Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Yoga May Reduce Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Treatment

Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Nov, 2015 12:34 PM
  • Yoga May Reduce Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Treatment
Practicing yoga can improve quality of life of men with prostate cancer who are undergoing radiation therapy, says a new study led by an Indian-origin researcher.
 
The researchers found that general quality of life and measurements of side effects often experienced by prostate cancer patients - including fatigue, sexual health and urinary incontinence - were stable throughout a course of outpatient radiation therapy among the men participating in an intensive yoga programme.
 
"Data have consistently shown declines in these important measures among prostate cancer patients undergoing cancer therapy without any structured fitness interventions, so the stable scores seen with our yoga programme are really good news," said Neha Vapiwala, associate professor at Abramson Cancer Centre, University of Pennsylvania in the US.
 
The possible explanation for the benefits of yoga seen in the study stems from physiologic data demonstrating its ability to help reduce cancer-related fatigue and to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and increase blood flow. 
 
These latter aspects may in turn improve erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, Vapiwala said.
 
Between May 2013 and June 2014, the study participants attended twice-weekly yoga classes of 75 minutes each, taught by trained Eischens yoga instructors.
 
"Eischens yoga incorporates ideas from movement theory and kinesiology and is accessible to all body types and experience levels," said Tali Mazar Ben-Josef, certified Eischens yoga instructor and researcher at Abramson Cancer Centre.
 
Most yoga participants reported a sense of well-being at the end of each class, Ben-Josef said.
 
Severity of fatigue scores demonstrated significant variability over the time of treatment. Erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, and general quality of life scores demonstrated steady trends.
 
The findings were presented at the Society of Integrative Oncology's 12th International Conference in Boston.

MORE Health ARTICLES

Regulation of brain molecule could help marijuana addicts

Regulation of brain molecule could help marijuana addicts
A natural molecule that activates cannabinoid receptors in the brain could relieve mood and anxiety disorders and enable some people to quit....

Regulation of brain molecule could help marijuana addicts

Even mild heart disease increases mortality risk for diabetic patients

Even mild heart disease increases mortality risk for diabetic patients
A large-scale study involving 40,000 patients from 17 centres around the world has found that diabetic patients with even mild coronary artery disease face...

Even mild heart disease increases mortality risk for diabetic patients

'Ebola vaccine showing promising results'

'Ebola vaccine showing promising results'
Two Ebola vaccines undergoing clinical trials have shown promising results and would be deployed in January 2015 to West African countries affected by the...

'Ebola vaccine showing promising results'

US Institute To Study Sexual Habits Of Obese Girls

US Institute To Study Sexual Habits Of Obese Girls
The US National Institute for Health (NIH) has collaborated with researchers from the University of Pittsburgh' Magee-Women's Research Institute to study the sexual habits of obese girls.

US Institute To Study Sexual Habits Of Obese Girls

Toy-related Injuries On The Rise In US

Toy-related Injuries On The Rise In US
The study highlights that while playing with toys helps children to develop, learn, and explore, parents should also note that many toys pose an injury risk to children.

Toy-related Injuries On The Rise In US

Too Many Us Infants Still Sleep With Blankets Or Other Unsafe Bedding

Too Many Us Infants Still Sleep With Blankets Or Other Unsafe Bedding
CHICAGO — Too many U.S. infants sleep with blankets, pillows or other unsafe bedding that may lead to suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome, despite guidelines recommending against the practice. That's according to researchers who say 17 years of national data show parents need to be better informed.

Too Many Us Infants Still Sleep With Blankets Or Other Unsafe Bedding