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 A healthy body and healthy mind is the aim of
all medical systems. Ayurveda is one such system
that prevailed since 5,000 years ago. The word
Ayurveda is composed of Ayu and Veda. Ayu means
life, which is a proper combination of the body,
mind, sense organs and the soul. Veda means
knowledge.
Ayurveda records that all the living and non-living
things are a combination of pancha bhoota (prithvi,
ap, thejas, vayu, akasa). To regulate the living
body easily, the acharyas concised the pancha
bhootas into tridoshas (vata, pitta, kapha). Which
are the basic pavement for all ayurvedic theories,
is the condition when the doshas are in their
natural rhythm. When this rhythm is lost it is
called disease. The former means order, the latter,
disorder.
The purpose of treatment of all diseases is to keep
the doshas in equilibrium. In Ayurveda there are
three steps in treating any diseases, they are
samshodhana - cleansing process, samshamana -
palliative measures and nidanaparivarjana - treating
the causes.
Samshodhanam is considered a prominent process and
should be administered with full care. Samshodhana
is so important because the diseases treated by
samsamana may occur again but those treated by the
former will never recur or the chances of recurrance
will be very small.
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Panchakarma
Panchakarma a Samshodhana karma, is actually a group
of treatments, five in number, all of which are not
commonly practised in all diseases. The panchakarma
are vamana, virechana and nasya.
There are certain steps to be followed before doing
panchakarma called poorvakarmas. They are snehana (oleation)
and swedana (sudation). The purpose of poorvakarma
is to liquefy and guide the provoked doshas to the
mainstream to facilitate the Samshodhana karma. |
VAMANA (Emesis)
The first in Samshodhana karma, this process
requires good attention and skilled assistance. It
induces expulsion or vomotting. Diseases like severe
skin diseases (psoriasis, urticaria) bronchial
asthma, mental disorders and so on. |
VIRECHANA (Purgation)
By virechana the vitiated doshas are made to pass
through the anus. In proper virechana, the patient
passes urine, stool, pitta, medicine, kapha and vata
in order. |
VASTI (Enema)
Vasti is a process of injecting fluid through the
anal, urinary or vaginal canal. Snehavasti is Vasti
with unctuous oils. |
KASHAYAVASTI
Another form of vasthi, known as kashaya vasti.
Honey, rock salt, sneham, paste of medicines are
used. Application is the same as snehavasti. |
NASYA
Instillation through the nose is called nasya. In
Nasya, after suitably warmed oil is applied to the
shoulder and neck of the patient, lightly warmed oil
is dropped into each nostril. The percolated kapha
will be spat.
Panchakarma administered properly, healing of the
disease clear intelligence, alertness of the senses,
stability of the body, efficacy of digestion and
absorption, prolongation of youth all are achieved. |
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