The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Illnesses/Ailments › glaucoma
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Hello everybody.
I am 59 years and I am practicing hot yoga for over two years now, about 4/5 times a week. I am a medical doctor and was in general practice for many years. Recently I was by chance diagnosed with Normal Pressure Glaucoma. I got eyedrops to enhance the drainage of fluid from the eyeball and I was advised to avoid head under heart poses, which are Pada Hastasana, Dandayanama Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana, Dandayanama Bibhaktapada Jarunishirasana and rabbit pose. My partner who is a hot yoga practitioner as well, also went to the eyeclinic and she got a diagnosis ‘suspect for glaucoma’, she did not get medication and she will be a followed up.I have several questions:
* what could be alternative poses?
* does anyone of you have experience with hot yoga and glaucoma?
* could Normal Pressure Glaucome be triggered by hot yoga?
* could the heat and the sweating in an almost 100% level of humidity (here in Amsterdam we have high humidity levels!) cause high pressure around the eye, so the eye is impaired in its drainage?
* the incidence of High Pressure Glaucoma seems to be 2% of the population, so it is quite rare (a chance of 1 out of 2500) that both my partner and me have this (pre)condition. Could hot yoga be the trigger?That’s a lot of questions and quite scary ones for a hot yoga practitioner. At the moment we both have reduced the frequency of our practice and I am finding out alternative poses. But we feel quite unsafe. Does anybody have experience with hot yoga and glaucoma, any thoughts? Are there eyedoctors on the forum?
Namaste,
MarjoHi Marjo
Yes there could be alternative poses that would be almost identical for all but Rabbit pose. Just imagine that Pada Hastasana and Dand. Bibh. Paschimottanasana could be done seated. Basically it would be like your seated Paschimottanasana at the end. You bend your legs and work on straight back as your priority. Arms are straight with your back straight. Then only bend your arms IF and ONLY IF your back is straight as well as your legs. That is, bend the legs and work on straightening them while pulling back on the feet with long arms using the power of your legs.
Do one with legs together, one with legs apart. For Dand. Bibh. Janushirasana and Rabbit pose you would do seated Janushirasana. That will get you a good outcome too.
See the forum for ideas or the Hot Yoga MasterClass Manual or Pose Tutorials for in depth details and instructions.
No one can be sure but I would bet that the yoga is not the trigger. Otherwise we would have heard that before.
Whether the heat and sweating is causing a problem with drainage… That depends on your level of hydration, electrolyte level, and so many other factors, it would be unwise to make an assessment of that. I have no idea of your level of health, your nutrition, your history, your risk factors… so many things.
That both of you could have a similar condition is very coincidental and odd for sure. May I mention that 2% is 2 in 100 and an extremely high rate. 1 in 2500 is 0.04%. (Still pretty high).
Would it perhaps be a good idea to get a second opinion? I would be using Mr Google too and searching for more ideas. There are a great many factors involved.
What are your thoughts?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello Gabrielle,
I think Marjo says that 2% of the population gets normal pressure glaucoma, so the chance that both she and her partner have it, is only 0.04% (or 1 on 2500 or 4 on 10000), which is correct maths if I am not mistaken!
LisaHi Lisa
Thank you so much for your input. I was not commenting about the correctness of the maths but when I read your post I decided to do a little research and reread Marjo’s post (again)!
My comment was actually pointing out that 2% is NOT RARE!!!! It’s a very high percentage of the population to have a medical condition (IMHO!).
It is my belief that there is a little confusion happening. Let me explain.
Marjo has been diagnosed with NORMAL pressure glaucoma. The partner is suspected to have glaucoma. There is no mention of intra-ocular pressure for the partner. Therefore similarities of condition can only be the glaucoma and not the specific type.
If you read what M said the quote is that 2% of the population have HIGH PRESSURE glaucoma (not normal pressure glaucoma).
A much smaller proportion of people have the normal pressure condition.
Thanks for getting me to see what I didn’t pick up first time around!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I’ve just found out that there are changes to the optic nerves in my eyes and I also have normal eye pressure. It has not yet been determined if I have glaucoma at this point. I will have further tests soon. I’ve been doing Bikram yoga three days a week for three years. I would very much like to hear from Marjo Meiijer to learn if her eyes stabilized after stopping Bikram. My gut reaction is that both the heat and downward bending postures in Bikram yoga have contributed to my problem. I am 67 and my age may also be a factor. Previously I have had no problems with my eyes other than needing glasses. My last eye exam was done just when I started Bikram and at that point there was no problem with my optic nerves. I wish I had not gone three years between exams. I would urge anyone doing Bikram to have regular eye checkups.
Hello Mary
I am wondering if you have tried private messaging (PM-ing) Marjo to ask her directly. It has been over 2 years since she penned her questions so M’s interaction with the forum may be different to back then. Let me know how you go please.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
Thanks for the suggestion to try instant messaging. I believe you meant through the HotYogaDoctor site? I just tried it.
I do hope to hear from Marjo.
Hope you are having happy holidays,
Mary
Hi Mary
On the left side of the panel under where you see the name of the forum subscriber, there should be 2 buttons, one with PM (for private messaging) and one with EMAIL. I imagine that’s what you used!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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