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

How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities

How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities
Salivary mucins, key components of mucus, actively protect the teeth from cavity-causing bacteria, new research shows....

How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities

Television viewing to help detect eye diseases

Television viewing to help detect eye diseases
Mapping how your eyes respond to watching television can lead to early detection of diseases such as glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, research shows....

Television viewing to help detect eye diseases

Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants

Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants
A milk powder containing anti-retroviral drugs, which are not very soluble in water, can help better treat and prevent HIV infection in babies, research shows....

Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants

Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola

Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola
NEW YORK — A veterinarians' group has put out guidance on handling pets that may have been infected by Ebola. It says that if an animal tests positive, it should be euthanized.

Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola

Anxiety ups Alzheimer's risk

Anxiety ups Alzheimer's risk
Anxiety in people with memory problems could increase their risk of contracting Alzheimer's disease later in life, says a new research....

Anxiety ups Alzheimer's risk

Blood vessel protein could help treat prostate tumours: Study

Blood vessel protein could help treat prostate tumours: Study
A signal protein, that plays a crucial role in controlling the growth of blood vessels, could be used to suppress tumours in prostate cancer, according to....

Blood vessel protein could help treat prostate tumours: Study