 290: 1103-6.
7. Innes JA, Reid PT. Davidson's principles and practice of medicine. In: Boon NA, Colledge NR, Walker BR, Hunter JA, editors. USA: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2006. pp. 655-7.
8. Nagarathna R, Nagendra HR. Bangalore: Svyasa Publication; 2004. Integrated approach of Yoga therapy for positive Health; pp. 3.2.7–6.6.1.
9. Saxena T, Mittal SR. Stress relaxation in management of mild to moderate hypertension. Asian J Clin Cardiol. 2000; 2: 36–41.
10. Guyton AC, Hall JE, editors. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. Respiratory insufficiency - Pathophysiology, diagnosis, oxygen therapy. In: Textbook of medical physiology; p. 529.
11. Mcfadden ER. pathogenesis of asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1984; 73: 411-22.
12. Cooper S, Oborne J, Newton S, Harrison U, Thompson Coon J, Lewis S, et al. Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama in asthma a randomized control trial. Thorax. 2003; 58: 674-9.
13. Slader CA, Reddel HK, Spencer LM, Belousova EG, Armor CL, Bosnic-Anticevich SZ, et al. Double blind randomized control trial of 2 different breathing techniques in the management of asthma. Thorax. 2006; 61: 651-6.
14. Singh V, Wisniew SK, Britton T, Tatters FA. Effect of yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) on airway reactivity in subjects with asthma. Lancet. 1990; 335: 1381–3.

Article from the International Journal of Yoga courtesy of Medknow Publications.

Asthma is a condition in which a person has narrowed bronchioles, mucous secretions fill them, which causes characteristic symptoms: chills, chest tightness, coughing, and gusty breathing. Asthma has been linked to genetics, allergies, or environmental factors, although it starts differently from person to person.

Asthma often, but not always, first appears in childhood. Many people manage to "outgrow" asthma, but if it manifests itself in adulthood, then it becomes much more difficult to deal with it. Polluted air, increased stress levels, insufficient treatment from childhood are all factors contributing to the development of the disease. They can undermine the immune system.

How yoga can help with asthma

From a yoga perspective, many people, not only asthma sufferers, do not breathe properly. By correcting breathing, we can increase the flow of oxygen to tissues, reduce stress levels, muscle tension. It is useful for everyone and life-saving for those who suffer from asthma.

There are 6 signs of improper breathing in people with asthma.

1. Breathing through the chest.

Chest breathing means that most of the air goes to the upper and middle chest, and much less to the lower lungs.

Stress is one of the reasons for this breathing. Constant stress can make it a habit. Remember how you breathe when you are afraid: you take quick and short breaths that occur as if under the collarbone. People with asthma breathe this way almost all the time. If you try to take a few of these breaths, you will feel some excitement. This breathing is bad because the lower part of the lungs, where there are a huge number of blood vessels, does not receive enough oxygen to saturate the blood passing through them.

Poor posture, which is common, also provokes chest-assisted breathing as the lower ribs rise to the upper abdomen. This restricts movement of the diaphragm, the large domed muscle located under the lungs, which begins breathing first. Only after the diaphragm, the chest (and sometimes the neck) is included in the breathing process.

When improper breathing becomes constant, the diaphragm weakens, like any muscle left without exercise, which makes the person worse. Poor posture can cause tension in the chest and intercostal muscles, ligaments and connective tissue structures of the chest, which limits its ability to shrink and expand.

Yoga practice aimed at working with asthma should include exercises that strengthen the diaphragm and help lower it to allow air to enter the lungs. This is breathing with the abdomen, which is the exact opposite of breathing with the chest. Some exercises, particularly asanas, correct posture, and thus breathing.

2. Inhale deeper than exhale.

Exhalation problems reflect the narrowing of the bronchioles due to inflammation, edema, spasms (contraction of the bronchioles), and mucus secretion.

When the breathing muscles contract, expanding the lungs as you inhale, some pressure is created in the airways that opens them, but when you exhale, they collapse. Since no more air can enter the lungs during inhalation than it exited during exhalation, a certain amount of stale air remains in them. This residual volume does not allow fresh air to pass through, thus reducing the flow of oxygen to other organs. To compensate for the lack of oxygen, breathing is accelerated, and quick and short breaths are ineffective and cause stress.

