A Qualitative Study on the Practice of Yoga for Women with Pain-Associated Endometriosis

Andrea Vasconcelos Gonçalves, María Yolanda Makuch, Maria Y Makuch, Maria Sílvia Vellutini Setúbal, Maria Silvia Setubal, Nelson Filice Barros, Nélson Filice de Barros, Luís Bahamondes, Luis Bahamondes
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) · 2016 · vol. 22(12) , pp. 977–982 · doi:10.1089/acm.2016.0021 · PMID:27552065 · W2516880920
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This qualitative study found that women with endometriosis integrated mind-body techniques and breathing exercises through yoga to manage pelvic pain, gaining self-knowledge, autonomy, and psychosocial support.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To understand the meaning women with pain-associated endometriosis attribute to yoga practice regarding their physical and emotional state at the beginning of the practice; pain management by integrating body and mind; secondary benefits of the practice of yoga, such as self-knowledge, self-care, and autonomy; and the role of the yoga group as psychosocial support. DESIGN: Qualitative study conducted simultaneously with a randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Public university hospital in southeastern Brazil between August 2013 and December 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen women with pain-associated endometriosis who practiced yoga for 8 weeks. INTERVENTION: After completing the twice-a-week program, all women participated in a single, semi-structured interview. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic analyses were performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: The main themes of analysis were women's expectations regarding the practice of yoga, physical and emotional state of women at the beginning of yoga practice, control and pain management through the integration of body and mind, secondary benefits, acquisition of self-knowledge and autonomy, and the role of yoga group as psychosocial support. RESULTS: All participants reported that yoga was beneficial to control pelvic pain. They related that they were aware of the integration of body and psyche during yoga practice and that this helped in the management of pain. Women said they had identified a relationship between pain management and breathing techniques (pranayama) learned in yoga and that breathing increased their ability to be introspective, which relieved pain. The participants have developed greater self-knowledge, autonomy, and self-care and have reduced the use of pain and psychiatric medications. They created ties among themselves, suggesting that the yoga group allowed psychosocial support. CONCLUSIONS: Bodily and psychosocial mechanisms to control pain were identified in women with endometriosis. To reach such control, it is crucial that mind and body integrative techniques are learned.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Pain Management Pain Management Pelvic Pain Yoga Adult Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Middle Aged Pain Management Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Yoga Young Adult

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (46)

Cited by (25)

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