Dr. Hemalatha

Yoga is a great way to get rid of diseases and health conditions from heart problems to back pain, sciatica and depression. There exists a body of research suggesting that yoga is the best healing therapy for improving spine alignment and joint health. But on the flip side, research also suggests that yoga can’t cure cancers though it can help one deal with chemotherapy.

But you can certainly try yoga for these diseases and conditions

1. Digestive disorders: There are a number of asanas and pranayamas like the child pose or bala asana and kapalbhati pranayama, which can alleviate indigestion, gas and flatulence. These also help in bowel movement. The Boat pose which is done by stretching your legs and arms straight out parallel in front of you and then raising legs so toes are above eye level is very good for stomach disorders and so is the downward dog pose.
2. Back pain: More than 50 percent adults will face back pain due to a number of reasons in their lifetime. Simple stretching or yoga stretches can both help in the prevention of back pain. Tadasana is very good for aligning the vertebral column and getting rid of back pain. Surya namaskar stretches are very helpful too. You can also try Jatara Parivartanasana, Upavista Konasana or forward bends, Paschimottanasana or seated forward bend and Bhujangasana or cobra pose for back pain.
3. Heart disease: Bhujangasana or cobra pose stretches the chest, massaging organs inside, including heart, and allowing more blood flow to it, thus stimulating and strengthening heart muscle. Kapalbhati pranayama is also very good for the heart since it increases the absorption of oxygen in the blood. Yoga is proven to be an excellent heart risk improvement practice according to current research too.
4. Depression: Anulom vilom pranayama is extremely effective in tackling anxiety and depression. It slows down breathing and is effective against hypertension too when done regularly over a long time. The deep breathing done while doing this pranayama helps slow heart rate and allows the lungs to absorb more oxygen.
5. Diabetes: Surya namaskar or the twelve sun salutation poses help control diabetes as it promotes the production of insulin. The corpse pose is good too.
6. Headaches: Migraines and headaches are common problems that can be handled using yoga. Poses like Sirsasana that increase the flow of oxygen to the brain can alleviate migraines easily.
7. Thyroid disorders: Yoga asanas like shoulder stand, inverted pose, plough pose and the fish pose all help in making the thyroid gland work optimally again. The cobra pose and Ujjayi pranayama also work wonders by re-balancing metabolism and working on the throat reflex pathways to cure thyroid imbalance. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Hoarseness in the simplest sense means, 'hoarse voice'. It may be defined as an abnormal voice change. It is experienced in the form of strained, rough, thick, harsh and grating voice. Variations can be felt even in the loudness and pitch of the voice.

Hoarseness is a temporary infection associated with the larynx, which is also known as the voice box in animals as well as humans. Vocal cords are present inside the voice box. Depending on the vibration of the vocal cord, different sounds are produced.

What are the general causes of hoarseness?

Hoarseness may be caused by common cold, viral infection, cough, irritation due to screaming, smoking, allergy, thyroid problem, acute laryngitis and benign tumor. In adults, the stomach asset comes up to the throat causing hoarseness. Heartburn can also be one of the causes.

When hoarseness arises due to common cold and cough, it will last for 2 to 3 days and will subside using cough suppressant and home remedies like salt water gargling, drinking hot milk with turmeric and pepper powder. As cough or cold suppress, hoarseness will also reduce.

When to see an Otolaryngologist (ENT specialist)?

Serious infections in ear nose and throat are treated by an otolaryngologist. It is very essential to consult this specialist if hoarseness lasts for more than 2 to 3 weeks; pain in ENT is not due to cold or flu, coughing up blood, lump in the neck.

Evaluation: The medical specialist starts his diagnosis by physically examining the vocal cord. Flexible light weight fiber optic tube scope is also used to visually examine the larynx area. Videotaping, acoustic analysis is also done to study voice irregularities, airflow to guide treatment.

How can hoarseness be treated?

The mode of treatments depends on underlying the cause of the problem. The patient may be advised:

1. In most cases, hoarseness can be treated just by resting your throat or modifying the use of your voice.
2. To avoid smoking or passive smoking
3. Referred to a speech therapist to improve sound of voice.
4. In case of benign tumor the nodule or polyp is removed by surgery.

How can you prevent hoarseness?

We've all heard the phrase, 'prevention is better than cure'. Alas, it is. Preventing hoarse voice and throat is a much better option than treating it. Here are some tips on how to prevent hoarseness:

• Avoid smoking
• Avoid overconsumption of caffeine and alcohol.
• Consume plenty of water
• Avoid eating spicy food.
• Avoid speaking loudly for long intervals of time.