Yoga as Physical Therapy for Lymphedema in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

This research explores the effectiveness of yoga as a physical therapy in reducing lymphedema in patients who have undergone head and neck cancer treatment. It discusses the background of the research, simulation approach, justification, need for study, objectives, literature review, methodology, and outcomes. The study emphasizes the various forms of yoga, such as Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga, that can help reduce lymphedema. It highlights the benefits of yoga in improving overall health and well-being.

Reflection
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Main body........................................................................................................................................3
Background of research..........................................................................................................3
Simulation approach...............................................................................................................3
Justification.............................................................................................................................4
Need of study..........................................................................................................................4
Objective of the research........................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................................5
Methodology...........................................................................................................................7
Source.....................................................................................................................................7
Inclusion criteria.....................................................................................................................8
Exclusion criteria....................................................................................................................8
Sample description.................................................................................................................8
Gibbs Reflective Cycle...........................................................................................................8
Outcome...............................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Yoga is an exercise which consist various postures and asanas, word “yoga” generated from
Sanskrit language which refers to join and unite together. Yoga melodiously bring body, sprit,
mind of human together it is the vital motive behind yoga. Techniques of yoga include physical
postures, techniques of breathing or pranayama & meditation. With the help of yoga human can
bring peace in life because yoga also involves advice and guidance related to human health,
lifestyle, eating custom and ayurvedic medicine is also part of yoga. The main well-liked bough
of yoga is Hatha yoga this is the way of physical yoga. Lymphedema is a disease which is cause
due to blockage in human lymphatic system and this give rise to swelling in leg and arm of
human. This is mostly cause because of removal and damage of lymph system which is part of
human immune and circulatory system at the time of cancer treatment. The highlighted
indications of lymphedema are swelling in arms and legs.
Main body
Background of research
This research covers the topic that how yoga is the effective and traditional physical
therapy in reducing or decreasing lymphedema in patients who had neck and head cancer
treatment. To cover this topic research, consist simulative approach, justification of the topic, is
this topic is important and why someone need to study this topic, objective behind the research,
research hypothesis, literature review of the research, methodology, source and at the end
outcome of the research. All these mention topics are discussed and explained in this research
report.
Simulation approach
Simulation refers to the spirited or animated model that copy or impersonate the operation
of the live or advance system. Simulation is created to help the practitioners to find new and
different ways to improve their working process. Simulation is use as a teaching tool in order to
understand lymphedema disease in human body. Many practitioners or doctors use simulation to
generate the knowledge and information about lymphedema and with this they get different ways
to remove or reduce the cause of this disease from human body.
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Justification
Many practitioner or doctors justify that simulation is really supportive and effective to for
learning. Animated model use for the study and practice. Before go on live operation, doctors
and practitioner work on animated model to get proper knowledge about the disease. Simulation
is the best and effective tool to get advance knowledge about the disease lymphedema. This
technique is properly used by the doctors and trainers to train the practitioners. With simulation
practitioners easily adopt the practical knowledge and information about the topic they study.
Simulation make practitioners to study and perform independently. Simulation also motivate and
encourage practitioners.
Need of study
Why it is necessary to study this topic, research topic consist that how yoga is helpful in
order to reduce effect of lymphedema. Yoga is very helpful it increases immunity which protect
human body from various kind of disease including lymphedema because this disease causes the
immune system of human. There are various cases in which human suffering from cancer also
cured or get well by practicing or doing yoga. Even a research say that practicing yoga increase
human life span for about seven years. So, get healthy and safe life person need to study this
topic how yoga works and reduce the cause of lymphedema from the body of person who had
from head and neck cancer treatment. Yoga also include meditation which improve human
mental ability and increase the IQ level of human. Yoga consist various postures and asanas,
meditation techniques which help in reducing cause of various diseases which a person needs to
study. To reduce the cause of lymphedema person need to do hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Ashtanga,
power yoga all these are forms of yoga which a person need to study.
