An integrated therapy approach for the management of obesity-associated disorders: A case report

Obesity (sthoulya), in general, is a significant health problem and is associated with several comorbidities and various discomforts that can cause negative impact on physical, mental, and social well-being of a person. In this case study, an obese patient was suffering from severe multiple joint pains (aam vata) and shortness of breath (shwaas) was unable to climb stairs, and had extreme difficulty in walking. The patient also suffered from stress-related complaints, such as sleep disturbances (anidra) and poor digestion. The treatment was aimed at restoring psycho-physiological and physical health of the patient. Ayurveda panchakarma therapy involves treatments such as snehana (oleation), svedana (sudation), and virechana (purgation), which are the line of treatment for obesity-related disorders. Furthermore, the patient was given special yoga postures to improve flexibility and movement of joints. The integrative therapy of Ayurveda panchakarma and yoga showed significant improvement in functional capacity, quality of life, and musculoskeletal pain.