The Role of Yoga Therapy in Tuberculosis Recovery and Management: A Review

Kanchan Pandey; Rameswar Pal; Ishwara Nayarkere Acharya; Kashinath Samagandi

doi:10.5530/ijcep.2025.12.4.26

Kanchan Pandey Yoga Therapy Centre Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Ashoka Road, New Delhi
Rameswar Pal Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Ashoka Road, New Delhi
Ishwara Nayarkere Acharya Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Ashoka Road, New Delhi
Kashinath Samagandi Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Ashoka Road, New Delhi

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5530/ijcep.2025.12.4.26

Keywords: Yoga therapy, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary rehabilitation, Immune modulation, Mind-body medicine

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health burden, with prolonged treatment causing physical and psychological strain. Complementary therapies, such as yoga, may enhance recovery and management of tuberculosis; however, a synthesis of evidence is lacking. This review was conducted on clinical trials retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library (2000– 2024) using the following keywords: "yoga," "tuberculosis," "pulmonary rehabilitation," and "mind-body therapy." Clinical trials, observational studies, and mechanistic reports were included in the analysis. Yoga improves lung function, reduces stress and oxidative stress, and alleviates anxiety/ depression. Trials show adjunctive yoga accelerates sputum conversion and improves quality of life. Yoga therapy is a promising adjunct for TB recovery and management, but larger RCTs are needed to standardize protocols.