From the point of view of yoga, the weakness of the abdominal muscles, the inability to use them in the process is an additional factor contributing to the development of improper breathing.

In yoga, you can learn to engage your abdominal muscles as you exhale, pushing extra air out of your lungs. This, plus correct posture, allows more air to be inhaled. According to research, yoga increases both lung capacity and expiratory volume.

3. Holding your breath.

Holding the breath is often an unconscious action that occurs after inhalation. At the same time, tension increases, which makes it almost impossible to breathe out calmly. This condition is stressful for the body, and if it occurs constantly, then it has an additional effect on the heart and lungs.

By feeling your breath through yoga, you will learn not to hold it. This skill appears in your first yoga classes, and gradually such breathing will become quite normal for you.

4. Breathing through the mouth.

Many people breathe only through the mouth, and too quickly, since in this case less tension is created in the airways than when breathing through the nose, when the air in the nasal cavity is warmed, cleaned and moisturized (cold air can become stressful for the lungs, cause spasms and intensify the inflammatory process, if it is already in the body). When breathing through the mouth, the larynx and oral cavity dry out, which leads to irritation of the airways.

5. Reverse breathing.

With such breathing, the diaphragm rises on inhalation and falls on exhalation, which is wrong. This reduces the efficiency of breathing and promotes development with the help of the chest, with all the consequences.
By starting to better understand the body, you will be able to completely get away from reverse breathing breathing through the mouth.

6. Increased breathing.

Faster breathing is a rapid alternation of inhalation and exhalation. Asthmatics are characterized by a very high respiratory rate. Twelve breaths per minute is normal, and in patients this figure increases 2-3 times. They can breathe in enough oxygen, but by increasing the frequency they breathe out more carbon dioxide than necessary.

If the level of carbon dioxide is low, the pH of the blood rises (becomes more alkaline), as a result of which hemoglobin holds the oxygen molecules more tightly, and cells, in turn, cannot get enough of it. This causes asthmatics to inhale more air, exhaling more carbon dioxide. Rapid breathing also causes dryness and cooling of the airways, which can cause bronchospasm.

Yoga fights against fast breathing by teaching you to take slow, deep breaths. Once you reach a certain level in yoga, you will realize that you can, without much effort, breathe in and out more air thanks to slow, deliberate breaths. With measured breathing, slow breaths calm the nervous system and mind. During an asthma attack, the best thing you can do is take chalky and measured breaths in and out. Excitement will only worsen the symptoms of the disease and lead to improper breathing, and improper breathing will lead to excitement, which in turn will speed up your breathing.

Test for the condition of your lungs

Before starting classes, you need to take a test that you can do on your own and find out the condition of your lungs. It consists in the fact that you inhale for 2 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds and hold your breath as much as possible. A period of 30 seconds is normal. The test must be performed every day. If your result is much lower than the 30 second mark, you need to change your breathing. If the result is constantly deteriorating, this may indicate an inflammatory process and the need to consult a doctor.

Yoga for respiratory diseases can very quickly help and save you from the need to take various medications.

In asthma, there is often a spasm of the intercostal muscles, the muscles of the shoulder girdle and back.

At the beginning of the practice, it is good to warm up and stretch the muscles of the shoulders, back and chest. Stretch the muscles of the shoulders and neck with your hands.

1) Stretch your arms up.
2) Lean to the right and left (2-4 times).
3) Place your palms with your fingers up in the lower back and make a gentle arch, pulling the sternum up. Keep your head, do not throw it back.
4) Lean forward and reach with your hands towards the floor.

The main complex for asthma

1) Mill kneeling, fig. 1

Put your feet hip-width apart, bend forward and place your hands under your shoulder joints. Stretch forward with the crown of your head, backward with your tailbone. Place your left hand in the middle, lift your right hand up behind your back, you can look up. You will get a soft twist, revealing the chest. Next, lower your hand to the floor, place it in the middle and raise your left. In a position with a raised hand, you need to be at least 30 seconds.

2) Bhujangasana, fig. 2

Lie down on a rug. Place your palms under the shoulder joints. Straining your back muscles, lift off the mat. Stretch the top of your head forward and up. Stay in this position for 15-30 seconds, then begin to straighten your arms. Watch the sensations in the lower back, there should be no pain. Open the chest, pull the sternum forward.

