AUTHOR=Nair Pradeep M. K. , Kriplani Sucheta , Kodali Prakash Babu , Maheshwari Ayush , Bhalavat Kinjal Dilipsinh , Singh Deepika , Saini Sanjeev , Yadav Dinesh , Keswani Jyoti , Silwal Karishma , Sharma Hemanshu , Tewani Gulab Rai 

TITLE=Characteristics of patients who use yoga for pain management in Indian yoga and naturopathy settings: a retrospective review of electronic medical records

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pain Research

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pain-research/articles/10.3389/fpain.2023.1185280

DOI=10.3389/fpain.2023.1185280

ISSN=2673-561X

ABSTRACT=Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of patients who underwent yoga therapy for pain in yoga and naturopathy clinical settings in India.
Methods: Electronic medical records of patients who received yoga therapy for pain in three inpatient yoga and naturopathy hospitals were reviewed retrospectively from January 2021 to September 2022. Demographic characteristics and details on pain condition, socioeconomic status, comorbidities, ancillary therapies received, and insurance status were collected. Additionally, we prospectively collected data on adherence to yoga practice through a telephonic interview.
Results: A total of 984 patients were identified from a pool of 3164 patients who received yoga therapy for pain for an average of 9.48(1.13) days. The patients aged between 8 and 80 underwent therapy for varying pain conditions that includes pain in the extremities, pain due to infection, trauma, degenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, and spine and neurological diseases. The majority of the patients was females (66.3%), from middle class (74.8%), and did not have any insurance coverage (93.8%). Most of the patients took naturopathy (99.8%) followed by ayurveda (56%) physiotherapy (49.3%) along with the yoga therapy. All the patients reported a significant reduction in pain post integrated yoga therapy (p<0.001). Adherence to yoga was significantly associated with underlying pain conditions, the presence of comorbidities, the types of therapies used, and socioeconomic status (p< 0.001). 
Conclusion: This study highlights the real-time application of yoga in pain management in Indian yoga and naturopathy settings, as well as implications for future research.