Objective of the research
The main objective of this research is to point out the various postures and asanas of yoga
which is used to reduce or decrease the cause of lymphedema from patients who had head and
neck cancer. And objective of research is identified which kind of postures and asanas help in
reducing lymphedema. Effect of yoga on various disease and specially on lymphedema in patient
of who had cancer treatment.
Hypothesis
Null hypothesis - A statistical hypothesis which is stated for the purpose of possible
acceptance is known as null hypothesis it is commonly denoted by symbol H0.
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If a person want to test the importance of the difference between a statistic and the parameter or
between two sample statistics then person set up a null hypothesis that’s difference is not
significance. This is means difference is just because of fluctuations of sampling
If person want to test any statement about population then they set up null hypothesis that is true.
Alternative hypothesis – Any hypothesis which is complementary to a null hypothesis is known
as alternative hypothesis.
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to the point of view of Cheryl Fenner Brown(2017) head and neck cancer
treatment cause lymphedema which is very anguishing. Cancer treatment cause lymph system
which is part of human immune and circulatory system. Lymph transfer the white blood cells
from the lymph nodes in human body and sometime cancer cause the lymph system which cause
swelling in neck and arm of human body. Painful if cancer treatment affects the persons lymph
nodes then it causes painful or tender swelling in the nearby tissues. Lymphedema is really
painful and to reduce the pain effective and proper way is do yoga. Yoga include various types of
posters and asanas which provide relief and relax from the pain lymphedema to patient who had
neck and head cancer treatment. Yoga is very helpful it increases immunity which protect human
body from various kind of disease including lymphedema because this disease causes the
immune system of human. Yoga is also not that much expensive it is easy and simple technique
to remove or reduce the cause of lymphedema. There are various CD, DVD and books, Online
videos of yoga which is really helpful for patients. There are various forms of yoga which help
patients to reduce the swelling or pain of lymphedema. Hatha, this is the most effective and
famous form of yoga, this is basic form which include breathing exercise. Hatha is the traditional
physical therapy which give relief in pain of lymphedema. Iyengar, this is very conscientious
form of yoga, this form of yoga done in proper pose or posture. Iyengar form of yoga is very
hard to do but this is most effective form of yoga which help in reducing the swelling of
lymphedema. Vinyasa, this is most famous and common form of yoga this form includes regular
performance of the chain of breathing posturers which moves fluently from one another, this is
very useful form of yoga for lymphedema patients because it effects on patient’s fluid, this
provide is in-depth practices and relief. Ashtanga, this is very difficult form of yoga which
require proper postures or asanas, but this is also most effective form of yoga. This include
various postures which increase the strength and stamina of patients and provide consolation and
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comfort. Various doctor advice for the yoga in reducing the lymphedema it is very easy and
non-painful method of getting rid of a disease. It is a kind of therapy which is recommended by
yoga which help in transparent fluid rich in white blood cells that forms an important part of the
human body immune system and removing toxins. In simple words yoga help in maintaining the
regular blood circulation in the body which reduce the disease like lymphedema and increase the
white blood cells. When the lymph nodes are removed the results will be infection due to surgery
perform in removing the lymph nodes but when we use to remove it with the help of yoga it does
not have any kind of side effects on the human body. Most of the cancer patients get the better
out of the best results while performing yoga instead of going through with the pain full surgery
doing yoga each and every day will undo the effects of lymphedema selection of yoga was based
on the action of muscle on joints , anatomical areas with the various groups of lymph nodes yoga
is a slow methodical process of reducing the lymphedema as the surgery have major side effects
but it is less time consuming but the worst result can led to the death of the patient. Whereby the
yoga is slow and very safe process which do not have any side effects on the human bady yoga
manage the lymphedema in long term and promote self- efficiency improving the best not to
spread more. It help in stabilizing the situation of patients first after stabilizing yoga works on
reducing it. Yoga pith has its basic protocol for fight against the lymphedema the objective of
yoga in lymphedema is to develop an appropriate yoga sequence or protocol for upper- limb
lymphedema to gain the desire conditions or situation in the patient’s life.