3) Ushtrasana, fig. 3

Get on your knees. Place your palms on your lower back. Lean back and make a slight bend. If it's easy, then move your palms to your heels.

4) Child's pose, fig. 4

After the ushtrasana, sit down on the rug and assume the child's pose. Relax.
The practice should be gentle, without strenuous physical activity, so as not to trigger an asthma attack.

Asthma requires breathing practices, such as: full yogic breath, ujayi breath and some special for asmatics.

Full yoga breathing.

First, you need to breathe only with your stomach, lowering the diaphragm as far down as possible. Next, we breathe only in the area of ​​the ribs, opening them and spreading them to the sides. Then connect belly breathing with costal breathing and add clavicular breathing (lift the collarbones while inhaling and lower it as you exhale).

Direct yogic breathing: inhalation begins from the abdomen, continues in the region of the ribs and ends with the rise of the collarbones. Exhale: lower your collarbones, bring your ribs together, and pull your navel towards your spine.

Reverse yoga breathing: inhalation is done in the same way as in direct yoga breathing, and exhalation begins with the fact that the abdomen is deflated, the diaphragm is pulled up, the ribs are brought together and the collarbones are lowered.

Breathing 1: 2

You can do this practice while lying in Savasana or sitting. Start by reducing the effort you use to inhale, and then gradually reduce the duration until it is equal to half of the exhalation. For example, if the duration of your inhalation is usually 4 seconds, you should inhale for 2 seconds, and the duration of the exhalation itself should not change. Do not try to lengthen the duration of the exhalation, just shorten the duration of the inhalation. If you feel anxious or if you are breathing faster, take a few normal breaths and then continue the exercise.

Breathing 1: 2 with a pause after exhalation

Repeat the previous exercise, but this time try to pause after exhaling (but not after inhaling!). Gradually increase the length of the pause until it becomes equal to the exhalation.

Breathing 1: 2, extended pause after exhalation

The length of inhalation and exhalation should be the same, however add a pause after exhalation (but not after inhalation!). As a result, the pause should be two or four times the duration of inhalation and exhalation. This exercise can be called a "natural inhaler".

For asthma, it is necessary to do special mudra, helping to relieve attacks and completely heal from asthma.

Bend the middle fingers on both hands and connect them with the backs of the upper phalanges. Straighten the rest of your fingers. Keep this mudra for 3-6 minutes. For a good effect, it is necessary to keep the mudra for 5 minutes 3-4 times a day.

Also very useful for asthma soothing techniques, relaxing massages and meditations.

Enjoy your practice and be healthy

In medicine, there is such a thing as "psychosomatic illness"... This refers to a pathological condition, the development of which is based on an undoubted connection between the body and the psyche. Moreover, often in the development of psychosomatic diseases, the psyche plays a decisive, starting value.

The World Health Organization has approved a list of psychosomatic diseases, which include such common ailments as hypertension, peptic ulcer disease, neurodermatitis, and ischemic heart disease. Bronchial asthma is also included in this category.

Indeed, all of these diseases are undoubtedly associated with the psycho-emotional background and stress overload. The onset and development of the disease, as a rule, have psychogenic reasons.

Bronchial asthma is a prominent representative of psychosomatic pathology. On the one hand, the mechanisms of the development of the disease are determined by the close connection between breathing and the psyche in humans, and on the other hand, the great possibilities of yoga therapy are based on this connection.

During the formation of the neuropsychic variant of BA, there is a tendency to use the disease as a means of inadequate adaptation to the microsocial environment and temporary abstraction from solving emotional problems (G.B. Fedoseev, V.I. Trofimov, 2006).

Bronchial asthma(BA) can be defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchial tree, accompanied by impaired reactivity and sensitivity of the bronchi and manifested by attacks of shortness of breath. Shortness of breath is associated with impaired patency of the bronchi, their edema and spasm, and is expiratory in nature (that is, shortness of breath is associated with difficulty breathing out). The disease develops against the background of a hereditary predisposition to allergic diseases.

In addition to psychogenic causes, the development of AD is based on an allergic component, which in childhood may initially manifest itself in the form of skin food allergies. Then the manifestations begin to capture the upper respiratory tract (allergic rhinitis, pollinosis, laryngeal edema) - in this case, the allergen is already substances that enter the body through the respiratory tract: house dust, insects, wool, pollen, etc.

