Yoga and Neuropathy

by Nikita Burke PhD

Numerous published studies show that yoga can significantly improve neuropathy symptoms and quality of life. For example, yoga has been shown in one study to reduce pain by 25%; fatigue by 31% and depression by 44%. In a group of individuals with diabetic neuropathy, 40 days of yoga improved nerve conduction and blood glucose levels, whereas these parameters continued to deteriorate in the control group. Also, eight weeks of yoga decreased pain and improved grip strength in people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome when compared to control subjects.

Yoga allows us to relax the mind and body in spite of uncomfortable sensations, such as pain. Resilience is increased by regularly tending to the mind. Deep breathing increases energy, brings a sense of well-being and peace of mind. When practiced frequently, yoga promotes relaxation by reducing stress and helping acceptance of neuropathy. Deep breathing can help deal with waves of pain and also helps reduce the emotional or unpleasant quality of pain. Yoga also helps connect the mind and the body – listening to the signals your body provides will help you to honor where your body is at that moment in time. By tuning into your body, you can learn how you hold yourself and improve your posture mindfully. The

skills you learn on the mat can become a habit so that it is easier to relax in your day-to-day life. These skills help you to be aware of what your abilities are, when you can push through, what triggers an episode and how you can manage symptoms of neuropathy.

Your peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that transmit information between your brain and spinal cord and your body. Yoga can help to increase the communication between your nerve cells, spinal cord and brain. In this way, yoga is believed to strengthen the pathways between the nerves and brain, managing symptoms and even reducing progression.

Neuroplasticity refers to our nervous system’s ability to rewire itself. This allows our brains to compensate for injury and disease and our neurons to adjust their activities in response to new situations. For example, with regular yoga practice, repetition of a posture results in greater neural connections in the brain area associated with that body part.

In fact, yogis have more than double the pain tolerance of controls and more gray matter in their brain!

Nikita Burke PhD, received her doctorate in neuroscience at the National University of Ireland, Galway, where she examined the role of the immune system in the link between depression and chronic pain.