The efficacy of add-on yoga intervention in somatoform pain disorders: An open-label controlled trial.

Background: Patients diagnosed with somatoform pain disorders (SPDs) experience chronic pain without any obvious etiology and repeatedly seek medical help to find some relief from the symptoms.

Aim: In this study, the effect of 24 weeks of add-on yoga therapy was assessed on pain in patients diagnosed with SPDs through an open-label trial.

Materials and methods: Seventy subjects (42 women) with a group mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of 35.41 ± 6.55 years, depending on their preference, were assigned to two groups, Yoga Group (YG: Yoga + standard treatment) (n = 38) or Wait-list Control Group (CG: standard treatment alone) (n = 32). An open-label, assessor-blind, controlled trial design was followed. The primary outcome variable was the severity of pain measured on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcome variables included anxiety [Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)], depression [Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)], somatic symptoms [Scale for Assessment of Somatic Symptoms (SASS)], disability (WHODAS 2.0), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). Assessment time points were baseline and 12 weeks for all the variables except pain, which was assessed at points 0, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Data were analyzed using Friedman's test (LOCF method filled out missing values) and linear mixed model analysis.

Results: Post intervention, there was a significant improvement in the pain scores of patients in the YG compared to the CG at 24 weeks (P < 0.001). Significant between-group improvements favoring the YG group were also observed in the scores of anxiety (P < 0.01), depression (P < 0.05), somatic symptoms (P < 0.01), and physical health-related quality of life (P < 0.01) at 12 weeks. We also observed that patients in the YG group adhered to the treatment better at the end of 24 weeks than the CG group.

Conclusions: Adding yoga therapy to standard treatment improved scores of pain, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and physical health-related quality of life in SPDs compared to standard treatment alone.