Further, the allergic process begins to capture the bronchial tree, and the bronchi, upon contact with the allergen, increase their tone, spasm, which leads to a deterioration in their conductivity. In addition, the passage of air through the respiratory tract worsens the resulting mucosal edema and mucus hypersecretion. All this leads to the fact that on exhalation, small bronchi collapse, there is difficulty in exhaling and the occurrence of expiratory (that is, associated with exhalation) shortness of breath.

In the pathogenesis of asthma, vegetative imbalance at the level of the bronchial tree is also essential. Recall that the parasympathetic nervous system increases the tone of the smooth muscle elements of the bronchi (that is, narrows the bronchi, this is called bronchoconstriction) and stimulates the secretion of mucus. In contrast, the sympathetic system dilates the bronchi (bronchodilation) and improves bronchial conduction. BA patients were found to have various disorders of autonomic control of bronchial tone, characterized by an increase in parasympathetic activity; however, most likely these disorders are secondary in nature and associated with a chronic inflammatory process. It has been shown that inflammatory mediators (mediator molecules) can excite sensitive nerve endings, which leads to reflex parasympathetic narrowing of the bronchi (GB Fedoseev, VI Trofimov, 2006).

Endocrine mechanisms are also of some importance. Insufficient activity of the adrenal glands and glucocorticoid (GC) hormones plays a significant role in the development of inflammation and hyperreactivity of the bronchi. Most often, glucocorticoid insufficiency occurs due to the intake of glucocorticoid hormones by mouth (a very common treatment option for severe forms of asthma). In addition, a dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis plays a role. With HA deficiency, there is a decrease in the effect of these hormones on inflammation, the immune system, and on the release of anti-inflammatory mediators in an allergic reaction.

Estrogens have a weak bronchoconstrictor (narrowing) effect, and progesterone has a weak bronchodilatory (expanding) effect. Imbalance in estrogen / progesterone predisposes to the development of allergic reactions and bronchospasm in women (G.B. Fedoseev, V.I. Trofimov, 2006).

For the treatment of asthma, Western medicine offers pharmacological drugs to suppress immune-allergic inflammation, as well as inhalation agents that affect the autonomic system of the bronchi. Often, inhaled drugs are prescribed first, which excite the receptors of the sympathetic system and thus cause temporary expansion of the bronchi (salbutamol). Substances that block parasympathetic receptors are also used to inhibit vasospasm. Often, patients develop addiction to this category of drugs, and subsequently it is necessary to add inhaled synthetic hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids), which powerfully suppress local immunity, thereby blocking allergic inflammation.

In case of ineffectiveness of the above means, the last step is the administration of hormonal glucocorticoids by mouth. This type of therapy has a wide range of severe side effects (steroid stomach ulcers, osteoporosis, arterial hypertension, steroid diabetes, suppression of the synthesis of its own hormones, disorders of fat metabolism).

Meanwhile, non-drug methods of treatment often have a clear and demonstrative effect, allowing you to reduce the dose of pharmacological drugs or abandon them altogether. According to G.B. Fedoseeva, "A serious advantage of non-drug methods is that remission is maintained due to the restoration of the patient's own compensatory capabilities." Yoga therapy also belongs to such methods of treatment that restore their own resources.

Bronchial asthma is a disease that is very responsive to the efforts of a yoga therapist, and, as a rule, as a result of training, it is possible to achieve a significant improvement in the condition. Consider the main areas of practice that should be practiced from the very beginning:

