There are many websites that boasts that Yoga can offer cure to Hernia. But if you carefully watch those websites, they are mostly websites that promote Yoga. You can hardly find neutral websites that posts the success of Yoga in curing Hernia. Does that mean Yoga is ineffective in curing Hernia?
We clearly are not undermining the benefits of Yoga here. We perfectly understand that Yoga is an ancient Indian wisdom and is a perfect gift to the human world. We want to tread carefully on how Yoga can impact if you definitely show symptoms of Hernia and is confirmed by your surgeon.
Reasons Why Yoga Can Affect Hernia
- The first fact to get right is that Hernia is not a disease. It is a surgical condition arising as a result of loosening or tearing of fascia and muscles that holds the abdominal organs (the intestine, colon and solid organs). So presence of Hernia obviously means, your muscle layer has been breached.
- You would not definitely know the position of your Hernia, its intensity and how it has breached. Dr. M. Maran, a Gastro Surgeon based out of Chennai is of the opinion that surgeons treating Hernia are in a better position to tell its position after carefully examining the patients and other investigations.
- Any pose that requires you to exert pressure on your abdomen / stomach region has to be clearly avoided. Yoga positions like Bridge poses, Adho Mukha Savanasana (Downward facing dog like position), Uttanasana (standing forward bend), Trikonasana (Open Triangle Pose), Backbend Asanas like Baddha Konasana, Bhujangasana (Cobra pose), Salabhasana (Locust Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) etc can prove strenuous and can only aggravate your Hernia.
- The said Yoga poses or the Asanas can possibly end up by tearing your muscles more, constricting the blood supply to the hernial content (intestine), or sometimes can also completely cut off blood supply to the hernia content if the poses are too strenuous and extreme.
Should I Not Perform Yoga If I Have Hernia?
- Our foremost advice is, check for the effect of Yoga poses on your abdomen before you start performing those poses.
- Pick up more Yoga poses that rely on breathing techniques. These do not cure Hernia but these breathing techniques are good for your overall health.
- Choose lighter Yoga positions that do not pressurize your abdomen.
- More importantly, if you have strangulated Hernia or complicated Hernia, remember you need to undergo Hernia surgery immediately. In such cases avoid Yoga.