As per the view point of Pauline Anderson, (2018), Yoga is equally good as physical therapy
in declining low back pain, arms pain and legs pain as well. It is determine that yoga improves
the overall function and pain along with decline the usage of medicine which is beneficial as well
as good for the human body. It is important for people to continuously keep yoga in order to
maintain ab balance in health and decline the level of arm and leg pain as well. In order to get a
complementary health, yoga is consider as an conventional therapy and its other benefit is it is
cost effective also. yoga is one of the best component of the treatment and it is determine that it
is a long-term treatment not as a temporary treatment. One of the most important rule of yoga is
it has done on empty stomach or after the consumption of 3 hours of food. The yoga room should
be clean and have a good ventilation as it develop a positivity in the mind and body of an
individual.
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According to the Rymph Milda, 2018, yoga is a protocol that has developed undertaking the
feasibility of these movements in a disability lymphedema. It is basically the pain that is occur in
rams and legs of a person. This pain is occur due to fluid in lymph and then it turn as pain. It is
determine that one of best medicine to treat in lymphedema is yoga and the physical exercise.
The yoga joined , function as well as improved inactivity, pain, improvement in disabilities of
hand joints and shoulder, reducing weight and volume of affected upper limb, improving grip
strength and many more. The yoga was developed with the protocol for part-by-part body
movements which joint central to the lymph drainage. All these were take place through
observing the muscle actions & joint movements at the time of yoga therapist performed various
kinds of yoga. The various positions of yoga is introduce for patients and to decline their painful
movements which is if lymphoedematous. It has been analysed that yoga make improvement in
movement as well as pain that is arm, leg, body pain. It is determine that doing yoga in a
continuous manner decline the level of cancer occur by leg pain, shoulder pain and arms pain.
Nowadays, physical therapy is working more and people prefer to take it but it is determine that
it is not a long-term solution, it only decline the level of pain temporary and sometimes also
cause negatively to the human body. The yoga is determine as effective as compare to physical
therapy in term of dealing with the arm pain, leg pain, and shoulder pain and so on.
Lymphedema is a disease which is occur due to one sided leg pain and ram pain and one of the
reason is development of fluid in lymph. It is consider that one of the effective to decline the
level of occurrence of disease is yoga which is long-term and improve the overall body and
brings out activeness in the human body which is important for the day-to-day life or in the
present situations.
Methodology
The objective of systematic review of literature which analysed yoga outcomes
measurements in dealing with arm and leg pain.
Source
In the present report, secondary sources is used that online publishments, journal articles,
google, academic education, google scholar, books, libraries, newspapers and may more.
The electronic information or database reviewed the systematic literature which include
MECDLINE, health soured, CINHAL plus and many other website related to the
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lymphedema disease and cancer treatments. The following keywords is used: lymphedema,
clinical learning, cancer treatment, physical therapy, yoga and so on.
Inclusion criteria
This criteria for the systematic literature review including of the studies which measured
yoga and physical therapy outcomes. In addition to this, it emphasise on patients that is
passing with the disease lymphedema or with the pain of arms as well as legs. The
literature review and the journal articles between 2015-1020 is consider in the report. In
along with this, there is comparison about the effectiveness of yoga and the physical
therapy in dealing with pain and the cancer treatment.
Exclusion criteria
This criteria included technological interventions which were not intermediate as well as
high fidelity solutions. In addition to this, it does not included nay primary research about the
cancer treatments and the arm pain and leg pain. It also does not consider undergraduate students
and not involve the impact of cancer on the human feelings and movements. It exclude the
information that is beyond with the topic and does not undertaken the positive negative impact of
lymphedema diseases.
Sample description
The outcome of search yielded 80 references associate to the lymphedema disease and the
effect of yoga as compare to the physical therapy. By using the exclusion criteria, 30 were
eliminated. I further identified as well as analysed 50 articles and publishments and then
removing out additional studies in an effective manner. It help me to meet the criteria and
complete the project on the time period. The 7 studies is include in the systematic review in a
proper manner. By all the journal paper, it is determine that yoga is more effective as compare to
the physical therapy and to treat with arm, leg and shoulder pain as well.