1. An important element of practice is the elements sukshma-vyayamas, actively using the shoulder girdle. In asthma, pronounced changes are observed in the form of hypertonicity of muscles that have a common segmental innervation with the lungs: belt, ladder, trapezoidal, anterior dentate, spine straightener. When these muscles are strained, the movements of the ribs and the entire chest are disrupted, the position of the head and shoulder girdle changes. As a result, bronchial drainage is impaired and the so-called early expiratory bronchial closure, as a result of which ventilation in the lower parts of the lungs deteriorates sharply (V.A.Epifanov, 2008). Therefore, it is important at the earliest stages of training to introduce and use articular warm-ups that actively involve the muscular, as well as the ligamentous and articular apparatus of the shoulder girdle. This allows you to relieve local muscle tension and evenly distribute muscle tone, optimize the work of the respiratory muscles and ultimately improve pulmonary ventilation. In addition, dynamic practices involving the shoulder girdle and the proprioceptive sensitivity of this zone allow breaking the chains of pathological motor-visceral reflexes, normalizing the relationship between the musculoskeletal system, the central nervous system and the bronchial tree.
2. Forced breathing patterns - kapalabhati and bhastrika- allow achieving the implementation of several mechanisms at once. First, fluctuations in airway pressure stimulate the activity of the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi, thereby activating the excretion of mucus. Secondly, an increase in the respiratory rate shifts the autonomic tone towards sympathetic activation, which contributes to bronchodilation and an increase in the level of endogenous (natural) glucocorticoids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. Some authoritative sources (Potapchuk A.A., Matveev S.V., Didur M.D., 2007) suggest the use of forced breathing types in specific variants: the so-called "nasal gymnastics" includes active breaths and passive breaths performed with frequency of 1 breath per second. The patient is invited to make an active forced inhalation through the nose (approximately 20-30% less active from the maximum possible). After each forced inhalation through the nose, air is passively released, without fixing attention on exhalation. With the correct execution of forced inhalation, the wings of the nose are pulled up to the nasal septum, which is accompanied by a characteristic symptom - "sniffing". This variant (which differs from the common variant of kapalabhati, in which exhalation is actively performed) is favorable for BA patients, as it helps to restore the physiological balance between the expiratory and inspiratory respiratory muscles, as well as the corresponding groups of neurons in the respiratory center. Leading experts believe that inspiratory training is most indicated for patients with asthma to increase the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles (Zilber, 1996). In practical work, however, kapalabhati (active exhalation and passive inhalation) and bhastrika (both phases of the respiratory cycle are equally active) used in traditional versions as part of a comprehensive yoga therapy practice usually give a good effect. The possibilities of various options for forced breathing should be remembered for the individual selection of the practice of yoga therapy in difficult, difficult cases. It should also be remembered that in severe forms of asthma, an attack can be triggered by anything, including frequent and harsh breathing; therefore, one should start mastering kapalabhati and bhastrika with the mildest variants.
3. In the practice of asanas should be shifted emphasis on the predominance of deflections(bhujangasana, sarpasana, matsyasana, etc.). This can contribute, firstly, to the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (it can be assumed that the functions of the adrenal glands are activated due to changes in blood flow, as well as mechanical compression of this zone; the likelihood of an activating effect on the sympathetic paravertebral ganglia is also high). Secondly, deflections contribute to the formation of motor automatisms and the distribution of muscle tone, which are more preferable in AD.
4. Introduction to practice full breath also allows you to achieve several goals at once. As mentioned above, in patients with asthma, ventilation of the lower parts of the lungs suffers first of all (up to complete cessation), there is a transition to upper thoracic breathing, and the normal relationship between the blood supply to the lungs and their ventilation is disturbed. The diaphragm during exhalation does not completely relax and remains flattened; during inhalation, such a diaphragm develops less force. Diaphragmatic breathing training allows you to restore the normal participation of the diaphragm in the breathing process, ventilation-perfusion ratios (that is, the blood supply / ventilation ratio) and ultimately optimize gas exchange. To reduce the pressure in the abdominal cavity and normalize the motility of the diaphragm, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of bowel function and the regularity of the stool; in the presence of constipation, an appropriate laxative diet and techniques are used to normalize bowel function (pavanamuktasana, abdominal manipulations, inverted asanas, etc.). The skill of evenly including all muscle groups in breathing during full breathing is psychologically very useful for a patient with asthma: the consciousness that he he can control his own breathing, significantly changes the attitude towards the disease, creates a favorable psychological attitude.
5. Breath ujayi used in yoga therapy of bronchial asthma, as well as other options for breathing with resistance in modern schools of physical rehabilitation. Ujjayi contributes to a more uniform inclusion of the expiratory and inspiratory respiratory muscles in the breathing process, ujjayi on inhalation trains usually weakened inspiratory muscles, ujjayi on exhalation promotes more uniform emptying of the airways from the exhaust air, prevents the collapse of small bronchi on exhalation. One should start with the proportion of sama-vritti (1: 1, that is, exhalation is equal to inhalation), this is advisable due to the initially increased tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. Increasing the tone of parasympathetic is undesirable, since it is parasympathetic that activates bronchospasm. However, in the future, a general calming parasympathetic effect can help normalize the general tone of the central nervous system, relieve general psychological tension, therefore, a gradual transition to the visama-vritti ratio (1: 2) with an overall positive dynamics of the disease is permissible.
6. To stimulate the ciliated epithelium and remove mucus from the bronchi, the practice includes vibration techniques... For this purpose, singing of vowel sounds is used, which can be combined with tapping the chest with fingers and palms.
7. From shatkarmas, you need to pay attention to neti and vamana-dhauti... First of all, nasal breathing should be normalized, since stimulation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract entails a reflex expansion of the bronchi and bronchioles (SN Popov, 2007). To normalize nasal breathing, it is used jala- and sutra neti as well as the aforementioned kapalabhati and bhastrika. In cases that are resistant to therapy with asanas, vyayam and breathing practices, vamana-dhauti: when vomiting is induced, the discharge of the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata changes the activity of the nuclei of the respiratory and cough centers in the immediate vicinity, as well as the nuclei of the vagus nerve - the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system. This leads to modulation of the activity of the main central mechanisms that control the processes of respiration and ultimately has a positive effect on the course of bronchial asthma: the frequency and duration of attacks decreases, the duration of remission of the disease increases. Vamana-dhauti can be carried out both for the relief of an incipient attack, and as a prophylaxis course; the systematic use of vamana-dhauti should be carried out after consultation with a specialist and taking into account contraindications.
8. Practices muscle relaxation it is imperative to pay attention, as this helps to normalize the psychophysiological tone, reduce situational and personal anxiety, and fear of another attack. However, it should be remembered that in the initial stages the practice should be aimed at maintaining sympathetic tone; for these reasons, it is not necessary to do excessively long sessions of shavasana (5-7 minutes is enough), it also makes sense to apply shavasana with the formation of a slight deflection (a bolster, brick or rolled rug is placed between the shoulder blades). Practices are used for local relaxation of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms: tension on inhalation, relaxation on exhalation.

