To Study The Safety and Usefulness of Adding Laghu Sankhapraksalana to The Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Abstract

To study the safety and usefulness of adding laghu Sankhapraksalana to the integrated approach of yoga therapy in patients with essential hypertension. Background: There are several studies that have documented the usefulness of different types of yoga practices (pranayamas, shavasana and meditations) in the management of mild and moderate hypertension. Our pilot studies and clinical observations on patients who are admitted to the residential and/or out-patient centers of SVYSA also had shown beneficial effects of integrated approach to yogatherapy (IAYT). Yoga and ayurveda texts emphasize the role of clearing the bowel as a very important component in the management of hypertension. For this, they recommend a yoga technique called shankhaprakshalana. In our clinical pilot studies at the center we tried to incorporate this to see the add-on effects. But this was not acceptable either to the clinicians or the patients because of the effort involved in the practice. Hence the laghu sankhapraksalana kriya evolved and recommended by Bihar School of Yoga was tried with encouraging results. Also, ayurveda recommends the use of a mild herbal laxative for clearing the bowel. Hence the present well planned self as control pilot study was undertaken.