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
Gibbs reflective cycle is a model proposed in the year 1988 by Sir Graham Gibbs. It is a
model where he shows that learning can easily be gained by the experience and by conducting
some work. For analysing own experience and learning associated with the topic that whether
yoga or traditional physical therapy is beneficial for reducing lymphedema. Some of the stages
are going to be discussed as follows:
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Description: It refers to the first stage where effective description is given about the activity
performed by an individual person. In the present context of research, it is said that I have gained
ample number of information and knowledge about the topic which will aid me in near future in
both personal as well as professional life. I have developed my understanding on the topic for
which I have gone through various sites, journals and gather information. Along with this, I have
gathered information by conducting a research where both traditional as well as modern methods
related to the diseases are available. This will help me in order to gain in depth knowledge about
the topic in an effective manner and within given time period.
Feelings: It refers to the second stage of Gibbs reflective model which helps in providing in
depth information about the feeling and thoughts of an individual person associated with a
specific topic. While I was conducting this research, at the initial stage I was very excited as
well as nervous towards the project as I have to analyse the overall impact of the topic. After
some time it becomes difficult to stick with the topic as my interest goes down and by passing
time period my excitement turns into tension. Apart from this, it has been concluded that the
whole situation tested my level of patience but on the other hand help me in remaining positive
in every situation so that the project which is allotted to me conclude in an appropriate manner.
Evaluation: In the third stage of this model, overall focus is to provide detail description
about the experience. It mainly includes positive as well as negative aspect of the whole situation
which is gained by the individual. If talking about my whole experience related to the
investigation on the topic of whether yoga or traditional physical therapy is beneficial for
reducing lymphedema it has been said that my overall experience was good. In addition to this, it
has also been analysed by me that I have learned a lot of things which provides me opportunities
in near future. Furthermore, my research skills, analysis skills as well as communication skills
has been improved which will assist me in grabbing opportunities.
Conclusion: It refers to the fourth phase which focuses on the conclusion gain by the
experience. In the present research, it has been concluded that my overall experience assist me in
drawing the conclusion. With the help of this research it has been said that various types of skills
has been improved after conducting the whole research. Furthermore, it has also been determined
that my communication skill as well as patience level has been improved in an effective manner
so that I’ll be able to grab success in near future.
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Action Plan: At the end stage of the Gibbs reflective model, appropriate actions need to
be taken by me when similar type of work has been assigned to me in near future. As per my
own experience, it has been concluded that whenever I got the opportunity to perform any sort of
research, my improved skills and knowledge will assist me in concluding the whole investigation
in an effective and appropriate manner. Furthermore, if such type of investigation will be going
to conduct in near future, my learning and experience will assist me in a positive manner.
Outcome
With the help of effective literature review analysis it has been said that according to large
number of people yoga is the most effective and suitable method in order to reduce lymphedema.
After examining the view point of large number of people and by determining views and
opinions of different authors, it has been concluded that by adopting yoga technique in order to
reduce or minimize lymphedema which causes cancer. Along with this, it is the method which is
cost effective and provide positive results so that the research will be conducted in a positive
manner. This will also assist in enhancing the understanding and knowledge about the topic
which provides opportunities in near future in both professional as well as personal life.
Conclusion
With the help of above report or reflection, it has been concluded that I have reviewed and
analyse ample number of literature which is given by different authors and investigators. Along
with this, I have reviewed various online articles, personally examine various live cases which
help me in order to conclude the whole investigation in an effective manner. Furthermore, it will
also provide base to my main study which will prove me that there are different types of
techniques available in the medical field which reduces the negative impact of disease in an
effective manner if used in an appropriate manner. In addition to this, my over all experience has
been analysed by using Gibbs Reflective cycle which will assist me in examining my overall
learning and experience gain be me while conducting the whole research in an appropriate way.
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