Friday, May 8, 2009

Yoga for rehabilitation in chronic pancreatitis

The Facts:

* Pancreatitis can be a very painful condition, which is especially uncomfortable after eating and may cause weight loss.

* A study was carried out in 30 patients with pancreatitis to see if yoga helped with their symptoms.

* After 3 months of a yoga programme patients reported less pain and anxiety, less need for pain relief, and improvements in their diet and weight gain.

Shaun’s comment: The pancreas is a gland located close to the stomach, which produces enzymes that are used to digest food. Occasionally, the pancreas becomes inflamed, which is known as pancreatitis. The most common cause is excess alcohol drinking. This was only a small study, and larger studies are needed before yoga can be strongly recommended, but if you have chronic pancreatitis it may be worth trying yoga to see if it can reduce your pain levels and weight loss.

Study Reference:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gut.2006.093088


No comments:

Post a Comment