Do pulmonologists endorse yogic breathing for lung diseases?

Hi @pd02, and welcome to Connect. I found information from Mayo Clinic on lifestyle and home remedies for obstructive lung disease (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/copd/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20032017). It mentions two things - controlling your breathing and exercising regularly, which come from practicing yoga.

I also found this article from the Lung Institute that highlights the benefits yoga has for people with COPD. (https://lunginstitute.com/blog/how-can-yoga-help-copd/)

I'm tagging a few members - @Paula_MAC2007 and @katemn - who may be able to offer some advice and support.

Thank you for the quick and concerned reply to my query. I will go through<br>both the articles.<br>Wishing you the best,<br>pd02<br><br>

Hi Alyse Brunella, the second article from the Lung Institute posted by David Ebner is positive about the role of yoga in enhancing the quality of breathing in COPD patients. It makes me feel good that I have not wasted four years doing kapalvati, anulome bilome, bhastrika and bhramari. Bhramari, for instance, is done by exhaling A-U-M (all the vowel sounds you can think of in between) slowly and for as long as one can do it. I have often wondered if the vibration produced in this process of exhalation can break up mucous in the airways or the lungs like a lung flute is supposed to do so.

Furthermore, I have found a mixture of yogic postures and other exercises such as stomach crunch, squatting or push ups better than just these or just the yoga. I wonder what others think about this.

Hi pd this is such a great question. I have practiced yoga and breathing for many years, and have serious lung damage. I would not be alive if I had not done so - controlling your breathing helps calm you, which allows more healing to take place as stress of course has a terrible effect on the body., by doing yoga in general, major organs receive more blood flow, circulation, and oxygen, which also helps "clean up" the lungs. I don't know what area you live in but I would see what you can find through pulmonary therapy. You should be able to find basic yoga classes specifically for disability. I would learn basic yoga first and enjoy the great peace and calm that comes with that, then learn more of yogic breathing! Please update sometime I would really love to know what direction you took! Yoga is a very powerful healing modality! It meets you where you are at. With 'blessings and love. : )

Hi Jms7. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am from Kathmandu and, like I said in my earlier post, I have been practicing the breathing pranayam exercises plus some yoga posters for four years or so. I do plan to continue practicing these and other postures. I really wanted to understand the effects of yoga on my body: not just the act helping blood circulation and oxygenation of blood, but the effect of the inner vibration as when doing bhramari.
Keep me posted.

What a GREAT idea for lung health!! Thank you so much for the idea! I am going to try to find out what is available in my area .. good info! Katherine