So, the main directions of yoga therapy practice for bronchial asthma will be: dynamic practice of asanas with a predominance of deflections, kapalabhati and bhastrika, full breathing and ujjaya techniques, drainage exercises in the form of singing vowel sounds and vibrational self-massage, neti and vamana-dhauti, voluntary muscle relaxation techniques.

With the systematic practice of yoga, built according to the above principles, the course of bronchial asthma improves in the vast majority of cases. Doses of drugs are reduced, and it is often possible to abandon pharmacotherapy altogether. The disease often enters into permanent remission with extremely rare attacks or their complete absence.

A case from yoga therapy practice

I am publishing it not as something rare or extraordinary, but as a typical example of a standard case.

Woman 72 years old. Diagnosis: bronchial asthma, mixed form (allergic, infectious-dependent). Hypertension stage 2.

The debut of bronchial asthma in 2010, for the first time in his life at the age of 70. The disease progressed rapidly, the attending physician prescribed inhaled adrenergic agonists, with little effect. The attacks of expiratory dyspnea became more frequent, there was a cold sensitivity of the bronchi, provoking attacks when going outside.

Due to the insufficient clinical effect of adrenergic agonists, the attending physician prescribed inhaled forms of glucocorticoids.

I applied for a selection of yoga therapy in October 2010. The practice consisted of soft vyayam (articular gymnastics) for all the main articular groups, but with an emphasis on the arms and shoulder girdle, a technique for strengthening the respiratory muscles, developing diaphragmatic and full breathing skills, natural vibration massage with singing vowel sounds and tapping the chest, cycles of majariasana, shallow backbends (sarpasana, bhujangasana variants without the help of hands). Shavasana (final relaxation) is short (about 3-5 minutes), in the form of a soft passive deflection (a low ridge between the shoulder blades along the spinal column).

The proposed set of exercises was performed by the patient 5-6 times a week. In parallel, a successful correction of the pharmacotherapy of hypertension was carried out. A month later, a persistent clinical improvement in the course of bronchial asthma was noted. After 2 months from the beginning of classes, the attacks disappeared completely, a gradual reduction in doses of inhaled glucocorticoids was carried out, followed by their complete cancellation. To the present, the patient continues to practice yoga therapy, there is a complete remission during bronchial asthma: the absence of attacks of expiratory dyspnea without any pharmacological support.