Orthostatic Hypotension

Symptomatic reduction in blood pressure when rising from sitting, e.g., causing fainting or imbalance. BENEFICIAL POSES: Dandasana, Navasana, Tadasana, Vrksasana. EXPLANATION: As infants, when we stand up, our bodies quickly learn to adapt by narrowing the medium-sized blood vessels in our legs, so as not to deprive our brains of blood. As we age, a number of factors can interfere with that adaptation, some remediable through yoga, some not. Neuropathy (neurogenic orthostatic hypotension) , dehydration, and medication (non-neurogenic) are three main causes of orthostatic hypotension, and dizziness and falling are the chief consequences. It is frequently seen in Diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. These poses work by gradually re-instilling the proper responses to our sympathetic and cardiovascular and nervous systems by graded challenges. If they are followed by a general yoga program, graded with respect to vigorousness, people suffering from orthostatic hypotension frequently improve at least somewhat. They must be carefully watched to anticipate and prevent falls. For example, Vrksasana must be done against a wall, with a chair at hand for support REFERENCES: Kanjwal K, George A, Figueredo VM, Grubb BP, Orthostatic hypotension: definition, diagnosis and management..J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2015 Feb;16(2):75-81. doi: 10.2459/01.JCM.0000446386.01100.35. Orimo S, Ghebremedhin E, Gelpi E Peripheral and central autonomic nervous system: does the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system bear the brunt of the pathology during the course of sporadic PD? Cell Tissue Res. 2018 Jul;373(1):267-286. doi: 10.1007/s00441-018-2851-9. Epub 2018 Jun 4.