Thomas (not his real name) was referred to me by his best friend. For several months, he had been experiencing a range of troubling symptoms that were largely unexplained: extreme bloating, unpredictable and explosive diarrhoea, gas, debilitating exhaustion, skin rashes, severe throat pain, brain fog, and recurring fungal and sinus infections— all at once.
For months, Thomas’s life had been controlled by the unpredictability of his symptoms. His mental health began to decline, showing signs of depression, as he stayed home, fearful of leaving or going to work in case his severe symptoms would suddenly flare up.
He avoided and canceled nearly all social and family activities, from dinners with friends to weekend outings with his kids—even routine tasks like grocery shopping. He went through countless tests for various health issues, from mild to serious, but none provided any answers for his condition.
Years passed, and his perplexing case was eventually investigated at Leiden University Hospital in the Netherlands. They contacted a specialised hospital in the United States, where he was tested for an extremely rare type of colon cancer (colorectal lymphoma) which can take years to appear.
All the results came back negative.
Throughout this difficult period, Thomas continued to attend his Yoga Therapy sessions regularly. Sometimes he arrived late, sometimes he’d forgotten, and other times his symptoms were so debilitating that he couldn’t leave his house. Still, he showed up whenever he could, in whatever capacity he was able.
If you’re reading this, you may be wondering what Yoga Therapy could possibly offer Thomas when even some of the best doctors in the world had been unable to help him.
CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES
One of the greatest frustrations Yoga Therapy trainees face during their case studies is when clients continue to experience symptoms, do not “get better,” and their illness is not “cured” after Yoga Therapy treatment. In fact, many yoga therapists—and therapists from other fields—become discouraged by their clients’ slow or nonexistent progress, sometimes blaming either their clients or themselves in exasperation.
This is largely because we live in a culture that values quick, straightforward results, where the expectation is that any problem can be solved with immediate action and an instant positive outcome.
For example, many people believe: If I’m overweight, I can work out for three months and get a six-pack. If I eat blueberries every day, I won’t develop heart disease. If I meditate, my anxiety will disappear in two weeks. This mindset is so fast-paced that a chronic illness is now defined as any condition lasting longer than three months!
So, if you’ve had headaches for longer than three months due to a temporary stressful period in your life, you may be labeled as a chronic headache sufferer. Similarly, if you’ve experienced painful periods for more than three months, it’s considered a chronic problem. As I near my sixties, I smile at how many times I would have been diagnosed with a chronic condition if I had followed that way of thinking.
YOGA THERAPY APPROACH TO SEVERE GUT ISSUES
When Thomas came to the sessions, we both understood that his situation was not about “fixing” him but rather about managing his condition on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis. My goal as a yoga therapist was to determine whether, on that particular day,
Thomas would be able to move and breathe, feel relief with some simple stretches, rest, and maybe even fall asleep with Yoga Nidra. We would chat and keep our conversation light, as this is what he wanted. Sometimes he felt down, while other times he was more optimistic. Whatever he brought to the mat was always welcome.
No one really trained me on what to do when severe gut symptoms come up during class. A couple of tips are to offer easy access to the bathroom at any moment in the session, remember to ask them to use the bathroom before restorative or relaxation, and relax when funny sounds and smells pop out. You only learn this when you work with clients experiencing these kind of symptoms!
FINALLY, A DIAGNOSIS.
In our sessions, Thomas would share the various tests and treatments he was undergoing until one day, a glimmer of hope appeared for him. After a series of tests, a doctor in Germany diagnosed him with Lyme disease, a relatively common but potentially devastating illness caused by the bite of an infected tick in forested areas.
This was the first positive test result and the first diagnosis he had received in nearly four years, and it finally made sense. The doctor put him on a strong course of antibiotics for several months, combined with prebiotics, probiotics, and some dietary recommendations. The effects of this treatment were monitored and adjusted through regular blood and stool tests.
Thomas started to feel better, although he still experienced many relapses in between. At least the periods of relief were now lasting longer. He was able to go on short holidays with his family, work a couple of days each week, and spend time with friends. He could drive to his countryside home without needing a bathroom break, and he began to enjoy food and life again.
YOGA THERAPY SUPPORT
Yoga Therapy supported Thomas during those incredibly challenging years of his life. Although his most severe symptoms were gut-related, I could not address his diet, nor did I need to, as I understood that it was beyond my scope of practice, especially in such a complex case.
Instead, I focused on talking, sharing, slow dynamic movements, self-tapping, gentle stretches, breath awareness, gentle abdominal and rib breathing, and elevated supported restorative Savasana with his legs in butterfly position, fully supported under the knees. Introspection and Yoga Nidra also played key roles in his therapy.
The purpose of our practices was to release the tension that had built up in areas contracted by abdominal cramps and bloating, including the lower back, thighs (quadriceps and hamstrings, which were extremely tight), sides of the body, diaphragm, and chest. We also incorporated breathing techniques to help calm the nervous system during the onset of symptoms.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
We avoided compressing the abdomen and chest, steering clear of poses like Child’s Pose or Malasana, which could induce diarrhoea. Since he was so exhausted, we focused on restorative practices and avoided active movements. Without a mutual understanding of his fatigue, even before a diagnosis, other yoga practices could have proven worse than ineffective and they could have been harmful.
In his case, “less is more” proved to be the right approach, as it often happens with complex cases.
THE GUT HEALTH TREND
Thomas continues to experience some of the symptoms that burdened him for years, but now they are much less severe. He is able to travel, work, and thrive despite the effects of Lyme disease and its treatment.
Lately, there has been lot of attention and blame on gut health as the primary root causes of disease, and quite rightly so. However, it is not always the case.
Thomas tried everything, from elimination diets to natural supplements and vitamins, treating his gut symptoms through the gut itself. But before receiving a diagnosis, his efforts were fruitless.
It is therefore important not to oversimplify this complex issue and to recognise that there can be other causes of digestive problems. Serious infections, whether bacterial or viral -and let’s not talk about parasites, which can be really hard to diagnose-, should all be tested for, diagnosed, and treated if symptoms of gut disease and digestive issues persist despite changes in diet and lifestyle habits.
For Thomas, a medical diagnosis opened the door to recovery, so he could be given the right combination of medication, supplementation, dietary changes and even psychological support for his years of suffering, through which Yoga Therapy played a key supporting role.
